Fox River Grove holds public hearing on proposed Downtown TIF #3 to spur Block B redevelopment

Village President Marc McLaughlin opened a public hearing Jan. 20 at the Fox River Grove Municipal Center on a proposed downtown Tax Increment Financing district, called Downtown TIF #3, to support redevelopment of Block B.

Administrator Soderholm introduced Pete Losue of Teska & Associates, who presented the eligibility analysis for creating a new TIF carved from an existing district. Losue told the board he has “never experienced reversal of a TIF that I have been involved with” and said the Block B parcel qualifies under both sets of vacant-land criteria. He said he applied the statutory "but for" test in the Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act (65 ILCS 5/11-74.4) and concluded redevelopment would not reasonably be anticipated without TIF assistance because of the site’s size, shape and years of difficulty securing a developer. Losue also said notices were mailed to residents within 750 feet and that the Joint Review Board voted in favor of the proposal.

Resident Kyle Platt, who lives at 402 Lucille Ave., opposed the proposal and questioned the parcel’s eligibility now that the formerly deteriorated buildings have been demolished. Platt also expressed concern about the developer’s financial stability and asked the board to consider shifting part of the bi-monthly base fee to consumption charges so heavier users pay more.

Trustee Steve Knar pressed Losue to clarify the assertion that the area had been "blighted prior to demolition" and was "adjacent to deterioration." Losue responded that earlier studies documented structurally unsafe buildings on Block B before demolition and that those records supported the eligibility finding.

Ted Schuman, who lives within 750 feet of the site, said he attended the hearing to learn more. Pete Losue reminded attendees that the session was informational only and that the Village Board could not take final action earlier than 14 days and no later than 90 days after the hearing.

Earlier in the meeting the board approved the consent agenda, covering the Jan. 6 meeting minutes and accounts payable, on a unanimous roll-call vote. The public hearing closed at 6:55 p.m., and the board adjourned that same evening.

The board may consider formal action on Downtown TIF #3 at a future meeting within the statutorily required window; no ordinance or financing agreement was approved at the Jan. 20 session.