City of Sycamore City Council met Dec. 21.
Here is the minutes provided by the council:
1. CALL TO ORDER
2. INVOCATION
3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
5. AUDIENCE TO VISITORS
In accordance with previously adopted Rules, Public Comments shall be limited to a maximum of thirty minutes per meeting and the public may participate only during the “Public Comment” portion of the meeting. Comments shall not exceed three minutes per speaker unless limited to a shorter duration if numerous people wish to speak. All participants will be required to provide their name and address for the record. No speaker may speak more than once during any meeting unless specifically permitted to do so by the presiding officer. The City encourages that a spokesperson be chosen for individuals wishing to speak about the same subject matter to avoid repetitive presentations. All remarks should be addressed to the City Council as a whole and not to any individual member or employee. In the event speakers pose questions the Council or City staff, they should be aware that those individuals may decline to answer. Each speaker shall maintain civility and decorum. The Presiding Officer retains the right to stop or remove any speaker who becomes disruptive to the meeting.
6. CONSENT AGENDA
A. Approval of the Minutes for the Regular City Council Meeting of December 7, 2020.
B. Payment of the Bills for December 21, 2020.
C. Treasurer’s Report through November 30, 2020.
7. PRESENTATION OF PETITIONS, COMMUNICATIONS, AND BILLS
A. Annual Presentation of Service Awards to City of Sycamore Employees. Director of Human and Administrative Resources Maggie Peck and City Manager Brian Gregory will Recognize Employees with 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 Years of Continuous Service to the Citizens of Sycamore.
B. Recognition of Public Works Director Fred Busse for his 36 Years of Service to the City of Sycamore and his Upcoming Retirement on December 23, 2020.
8. REPORTS OF OFFICERS
9. REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES
10. PUBLIC HEARINGS—None
11. ORDINANCES
A. Ordinance 2020.17—An Ordinance Levying Taxes for the Corporate Purposes of the City of Sycamore for the Fiscal Year Commencing May 1, 2021 and Ending April 30, 2022. Second Reading.
The proposed corporate property tax levy of $4,306,616 includes a City levy of $3,137,913 and a Sycamore Public Library levy of $1,168,703. Assuming a city-wide EAV of $486,900,285 in 2020—an increase of over $18.7 million in the City’s collective real estate wealth from 2019—the proposed corporate levy should result in a tax rate of $.88450 per $100 EAV. This rate represents a 2.10% decrease from the 2019 rate.
City Council approval is recommended.
B. Ordinance 2020.18—An Ordinance Abating the Debt Service Levy for the General Obligation Refunding Bond Issue Series 2012 for the City of Sycamore, DeKalb County, Illinois for Fiscal Year 2021-2022. Second Reading.
The 2012 Refunding Bond was issued in July 2012 to refinance the 2002 General Obligation Bond and the majority of the 2003 General Obligation Bonds. All of the debt service ($265,150) on the 2012 Refunding Bond series will be abated. This approach is consistent with the City policy of paying the greatest share of its annual general obligation bond debt service from general revenues other than property taxes. The attached ordinance will levy $265,150 and abate $265,150, so the extension will be $0.00. The debt service will be paid by the 2012 Bond Proceeds Fund (Fund 36) which gets its primary revenue from General Fund, Capital Fund (Fund 6) and Road & Bridge Fund (Fund 8) transfers. These are the same sources that funded the 2002 and 2003 issues.
City Council approval is recommended.
C. Ordinance 2020.19—An Ordinance Partially Abating the Debt Service Levy for the General Obligation Bond Issue Series 2017 Refunding Bond for the City of Sycamore, DeKalb County, Illinois for the Fiscal Year 2021-2022. Second Reading.
This ordinance concerns the FY2021-2022 debt service on the 2017 General Obligation Refunding Bond. Historically, the City has levied $155,000 for debt service to be applied to the 1999, 2005 and 2007 bond funds. Both the 1999 and 2005 bonds have been retired and the 2007 series was refunded as part of the 2017 Refunding Bond, therefore the levy will be applied to the 2017 series. As a result, the total levy is $326,936 and $171,936 will be abated. The debt service will be paid from the 2017 Bond Fund (Fund 38) which receives its principal revenue from General Fund transfers.
City Council approval is recommended.
D. Ordinance 2020.20—An Ordinance Amending Article 5.3.1, “Permitted Uses,” Article 1.3.3, “Definitions,” and Article 6.7.2.E, “Off-Street Parking and Loading” of the Unified Development Ordinance of the City of Sycamore, Illinois. First and Second Reading.
In recent months, staff has had discussion with parties interested in development projects that are requesting amendments to the Unified Development Ordinance to extend Special Uses for Tattoo Parlors and Churches beyond what is currently allowed. These requests were presented to the Planning and Zoning Commission on December 14th and come to the Council with a favorable recommendation by a vote of 10 to 0.
ARTICLE 5.3.1.H
Currently, Tattoo Parlors are a Special Use in C-3, Highway Business Districts and on the second floor in C-2, Central Business Districts. Based on discussions with the petitioner and in reviewing the actions leading to the establishment of the current use classifications, staff is bringing forward modifications for Tattoo Parlor use classifications for consideration. These modifications would allow Tattoo Parlors as a Special Use on the main level in C-2 Districts provided the property is outside of the conservation district. Therefore Table 5.3.1.H would be modified as follows (in underline):
ARTICLE 1.3.3
As part of the process, staff is recommending that Article 1.3.3, “Definitions” be amended to add definitions to clarify the Downtown District and define the Conservation District as follows:
Add definitions noted in underline:
Conservation District: The area bounded by the following streets:
Start at Sacramento Street and State Street and proceed east on State Street to Main Street, including properties fronting the east side of Sacramento Street, the north and south sides of State Street and the west side of Main Street. Rear facades or corner facades facing side streets are not included.
Downtown District: The area bounded by the following streets including the properties with frontage on said streets as described herein:
Start at High Street and DeKalb Avenue and proceed east on High Street, including the properties fronting on the south side of High Street, to Locust Street; then north on Locust Street, including properties fronting on the east side of Locust Street, to Exchange Street; then west on Exchange Street, including properties fronting the north side of Exchange Street, to Sacramento Street, then south on Sacramento Street, including properties fronting the west side of Sacramento Street, to DeKalb Avenue; then southwesterly to the point of beginning.
The Downtown District is defined as it relates to parking currently in the UDO. This modification would insert it into the definitions section for easy reference.
ARTICLE 5.3.1.N
The second request involves churches, which are currently a Special Use in Agricultural, Residential and Central Business zoned districts. This modification would allow church uses to pursue a special use in C-3, Highway Business Districts. The Special Use process would consider development factors such as parking and traffic flows and involves a public hearing with notice via mailers to neighboring property owners.
With this modification, Table N in Article 5.3.1 would need to be amended as follows (underlined):
ARTICLE 6.7.2.E
The final modification involves an administrative clean-up to Article 6.7.2.E – “Off-Street Parking and Loading” to reference the definition of Downtown District in Article 1.3.3 (underlined):
These regulations shall not apply to any uses of new buildings or structures, or existing principal buildings or structures, which are enlarged or increased in capacity after the adoption of this section and are zoned commercial or manufacturing when located within the Downtown District as defined by Article 1.3.3, to include the area bounded by the following streets including the properties with frontage on said streets as described herein:
Start at High Street and DeKalb Avenue and proceed east on High Street, including the properties fronting on the south side of High Street, to Locust Street; then north on Locust Street, including properties fronting on the east side of Locust Street, to Exchange Street; then west on Exchange Street, including properties fronting the north side of Exchange Street, to Sacramento Street, then south on Sacramento Street, including properties fronting the west side of Sacramento Street, to DeKalb Avenue; then southwesterly to the point of beginning.
A public hearing was held at the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting after public notice in the local newspaper.
City Council approval is recommended.
12. RESOLUTIONS
Resolution No. 848—A Resolution Authorizing the Execution of a Lease Agreement Between the City of Sycamore and TCOT Boutique for Suite 101A the Retail Space in the Sycamore Center.
When the City acquired and renovated the Sycamore Center, emphasis was placed on keeping the State Street frontage as commercial retail space. With the recent departure of Shop-in-Style (S.I.S.), TCOT (“The Cherry on Top”) Boutique expressed interest in leasing the retail space in the Sycamore Center. Currently, TCOT Boutique has an on-line presence and is excited to open a retail space in downtown Sycamore. The attached agreement includes a one-year lease for Suite 101A that commences on January 1, 2021, with a monthly rent of $900 inclusive of utilities and taxes, with annual renewal options.
City Council approval is recommended.
13. CONSIDERATIONS
A. Consideration of a Police Department Recommendation to Award a Bid for a 2021 Ram 1500 Crew Cab 4 x 4 Pickup to Roesch Truck Center of Elmhurst, Illinois in the Amount of $29,154.00.
The City’s FY2021 capital budget include the purchase of a patrol vehicle as part of the annual fleet rotation. In November, a request for proposals was published in a local newspaper and also posted on the City of Sycamore web site. One bid was submitted and opened on December 1st and the Department obtained a cooperate purchasing price for the vehicle.
The table below reflects the bid received during the open bid process and a cooperative purchase pricing program:
The Police Department recommended award to the vehicle purchase to Roesch Truck Center in the amount of $29,154 through the cooperative purchasing program. Upon receipt, the patrol vehicle will need to be equipped and marked which will be within the capital budget allocation.
City Council approval is recommended.
14. OTHER NEW BUSINESS 15. APPOINTMENTS 16. ADJOURNMENT
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