Kane County Reporter

City of Geneva City Council met Aug. 17.

Here is the agenda provided by the council:

Staff Responses to Council Questions

Agenda Item 8. Reports

c) Fiscal year 2020-21 First Quarter Goals Status Report

Q: Page 69 – why is there a qualifier added, “when service is disrupted?” There is not such a qualifier on page 193.

A: The overall intent of the assistance program is to assist when service is disrupted either by the need to repair or replace a water main or in conjunction with a construction project, as disruption of lead water service lines may temporarily increase lead levels in the water supply. The Illinois Department of Public Health has indicated that partial lead service line replacement can increase the risk of lead exposure from the water taps inside the home. Page 193 was a summary memo of the program and did not contain full details of each.

Agenda Item 11. Municipal Bills for Payment 

1) Brand It On Apparel CO, $10,201.00

Q: What department is receiving this clothing?

A: This is for the Public Works employees consistent with the Personnel Policy Manual (for non- represented employees) and the applicable collective bargaining agreement (for represented employees). An RFP was put on the City’s website for selected items of clothing. Three proposals were received. Brand It On Apparel Co. of Schaumburg provided the lowest proposal for the selected items.

Agenda Item 12. Committee of the Whole Items of Business

f) Approve Ordinance No. 2020-24 Amending Title 9 (Municipal Utilities), Chapter 3 (Water and Sewers), Section 1 (Definitions) and Section 5 (Maintenance Repair and Replacement of Service Lines) of the Geneva City Code.

Q: What would be the current material standard for replacing lead service lines? Is it copper or PEX or something else? Would this be accomplished through directional boring or is there substantial excavation?

A: The replacement would be either copper or PVC and is usually directionally drilled.

Agenda Item 13. Presentation of Ordinances, Resolutions, Petitions, Bids

a) Consider Ordinance No. 2020-25 Amending Title 11 of the Geneva City Code (Zoning Ordinance), Section 11-11A-6 (Parking Spaces and Design Requirements), to Establish Separate Parking Requirements for One-Bedroom and Two-Bedroom Apartments Within a Transit-Oriented Development.

Q: Will residents of the proposed development qualify for any special, on-street parking privileges like proximate residential enjoy (i.e. hangtags that allow overnight parking in time-limited parking zones)?

A: As the City of Geneva code is currently written, residents of this development would not be eligible for permit parking (7-4-7).

c) Consider Resolution No. 2020-50 Adopting the 2020 Affordable Housing Plan as Presented.

Q: What it would take to consider adding that all new developments (sans single-family homes) require 20% affordable? Would I propose an amendment to this agenda item?

A: On June 10, 2019, the Committee of the Whole of the City Council held a policy discussion regarding different affordable housing strategies. At the meeting, staff reviewed the City’s past planning efforts with affordable housing, the Affordable Housing Planning and Appeals Act, and potential strategies to create affordable housing in Geneva. The strategies included development incentives, inclusionary housing requirements, a demolition tax, property contributions, accessory dwelling units, and Tax Increment Financing.

A second policy discussion was held by the Committee of the Whole on Aug. 26, 2019, where development incentives, inclusionary housing requirements, a demolition tax, and property contributions were reviewed in more detail. At the conclusion of the meeting, the Committee directed staff to draft incentives for the creation of affordable housing in Geneva.

On Jan. 6, 2020, the City Council approved an inclusionary housing ordinance (Ordinance 2020-06) that provides incentives for the creation of affordable housing within Geneva.

If the City wants to change course and revisit an inclusionary housing requirement, it should be done during strategic planning and/or at a future policy discussion meeting. The Affordable Housing Plan on the agenda this evening sets the goal of bringing the percentage of affordable housing units to a minimum of 10% of the total housing stock and identifies the incentives we have adopted to help reach that goal. Given all that has happened in 2020, there has not been enough time to determine the effectiveness of these incentives.

Public Comments – None Received

https://www.geneva.il.us/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_08172020-1627