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During a two-hour Committee of the Whole discussion on March 24, Batavia officials painted a nuanced picture of the potential impact of Gov. Pritzker's BUILD Act. Some aldermen noted positives in parts of the proposal even as they raised pointed concerns about what it could mean for local neighborhoods.
The BUILD Act, which TCC covered when it was first announced, would allow multi-unit housing of up to eight units on most residential lots, legalize “granny flats” by right, cap parking requirements, and limit other zoning restrictions.
The stated goal of the legislation is to produce more "missing middle" housing (such as townhomes, duplexes, and small apartment buildings) that sit somewhere between a single-family home and a large complex.
Here's what to know:
The Springfield trip: Batavia officials arrived at the March 24 meeting fresh from a Metro West Council of Governments trip to the state capital, where they met with Illinois legislative leadership. Staff said that the leaders they spoke to expect that some version of this legislation will pass — just not in its current form.
Pushback to the bill: The loudest concerns centered on local control. Some aldermen worried that allowing multi-unit buildings "by right" (meaning it would not need to go through the Plan Commission) removes the city's ability to manage how development fits into existing neighborhoods. One official said that parking caps could conflict with Batavia's overnight street parking ban.
Windows of opportunity: One official argued that fears of sudden, sweeping redevelopment are likely exaggerated. Another said that a uniform statewide standard spreads out development pressure more evenly so that individual cities don’t have to bear the brunt of changes. The point was also raised that Batavia's school district is currently under capacity, and that this bill is unlikely to generate a major influx of students.
Infrastructure concerns: Several aldermen raised the question of whether multi-unit buildings could be blocked in areas of town on well and septic rather than municipal water and sewer.
Three residents spoke during public comment, all broadly in favor of the legislation. The most striking voice was a Fermilab electrical engineer who works in Batavia but lives with his parents a ways west of town (a 2.5-hour daily commute) because he says he can't afford to live where he works on an engineer's salary.
The council agreed this will be an ongoing conversation. Watch the full committee discussion here.
Here’s Alderman Dustin Pieper’s recap and perspective and Alderman Jim Fahrenbach’s recap and perspective.
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