Hoffman Estates village board members Monday unanimously approved a development agreement and rezoning for 185 acres at the northwest corner of routes 59 and 72 for the often controversial Plum Farms residential and commercial subdivision.
The biggest revision to the agreement before its approval was the village’s requirement of a minimum 5.5-acre school site donation.
Barrington Unit District 220 board President Brian Battle said his district and Community Unit District 300 both believe that unless that site happened to be next to a park, it likely wouldn’t be enough.
Nevertheless, he saw it as an improvement.
“For the village to dictate the minimum size is better than nothing,” Battle said. “We’d like to see that number boosted a little. … We’re still concerned about the density (of the development) and what it does to our taxpayers.”
Battle said the developers told him they would try to address the school districts’ concerns in their final plans. But he told village board members the two districts would wish to be involved in the review of those plans as early as possible.
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The issue for these new developments as I see it is the lag time between the need for school space and resources, along with other municipal demands such as police, ambulance and fire application. The development and occupancy of the housing units will be one to two years preceding the full collection of the real estate tax revenue that these new homes will provide. This places an immediate burden upon the existing properties in the districts and municipalities that will be shouldered by the populace which is already taxed beyond most other counties and states. Perhaps the developer should be responsible for obtaining bond financing that addresses that immediate burden on the community which would then be reduced as the taxing bodies realize the revenue forthcoming.
When we are faced with a problem such as this I just wish we could have our “A” team back to deal with it. If Bobby, Elaine and Fritz were still here they would know how to deal with this massive encroachment.
Mark my words…..this situation can get out of hand in just a few years causing our school property taxes to double in no time!
For instance, look what Fritz did for our police pension package and Elaine, well strike Elaine. And we all know what Bobby has done for this village!
We miss you guys!
Surely Inky you jest.
Fritz cost this village millions with his police pension debacle. We will be paying for Fritz’s ineptitude for many years to come. I’m surprised that no one went to his home in the middle of the night (with torches) to tar and feather him.
Elaine cost us a prince’s ransom with her benign neglect, that’s why they call her “the silent one”.
And Bobby, I could write a book (a ledger) about all the town’s money he wasted.
So Inky, I must assume that you are having us on a little bit.