District 86 likely to waive developer fees

Hinsdale Township High School District 86’s Board of Education will consider a request from Clarendon Hills to waive fees related to the proposed expansion of a retirement community — but not before the board gets additional information from the developer.

During a School Board meeting Monday, District 86 Superintendent Nicholas Wahl said the village had recently notified the district of the request.

“They (the village) would like a response by Nov. 2 and are seeking a waiver of impact fees related to construction and annexation at the facility,” Wahl said.

Owners of The Birches plan to add 21 rooms to the existing 90-room assisted care/retirement community at 215 55th St., Clarendon Hills, and plan to annex an unincorporated parcel adjacent to the property.

Five years ago, the village enacted an ordinance calling for developers to pay an impact fee to the village related to all new development, with funds collected by the village and then distributed to other local school and park districts to offset the impact of new residents on those governmental units.

“When new development occurs that brings new residents into the village, those residents can have an impact on schools and park districts,” said Mike Brown, director of community development for Clarendon Hills.
Impact fees are paid once, Brown said.

The developer has not provided an estimate of the amount of money impact fees would generate but will likely do so within two weeks, Brown said.

Among the questions School Board members want answered are the amount of fees that would be generated under the village’s formula and if other government bodies also are waiving fees.

Brown said developers also have applied for a partial waiver of fees from the Clarendon Hills Park District.

The village is seeking a response from District 86 prior to the Nov. 2 Village Board meeting, at which time a public hearing is scheduled over an annexation agreement related to the addition.

The consensus of the School Board and staff appeared to favor the waiver request, according to School Board President Dennis Brennan.

“The intent of the ordinance is for construction that brings new students into the district,” Wahl said. “This (retirement community) does not bring in new students.”