Chicago City Wire

City of Wheaton City Council Planning Sessions met Feb. 12.

Here are the minutes provided by the council:

I. Call to Order 

The Wheaton City Council Planning Session was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Mayor Suess. The following were: 

Physically Present: Mayor Suess 

Councilman Barbier 

Councilwoman Bray-Parker 

Councilman Brown 

Councilman Clousing 

Councilwoman Robbins 

Councilman Weller 

Absent: None 

City Staff Present: Michael G. Dzugan, City Manager 

John M. Duguay, Assistant City Manager  

Joseph Tebrugge, Director of Engineering 

Princeton J. Youker, Chief of Police 

Susan Bishel, Public Information Officer 

Brandon Kowalke, Senior Management Analyst 

Erik Berg, Management Analyst 

Halie Cardinal, Public Relations Coordinator 

Electronically Present: Dawn Didier, City Attorney 

II. Approval of Planning Session Minutes – January 22, 2024, and January 29, 2024 The City Council approved the January 22, 2024, and January 29, 2024, City Council Planning Session Minutes. 

III. Public Comment 

Deborah Suggs, 2102 W. Roosevelt Road, expressed concern for public safety regarding pedestrians  crossing Roosevelt Road near the Marian Park apartment complex. She cited the fatal hit-and-run incident involving Paige Donahue. She stated that there is an existing proposal for installation of a traffic signal, and that state funding is available for the project. She requested that the City Council move forward with the installation of a traffic signal to improve pedestrian safety in this area. 

Mayor Suess stated that City staff are working diligently regarding this issue, and that this topic will be an agenda item at an upcoming City Council Planning Session. He stated that the proposed project is managed by the state of Illinois, and the proposal set forth by Senator Lewis has not been acted upon by the state legislature.

IV. Proposed Stormwater Utility Fee – Alternative Billing Methods 

City Manager Dzugan stated that at the January 22, 2024, City Council Planning Session, the City Council directed staff to review the proposed restructuring of the City’s stormwater utility fee and present alternative options for the formula. 

Management Analyst Berg reviewed the option that was previously presented, which was presented as Option 1: Exact Equivalent Runoff Unit (ERU) and Intensity of Development (ID). This option has two key components that are added together to determine a parcel’s billing rate: Exact ERU and ID. Management Analyst Berg stated this option is the most accurate reflection of a property’s contribution to the City’s stormwater system, however it is more difficult to explain and communicate to property owners. 

One alternative Management Analyst Berg presented was Option 2: Tiered ERUs, which would assign a tier based on the amount of the total impervious area for single-family residential homes. Commercial and institutional properties would be billed based on their approximate amount of impervious area, also referred to as the Exact ERU. The estimated fee per ERU would be $4.96. In this option, there would be four tiers for single-family residential parcels, and most Wheaton residences would fall within the first three  tiers, ranging from 0.75-1.5 ERUs. Tier four, which is comprised of parcels that are 7,001 square feet or more, would be charged based on Exact ERU. Vacant properties would be assigned an ERU of 0.3. Management Analyst Berg stated that this option would be simpler to administer and assess fees for most properties and it would be less likely that a property would move to a different tier by adding or subtracting impervious area. However, there would be a less proportional relationship between the fee charged and the demand placed on the City’s stormwater infrastructure than Option 1 for single-family residential homes. 

Under Option 3: Standardized Single-Family Home ERU fee structure, all single-family residential homes  would be assigned 1 ERU, regardless of the amount of impervious area. The estimated fee per ERU would  be $5.36. Commercial and institutional properties would be billed based on their Exact ERU. Management Analyst Berg stated this would be the simplest option administratively since most properties would be billed a flat rate equal to the average amount of impervious surface area. However, it would be the least equitable of all the options since the smallest homes would pay as much as the largest homes, and a higher proportion of the costs would be shifted to non-single-family properties. 

Senior Management Analyst Kowalke stated that in terms of the evaluation of fee options, staff focused on ease of communication, administrative burden, and proportionality. Option 1 would be more difficult to explain to the public than the other options and would have a high administrative burden. Options 2 and 3 would be the easiest to communicate to residents and would reduce the administrative burden of billing and maintaining data for calculating fees. 

In response to Council questions, Senior Management Analyst Kowalke stated that the fee increase for commercial properties is not expected to deter businesses from operating in Wheaton based on staff evaluating comparable municipalities regarding this concern. He stated that the fee increases for institutional properties, such as the Wheaton Park District, may lead to these organizations raising their tax revenue to accommodate the fee. 

In response to a Council question, Senior Management Kowalke stated that Option 1 would involve more administrative effort than Option 2 as there would be an increased opportunity for appeals. However, each option would require City staff to evaluate DuPage County’s aerial photography, which is updated every two to three years, to ensure the accuracy of the City’s impervious area database.

Council members expressed support for Option 2, citing that it would be a more proportional distribution of costs and would ease the administrative burden on City staff. 

In response to Council questions, Senior Management Analyst Kowalke stated that the fees for multi-family parcels, such as apartment buildings, are calculated like commercial and institutional properties. He stated that in terms of the billing process in these situations, often the common utility holder, such as the HOA or property management company, will be billed for the fee. 

V. Draft Resolution – A Resolution Setting Forth the Wheaton City Council’s Commitment to Monitor and Act in a Measured and Thoughtful Way Regarding Local Impacts of National Immigration Policies City Manager Dzugan stated that at the January 29, 2024, Special Meeting - City Council Planning Session, the City Council directed staff to prepare a resolution regarding charter buses dropping off individuals seeking asylum at the City’s train stations. 

Council members discussed the wording of the draft resolution. Wording changes suggested by the Council included adding individuals who work in Wheaton in the second “Whereas” statement, as opposed to just  those visiting or residing in the City. Other suggested changes included replacing the “City Council’s Commitment” with the “City of Wheaton’s Commitment” in the resolution title. The Council also suggested removing “as evidenced by experiences in the City of Chicago, and the potential impact on the City” from  the fifth “Whereas” statement and removing the reference to a “regional approach.” 

The Council discussed whether additional language should be added to indicate that the City will be prepared to enact an ordinance should a threat to the health, safety, and welfare of all individuals in the  City occur. 

Council members requested that staff provide the City Council with a weekly update on bus drop-offs  within the City and the ongoing federal lawsuit regarding this overall topic. This resolution will appear on the agenda for the Council’s formal consideration at the February 20 City Council Meeting. 

VI. City Council/Staff Comments 

Mayor Suess noted that February 12, 2024, is the 215th birthday of President Abraham Lincoln. 

VII. Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 7:57 p.m.

https://www.wheaton.il.us/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_02122024-2480