A divided Naperville Plan Commission reluctantly weighing a moratorium on the issuing of new building permits voted 5-1 Wednesday to recommend the city not halt new development.
The commission’s vote, which included one abstention, was necessary to fulfill procedural requirements so the City Council can move ahead with a moratorium if it chooses to, said Michael Roth, city attorney. The new moratorium could last about a year, he predicted, while city officials revisit the controversial issue of road-impact fees.
Naperville is facing two lawsuits backed by the Northern Illinois Home Builders Association over its fees–the payments builders are required to make for future road building and maintenance.
The city in July passed a new fee ordinance that was projected to collect $52 million over 20 years.
Commissioner Steven Albert disagreed with the impact fee program and the moratorium.
“This is an arbitrary and inefficient way to raise funds for the city,” he said. “We’re taking one class of residents and taxing them.” Builders generally pass along their impact fee costs to the buyers of new homes, Albert added. “The city should handle growth problems by not annexing any more land,” he said.
Others said the moratorium is the wrong way to settle the dispute between the city and the builders. “This is an improper way to call this to a head,” said Commissioner Geoffrey Roehll.
The lone vote supporting the moratorium came from Commission Chair Judith Brodhead, who expressed disappointment that no one represented the home builders at the meeting.
“I’d support a moratorium–I just hope that there’s room for compromise on both sides.”
