CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Conduct the first reading of an ordinance amending Section 7-3-5 of Chapter 3 (Required Improvements) of Title 7 (Subdivision Regulations) regarding student generation rates for residential developments proposed within the boundaries of Indian Prairie Community Unit School District No. 204
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DEPARTMENT: Transportation, Engineering and Development
SUBMITTED BY: Allison Laff, AICP, Deputy Director
BACKGROUND:
On February 2, 2021, the City Council initiated, at the request from Indian Prairie Community Unit School District No. 204 (“SD 204”), an amendment to the generation tables of the City’s Land Cash Ordinance specific to the school district. The amendment is based on information submitted by SD 204 specific to school-aged children being generated from developments occurring within its boundaries.
The Land Cash Ordinance allows developers to donate either land or cash-in-lieu of land. The impacted park and school districts provide a recommendation as to their preferred donation type. The recommendation is subject to final review and approval by the City Council in conjunction with the development request. If a cash donation is accepted, it can be used to acquire school or park land to serve the immediate or future needs of the residents of the subject development and/or to fund the improvement of other existing local park or school sites which already serve such needs. Land Cash funds may not be used for operational purposes by any district.
It is important to note that neither the Naperville Park District nor Naperville School District 203 have expressed interest in updating the demographic tables as they apply to their respective districts. Accordingly, their existing generation tables will remain in place following adoption of any amendments to SD 204’s generation tables. Should an update to the generation tables be desired by the Naperville Park District or Naperville School District 203, each district would need to conduct additional demographic research specific to their impacted population and geographic boundaries and present this information to the City Council at a future date.
DISCUSSION:
SD 204 is requesting an amendment to the generation tables included in Section 7-3-5 based on discrepancies observed between the school-aged children estimated by the current tables set forth in the Land Cash Ordinance and the actual school-aged children being generated within built developments. SD 204 has submitted a 19/20 Generation Analysis and an updated Generation Table, both prepared by RSP (see attached). Per the findings of the report prepared for SD 204, the existing generation tables in the Naperville Municipal Code:
1. Overestimate the number of school-aged children being generated by detached single-family homes; and
2. Underestimate the number of school-aged children being generated by attached single-family homes and apartments.
SD 204 is proposing that the City Council amend the Land Cash Ordinance population generation estimates to be consistent with the above findings. As an example, the amended tables would impact the cash-in-lieu of land donation per development type as follows:
SD 204 is not seeking any updates to the fair market value for school land or the number of acres required to serve the school needs of the school-aged children generated by a development. SD204 has concurrently submitted a request to the City of Aurora to update the school generation tables which are applicable to residential developments proposed within SD 204’s boundary in Aurora.
Community Input
City staff hosted a virtual public meeting on March 11, 2021 during which representatives from SD 204 and RSP (SD 204’s consultant) presented their findings. More than 100 interested parties, including the Illinois Homebuilders Association, local residential developers, and local attorneys, were invited to the meeting and given an opportunity to provide feedback and ask questions regarding the proposed amendment. A project web page was also created to allow interested parties to review the proposed information in detail and submit questions at <https://www.naperville.il.us/services/permits--licenses/development-petition-and-application/sd204-proposed-changes-to-naperville-cash-in-lieu-of-land-fees/>
A meeting summary is attached. Participants asked clarifying questions about the RSP findings, but no changes were suggested. No questions or comments have been submitted through the project web page or directly to staff. No changes have been made to the information in the ordinance based on input received. The ordinance language reflects the recommendations recommended by RSP.
Impact of Changes
The proposed SD 204 school donation amendment will only be applicable to:
1. New development in Naperville located within SD 204 boundaries seeking approval of a Final Plat and opting to pay the required cash-in-lieu of land school donation in a lump sum collected by the City prior to recording the plat; and
2. Any residential building permits in Naperville submitted for developments located within SD 204 boundaries which opted to pay the donation requirement on a per permit basis when their Final Plat was approved. Note: the updated donation amount will apply to these building permits regardless of when their applicable subdivision plats were approved and recorded.
FISCAL IMPACT:
All school/park donations collected by the City are directly transferred to the respective districts. If the requested amendment is approved, City revenues will not be impacted.