VILLAGE OF NORTH AURORA
VILLAGE BOARD MEETING
SEPTEMBER 8, 2008
CALL TO ORDER
Village President Hansen called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL
In attendance: Village President John Hansen, Trustee Dale Berman, Trustee Bob Strusz, Trustee Mark Gaffino, Trustee Linda Mitchell. Not in attendance: Trustee Max Herwig and Trustee Mike Herlihy.
Staff in attendance: Village Administrator Sue McLaughlin, Assistant to the Village Administrator Wes Kornowske, Community Development Director Scott Buening, Public Works Superintendent Mike Glock, Village Engineer Jim Bibby, Police Chief Tom Fetzer, Fire Bureau Chief Mark Bozik, Village Attorney Kevin Drendel.
PUBLIC HEARING: Regarding an amendment to the Timber Oaks Special Service Area for the purpose of adding the entry monument signage and landscaping to the special services being provided in the special service area.
Gary Bachunas, 207 Timber Oaks Drive, North Aurora – Mr. Bachunas addressed the situation regarding the monuments to the Timber Oaks subdivision and proposed the current monuments be removed. Bachunas suggested the ground bee leveled off with a few trees planted. Bachunas suggested eliminating the idea of a brick wall.
Rebecca Kohles, 234 Mistwood Lane, North Aurora – Ms. Kohles agreed with Mr. Bachunas, adding that the current monument is an eyesore. Kohles said that the entrance to the subdivision does not need monuments but that something did need to be done with the current situation.
(Village President Hansen reminded the audience that the hearing is a public hearing and in accordance with state laws, those addressing the Board would be under oath.)
Connie Alho, 224 Mistwood Lane, North Aurora – Ms. Alho said she was in agreement with the two residents that spoke prior to her. Alho said that the current monuments are an eyesore, but was not in favor of spending a lot of money to build new monuments.
Chris Faber, 258 Wildwood Drive, North Aurora – Mr. Faber said he was in favor of a brick/stone monument sign. Faber said that this would be a one time cost for the sign. Faber said that if the subdivision had a homeowners association when the subdivision was built, the residents would be paying a maintenance fee to maintain the sign, which would be at a cost of approximately $100 a year per household. Faber said the one time cost of $80 to $100 is worthwhile. Faber said he would like to see the resolution passed. If it is passed, there is a 60-day window for those who are against it to file their grievance. If the majority is against the monument signs, it will come to an end, but at least let the homeowners speak for themselves.
Brian Wagner, 340 Wildwood Drive, North Aurora – Mr. Wagner said that the current monuments are an eyesore and need to be cleaned up, but would like to have the property returned to the homeowners on the corners. Wagner said that there is no need for any sort of monument. Street signs are present to clearly label the street names and provide direction. Wagner said there is no need for an expensive monument and for another expense, especially with prices rising in other areas and taxes certain to go up for schools.
Mike Wood, 199 Wildwood Drive, North Aurora – Mr. Wood said he was in favor of the monument sign and felt that the residents should decided if they are for or against it. Mr. Wood noted that no one has talked about what it will cost to level the weeds and put it back to being a grassy area in the homeowner’s yards, but it won’t be free.
Tom Fick, 221 Long Avenue, North Aurora – Mr. Fick addressed the Board regarding the property on Long Avenue. He asked that the dead end property by his home be grandfathered to the homeowners since the property has been maintained by the two homeowners over the last 9 years. Village President Hansen said that there would be further discussion on this item under Old Business.
Paul Kinealy, 236 Mistwood Lane, North Aurora – Mr. Kinealy said he was in favor of the monument signs being built and the residents paying for the cost. Kinealy suggested letting the residents vote on the issue and letting the majority rule.
Kurt Bonnet, 204 Timber Oaks Dr, North Aurora – Mr. Bonnet said he was opposed to the monument as the current proposal stands. Bonnet said he did not feel the subdivision needed a fancy brick entrance to the subdivision. Bonnet added that he agreed the current monuments are an eyesore and suggested leveling the area and having simple plantings that the homeowners would maintain. Bonnet said he is concerned that this is an unnecessary cost. Bonnet added that he was concerned about the maintenance costs since they have not been determined.
Amy Hansen, 195 Timber Oaks Drive, North Aurora – Ms. Hansen said she was in favor of the monument. The issue is how much the residents want to spend to make it look nice. Hansen said that if the entrance area is simply leveled, it will be up to the homeowners to take care of the property, which could result in a similar condition.
George Glass, 192 Mistwood Lane, North Aurora – Mr. Glass said he has lived in Timber Oaks for almost 20 years. Glass said that this process was started a year ago and a flyer was sent out to every homeowner. Glass said that Timber Oaks was the last subdivision in the community that was built where the monument area was owned by the homeowner. In other subdivisions, the monuments are covered by a homeowners association or SSA. Glass said that a proposal was put together and given to the Village. The proposal is for a simple monument that will be easy to maintain. Maintenance will cost a dollar or two a year, which includes grass cutting that the residents are already paying for along Oak Street and the detention area. Glass said he has received approximately 30 emails with 27 in favor and 3 not in favor. The estimated cost to knock down the current monuments and replace the area with grass is $30 to $35 of the estimated $65 to $70 that it will cost to put up the new monuments. Glass said that out of the 243 homeowners, more than half would like to see something done and some form of monument put back.
Andy Livingston, 359 Wildwood Drive, North Aurora – Mr. Livingston said he was in favor of new monument signs and that something needs to be done to the current signs.
Salah Chaurize, 361 Wildwood Drive – Mr. Chaurize said he was in favor of exploring the enhancement to the subdivision. Chaurize said that the current situation shows a community that is in decline and not one that has a vision to the future.
Tony Leist, 216 Mistwood, North Aurora – Mr. Leist said that the aesthetics of coming into the neighborhood need improvement.
Village Administrator Sue McLaughlin said that the current monuments are on the two homeowners’ properties. When the subdivision was created, the village never received an easement. Both property owners are willing to sign over an easement at no cost. The estimated one time fee for each resident would be anywhere from $67 to $100. Residents are already being assessed approx. $4,000 a year for the subdivision for maintenance on the detention areas. It may not even be a $1 per home increase for mowing the area. McLaughlin said that an alternative is to assess the cost over ten years.
Atty. Drendel said that the Village has been asked to consider amending the existing SSA to add this monument signage to pay for taking the signage down, cleaning up the area and having a new sign constructed and maintained. After the public hearing is closed, the Board will make a determination whether to pass an ordinance establishing a SSA. If the Board makes this decision and passes an ordinance to establish it, there will be 60-day window of time for residents who are opposed to it to circulate a petition. If 51 % of the homeowners of record in the SSA sign the petition, that will defeat it. Ultimately, if the SSA gets passed, and if it does not get defeated, it will be a village project. Staff will look to the group of residents who spearheaded this for direction.
Trustee Mitchell noted that if the backdoor referendum defeats this proposal, the Village does not play a role in removing the current eyesore.
Mr. Bachunas asked if the Village could make the area a SSA. Atty. Drendel said that the vote is if the residents want a monument or not. What the Village can do in establishing or amending a special service area is to describe a purpose for which the SSA will be established. The purpose might be tearing down the monument that is there and returning it to the owners. Or the purpose can be what has been presented which is to tear it down, build a new sign and maintain it. If the Board passes the ordinance that creates the SSA for the purpose of tearing it down, building a sign and maintaining it, and a petition gets circulated with the appropriate number of signatures to defeat it, that is the end of the story for a year. The law says a SSA cannot be reinitiated for a year after it has been defeated.
Mr. Wood asked if the $16,000 cost is to remove the existing weeds. McLaughlin said the estimated $16,000 would be to remove the weeds and replace the current monuments signs with new signs. McLaughlin said that according to the paperwork that was provided to the Village by Mr. Glass, about $10,000 of the cost would be for signage and landscaping. The cost to remove the sign would be $5,000.
Trustee Berman suggested the Board pass the ordinance so that the residents can vote on the signs. Those who are against it will organize to defeat it. Trustee Berman suggested a committee be formed to agree on what the sign should look like.
Brian Pientak, 285 Abbeywood Lane, North Aurora – Mr. Pientak asked if the sign would be decided from a grass roots committee. Village President Hansen said that there is a sign ordinance that would determine how large the sign could be. Village Administrator Sue McLaughlin said that the design would be up to the committee made up by the residents.
Village President Hansen said that this would be discussed further at the next Committee of the Whole meeting.
Village President Hansen closed the public hearing at 7:45 p.m.
TRUSTEE COMMENTS – None
CONSENT AGENDA
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