HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/14/1993 COW agenda COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
AGENDA
Meeting Location: Meeting Date and Time:
Mount Prospect Senior Center Tuesday, December 14, 1993
50 South Emerson Street 7:30 P.M.
I. CALL TO ORDER - ROLL CALL
II. ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 23, 1993
III. CITIZENS TO BE HEARD
IV. URBAN FORESTRY MANAGEMENT PLAN
For many years, the Forestry Division of the Mount Prospect Public Works Department
has achieved national recognition for its far-reaching and innovative Urban Forestry
Program. Likewise, Forestry Superintendent Sandy Clark and her staff enjoy
outstanding reputations among their peers, and Mount Prospect's program is often
looked on as a model that other communities look to copy. Mrs. Clark's most recent
achievement was receipt of the first annual Illinois Urban Forestry Award for best local
government program in the northern region of the State.
In an effort to improve on an already excellent program, Mrs. Clark was able to secure
a State Grant that funded half the cost of a comprehensive Urban Forestry
Management Plan. The Plan includes a comprehensive look at the past, present and
future of the Village's Forestry Program. The consulting firm, ACRT, Inc., reviewed
Forestry Division records along with data collected during the recently completed
computerized tree inventory. That information, along with on-site visits, allowed ACRT
to analyze our program and existing tree resources. With this information, they were
able to project our future needs and challenges and to make specific recommendations
for improvements in our program.
A representative from ACRT along with Mrs. Clark will make a brief presentation
covering the salient points of the report and be available to answer any of your
questions. Invitations have been extended to representatives of the Garden Club and
Historical Society to participate in the discussion.
¥. CONSIDERATION OF A BUSINESS ASSISTANCE/INCENTIVE PROGRAM AS A
COMPONENT OF THE VILLAGE'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN
The goal of an Economic Development Plan is the attraction and retention of viable
businesses within the corporate boundaries of the Village of Mount Prospect. That goal
can be achieved in a number of ways including, but not limited to, providing high quality
municipal services, maintaining a modern and reliable infrastructure system, limiting
bureaucratic roadblocks to the review and approval process, maintaining strong
property values, providing attractive community amenities and limiting the overall tax
burden.
One component of some State and local economic development strategies is the
provision of monetary or in-kind incentives and/or assistance as a method of attracting
and retaining business. The strategy has been the subject of considerable debate with
regard to its propriety as acceptable public policy and whether it constitutes a smart
investment.
Policies can be varied in their scope and coverage and may include any or all of the
following items:
~ Property Tax Rebate/Reclassification
~ Sales Tax Rebate/Sharing Arrangements
~ Underwriting all or part of public improvement costs
~ Assistance for extraordinary site development costs
~ Reduction and/or waiver of developer donations, permit/tap-on fees
~ Expedited review process
~ Job training assistance
In many cases, municipalities have determined that it is not in the best interest of the
community to provide any type of extraordinary incentives or assistance and instead
rely on the market-place and the basic attributes of the community to provide for the
requisite incentive to attract and keep businesses.
Up until now, the Village of Mount Prospect has had no formal policy regarding
business incentives/assistance. With very few exceptions, the Village has not provided
any extraordinary benefits to new or existing businesses. The Village has actively
pursued the use of Tax Increment Financing as an economic development tool as a
way of revitalizing the Central Business District. The Village has also granted property
tax relief in the form of tax reclassification under the Cook County Tax Relief Program.
Such relief was granted to Stenograph, Inc., in 1989 and the Rogers Industrial Park in
1990. In the past week, the Village received a similar request from an electronics
manufacturer looking to locate in the Kensington Center.
Recently, Target Department Stores have sought Zoning approval for construction of a
store at the Lake Center Corporate Park at the southern end of the Village. Part of
their submittal included a request for financial assistance from the Village in order to
defray extraordinary development costs associated with poor soil conditions at the site.
Target has requested assistance in the amount of approximately $870,000. They have
suggested utilization of a State Statute that allows for the creation of a "Business
District" meeting certain characteristics that would allow the Village to provide
assistance. This assistance could take the form of rebating a portion of the Sales Tax
generated by the retail operation. The rebate would help to write down the cost of the
extraordinary site development costs.
In the short term, the Village Board needs to respond to the pending requests for
assistance. Concomitantly, it would be in the best interest of the Village to develop an
official statement regarding the granting of incentives, if any, along with accompanying
parameters and eligibility requirements.
The attached package of information can serve as the basis for discussion and
development of a policy statement. Appropriate staff will be in attendance to facilitate
discussion.
VI. STATUS REPORT REGARDING REGIONAL ROAD PROJECTS
A number of significant road reconstruction projects which have major implications for
the Village of Mount Prospect are in various stages of planning. Staff would like to
provide an update on five of those projects. With the exception of Linneman Road, all
of the other projects involve other jurisdictions either exclusively or on a joint basis.
The attached information package provides information regarding each of the projects.
Appropriate staff will be on hand to provide necessary background information and
facilitate any discussion.
VII. MANAGER'S REPORT
VIII. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
IX. ADJOURNMENT
EXECUTIVE SESSION - Personnel