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Engineer updates water, sewer and pool projects; developer pitches modular homes as housing solution
Summary
HMG briefed council on water main, sewer and pool permit progress and lift‑station defects; Horizon Developers Group proposed modular homes (examples $150,000–$250,000, rent‑to‑own option) as a way to address local housing shortages and use city lots.
City consultant Jesse Maynard of HMG updated the Pinckneyville City Council on several infrastructure projects and near‑term milestones.
Maynard reported that new water main lines on Fairground Road are connected but contractors are needed to remove existing pipe under the railroad and highway; sanitary sewer extension easement work is underway for First Street; the pool permit application has been submitted to the Illinois Department of Public Health and the associated grant expires in May 2026; bids for the Mason Street water tower will be opened Aug. 6, 2025; and an IEPA planning grant of $30,000 covers planning for unsewered subdivisions. He also noted environmental paperwork for the wastewater treatment plant has been submitted and that defects at the Grant Street Lift Station require repair and culvert work.
On housing, Rondell Swope, CEO of Horizon Developers Group, described a modular home manufacturing plan (temporary facility in Mounds, Illinois) that would ship units within roughly 500 miles by flatbed or rail. Swope gave price examples—two‑story, three‑bedroom homes listed at roughly $195,000–$250,000 and a 600‑square‑foot unit at about $150,000—and described a rent‑to‑own program designed to let purchasers build equity while completing HUD training and loan approval. Councilors and staff discussed local zoning (minimum 900 sq ft in some zones), the city’s 15 small lots, and the possibility of demo homes to show prospective buyers what new construction would look like.
Beth Porter, a longtime local realtor, emphasized that the community has lost residents because of housing shortages and said one‑level homes for older residents and duplexes are in demand. Fire Chief Curtis Miller asked about construction materials and life expectancy; Swope said the homes meet county and state ordinances and that the oldest modular home his firm built is seven years old.
Council did not take formal action on housing during the meeting; the presentation provided options and next steps for staff to consider regarding zoning and city lots.
Next steps: staff will continue project planning, pursue required bids and permits, and consider recommendations related to zoning and potential demo homes.
