City of Sycamore City Council met Dec. 20.
Here is the agenda 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 6, 2021.
B. Payment of the Bills for December 20, 2021.
7. PRESENTATION OF PETITIONS, COMMUNICATIONS, AND BILLS.
A. Annual Presentation by Maggie Peck of Service Awards to City of Sycamore employees in recognition of their milestone anniversaries in service to the Citizens of Sycamore.
8. REPORTS OF OFFICERS
9. REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES
10. PUBLIC HEARINGS
11. ORDINANCES
A. Ordinance 2021.21—An Ordinance Levying Taxes for the Corporate Purposes of the City of Sycamore for the Fiscal Year Commencing May 1, 2022 and Ending April 30, 2023. Second Reading.
A public hearing was held on the proposed 2021 corporate property tax levy for the City of Sycamore on December 6, 2021. The proposed corporate levy of $4,372,544 includes a City levy of $3,185,960 and a Sycamore Public Library levy of $1,186,584. Assuming a city-wide EAV of $508,768,557 in 2021—an increase of over $20.8 million in the City’s collective real estate wealth from 2020—the proposed corporate levy should result in a tax rate of $.85944 per $100 EAV. This rate represents a 2.64% decrease from the 2020 rate.
City Council approval is recommended.
B. Ordinance 2021.22—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 2022-2023. 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 ($262,650) 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 $262,650 and abate $262,650, 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.
City Council approval is recommended.
C. Ordinance 2021.23—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 2022-2023. Second Reading.
This ordinance concerns the FY2022-2023 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 $326,000, and $171,000 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 No. 2021.24—An Ordinance Amending the Combined Annual Budget and Appropriation Ordinance for the Fiscal Year 2021-22 in the City of Sycamore, Illinois. First and Second Reading.
Each year, the City’s annual budget is revised mid-year to reflect audited numbers for the previous fiscal year ending on April 30th and actual contract prices and activities approved in the first half of the current fiscal year. The complete revised budget document is available on the City’s website: www.cityofsycamore.com and at the Sycamore Library.
City Council approval is recommended.
E. Ordinance No. 2021.25—An Ordinance Approving a Planning and Zoning Commission Recommendation of a Request by Brian Grainger of Old Mill Park, LLC for a Change of Zoning of the Property Located North of Mt. Hunger Road and Route 23 (PIN numbers 0629427001, 0629427002, 0629427003 and 0629427004) Constituting 18.65 Acres from the Current Zoning of C-3, Highway Business District to R-3, Multi-Family Residential District. First and Second Reading.
Brian Grainger of Old Mill Park, LLC, who completed the Somerset Farms development and has developed Phase I of the Old Mill Park active adult 55+ luxury townhome development, intends to develop a second phase north of Mt. Hunger Road and south of Maplewood Drive. The property is 18.65 acres and would be a continuation of the Old Mill Park subdivision. Mr. Grainger intends to construct (21) four-unit buildings (84 units total), arranged similarly to the first phase, with a botanical garden, clubhouse, and indoor swimming pool that would serve both phases. In order to be developed as planned, the property must be re-zoned from its current C-3, Highway Business District classification to R-3, Multi-Family Residential. The proposed development is an active adult age 55+ luxury townhome development.
The Planning and Zoning Commission was tasked with determining whether it is in the best interest of the community, in both the short and long term, to re-zone the property. Further, they considered how the proposed development fits within the residential development goals and objectives outlined in the City’s Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan includes the following goals: 1) Maintain a primarily single-family character of the community’s housing stock, but evaluate the potential to introduce more diversity in housing options to attract a variety of residents; and 2) Pursue the development of senior living neighborhoods or senior housing options near walkable centers, such as the downtown. This property is adjacent to Phase I of the Old Mill Park subdivision and is within walking distance of downtown.
Mr. Grainger submitted a concept plan to the Planning and Zoning Commission to get feedback and prepare to address any concerns. The concept plan includes features that were included in Phase I. The details would be finalized as part of the development plan and preliminary plat; however, given that this development would be an extension of Phase I, many of the details would mirror those in the original phase.
The City Council approved the re-zoning of Phase I in December 2016, conditioned on the approval of a final plat and a planned development agreement and plan for an age-restricted housing project substantially similar to the concept plan. Given that the concept plan and development details are very similar to Phase I, the Planning and Zoning Commission, after holding a public hearing, forwarded a favorable recommendation by a vote of 10 to 0 with the same conditions.
City Council approval is recommended.
12. RESOLUTIONS
A. Resolution No. 898—A Resolution Authorizing the Execution of a Lease Agreement Between the City of Sycamore and TCOT Boutique for Suite 101A 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. TCOT (“The Cherry on Top”) Boutique has been operating for the past year in the Sycamore Center and expressed interest in continuing to lease the retail space. Currently, the attached agreement includes a month-to-month lease for Suite 101A that commences on January 1, 2022, with a monthly rent of $900, inclusive of utilities and taxes, with annual renewal options.
City Council approval is recommended.
B. Resolution 899—A Resolution Approving and Accepting Certain Public Improvements at the FMG – Shell Site located at 611 Puri Parkway, Sycamore, IL.
First Midwest Group and their contractors have completed the installation and successful testing of public sanitary sewer improvements relative to the FMG – Shell Site located at 611 Puri Parkway, Sycamore, IL. According to section 4.7.11 of the City’s UDO, the City Engineer shall forward a recommendation to the City Council if the improvements are acceptable.
City staff were present during the installation and testing of these improvements and received copies of required as-built plans. The City Engineer recommends the City Council accept the public portions of the sanitary sewer improvements as shown in this resolution and reduction of the developer’s letter of credit. The developer is required to guarantee improvements for a period of one year.
City Council approval is recommended.
C. Resolution No. 900– A Resolution Authorizing the designated City Manager to Sign a Loan Agreement with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and Execution of a Contract relative to the City of Sycamore Lead Water Service Replacement Project.
The City of Sycamore previously approved a “Notice of Intent to Award” to N-Trak Group LLC of Loves Park, IL in the amount of $1,462,671.20. This award is contingent based on Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) approval of the contract and the finalization of the City of Sycamore’s loan documents.
The IEPA has reviewed this information and issued a Loan Agreement for $1,606,426.00, which includes construction, design and construction engineering, legal expenses, and a small percentage for construction contingencies. The loan includes 100% principal forgiveness from the IEPA. Approval and execution of the loan documents is required prior to any construction related activities.
City Council approval is recommended.
13. CONSIDERATIONS
A. Consideration of a New Ward Map.
Municipalities with political wards that experienced a significant change in their population as a result of the 2020 Census are required to redistrict to comply with the “one person, one vote” principle that evolved from the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the later federal Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Under Illinois law, municipalities are allowed a specified number of wards based on population. On June 20, 2011, the City Council revised the City ward boundaries to reflect population shifts revealed by the 2010 Census. The 2020 Census results require another adjustment in ward population to meet the intent and the letter of state and federal law. To follow are three options for review from the DeKalb County Information Management Office.
The redistricted map is not supposed to show how Sycamore might grow, but how Sycamore has grown. Neither federal nor state law requires mathematical or geographical perfection in the size of wards, but it is required that wards are as equal, compact, and contiguous as “practicable.” This means that municipalities could attempt to draw their ward lines so residents on both sides of a street are in the same ward, even if that means some variance from the ideal mathematical model. Each of the three attached models achieves a practical re-configuration while clinging as much as possible to the ideal.
Three ward options will be presented by the Acting City Manager for discussion. If a Council consensus is reached, the appropriate ordinances will be prepared for the January 3, 2022 Council agenda.
City Council direction is recommended.
B. Consideration of an Administration Recommendation to Award the Bid for the City’s 2021 Salt Bid.
On November 18, 2021, the City of Sycamore received and read bids for the 2021 Rock Salt Purchase. This bid includes furnishing and delivering 1,200 Tons of salt used for de-icing of City streets and parking lots. Salt will be purchased and delivered on an as-needed basis starting immediately and continuing through June 1, 2022 when the City shall take delivery of the remaining balance. This purchase, coupled with existing reserves, should provide the City with an adequate supply based on a review of nineteen years of salt usage.
The City provided contract documents to bidders via the City’s bidding website and received a total of four bids. The bid results are consistent with recent results in other communities. Bid results are as follows:
1 Midwest Salt Inc. $104,700.00
2 Morton Salt Inc. $112,320.00
3 Cargill $118,632.00
4 Tiles in Style $154,800.00
Staff recommends approval the bid from Midwest Salt Inc. of West Chicago, IL in the amount of $104,700.00.
City Council approval is recommended.
14. OTHER NEW BUSINESS
15. APPOINTMENTS
16. ADJOURNMENT
https://cityofsycamore.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/20211220-CC-Final.pdf
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