Elgin City Council members have voiced support for changing the city’s property maintenance code that are intended to reduce on-street parking in residential neighborhoods, crack down on overcrowded multi-family buildings and eliminate basement kitchens.
The changes would require public hearings before they could be adopted, but council members voiced unanimous support Wednesday at a committee of the whole meeting.
One of the changes would require owners of multi-family units that once were single-family homes to add on-site parking or reduce the number of units.
The city wants to gradually eliminate such properties for safety reasons and because they increase the number of cars parked on streets. The city has a grant program available that would pay a property owner $20,000 for each unit eliminated, said Jerry Deering, director of code administration.
Another change would require emergency escapes in buildings with basement kitchens.
