Minooka continues incentives for homebuilders
By Kris Stadalsky Correspondent January 25, 2013 8:46AM
Updated: March 1, 2013 6:35AM
The economic stimulus program for residential building has been so successful in Minooka that trustees last week approved another year of the matching grant rebate program.
“I think it’s proven very beneficial,” Village Administrator Dan Duffy said.
Homebuilders can get a $10,000 rebate on a single-family home or $5,000 on a townhome or duplex if they use a qualified builder and file for a permit before April 30, 2014.
The program was set to expire in April of this year, but people are taking advantage of the rebate. The village has been averaging 30 residential building permits per year for the past three years, Duffy said.
With four months left in this fiscal year, Minooka already has issued 20 permits, putting it ahead of previous years.
“A lot of it is due to developers taking advantage of the tax stimulus program,” Duffy said.
The village rebates half the amount upon occupancy, and the other half comes from the developer.
Homebuyers should check with the village to be sure a chosen developer is current on financial obligations with the village and not in violation of any codes or ordinances.
Fee to be rescinded
Homebuilders who want to construct in Westwind Estates likely will get a break on costs in the near future to the tune of $6,200.
The village board intends to rescind the school facilities, or “brick and mortar,” impact-fee resolution, which was passed in 2004 during the housing boom to slow down residential building and its effect on school districts.
The fee was negotiated as part of a development’s annexation agreement.
“We did this with most other communities in this area (at the time),” Village Attorney Chris Spesia said.
With each developer that applied for annexation, the agreements became stricter, Duffy said.
Consequently, Westwind was the only Minooka subdivision that had this fee attached to it.
The resolution to rescind the fee was on the agenda but was tabled until the February meeting at the request of Village President Pat Brennan. Brennan requested time to speak with school districts that receive a portion of the fee as revenue.
Now that housing has significantly slowed, the additional impact fee likely is hindering construction in that part of the village. Information from potential builders indicates that permit fees attached to Westwind are higher than in neighboring communities, according to village documents.
In other business, the board:
Appointed Beth Black as the village’s Freedom of Information Act officer.
Approved a one-day Class E liquor license for St. Mary’s Catholic Church to hold its annual corned beef dinner on March 10. The associated fee was waived.
