Development Fees to Discourage Urban Density Misguided, Counterproductive
At best, downtown ghost towns are
a wasted opportunity; at worst, they’re a drain on the economy. That’s why, in
recent years, many communities in northeastern
Illinois
– from
Joliet
to
Chicago
– have
dedicated staff and resources to revitalizing their downtowns.
MPC supports density as a key
component of downtown revitalization. Attracting a critical mass of residents
and regular visitors downtown creates a stable market for retail shops,
restaurants and theaters. Density also increases the use of public services,
such as transit. So why would any city leader propose a law to discourage
density in its downtown market?
It makes little sense. Yet as part
of Mayor Richard M. Daley’s 2005 budget proposal, which will come to a vote
before the City Council on Dec. 1, the mayor has proposed a per-unit fee of $200
to $625 for residential developments.
The cited rationale – that
new developments are putting added strain on city services and, therefore, should
be taxed – is really a misguided use of suburban impact fees. These fees
were designed specifically for undeveloped areas faced with proposals for hundreds
of new homes and no money to build the roads and sewers needed to serve those
new residents. That hardly describes the city
of
Chicago, where infrastructure is already in
place and impact fees will serve to discourage development thereby negatively
impacting the city’s pocketbook.
“The city should carefully
consider the detrimental effect that additional fees would have on the
marketplace, and protect, not weaken, its fragile real estate market,” said
Peter Skosey, MPC’s vice president of external relations. “We understand the
need for increased revenues, as well as Mayor Daley’s desire not to raise the
property tax. However, this fee is the wrong solution. We must not penalize that
which already does the city so much good.”
For more information about density, download a copy of
“Strength in Numbers: Building Vibrant, Compact Communities” (October 2004) at
www.metroplanning.org
.
Contact: Peter Skosey, Vice President of External
Relations
312.863.6004 or pskosey@metroplanning.org
MPC, Campaign for Sensible Growth Ramping Up Indiana Partnerships
Nearly
every
community in northwest Indiana
is grappling
with new
development,
from
Michigan City to Munster.
Right now, the region is experiencing
revitalization
in downtown Highland, “new
urbanism”
in
Crown Point, retail opportunities along new transportation corridors,
and new housing proposals
in
Cedar
Lake.
Sound familiar? That’s because northeastern Illinois and
northwest Indiana share many regional concerns, a force driving new partnerships
between
MPC, the Campaign for
Sensible
Growth, and
similar
Indiana organizations.
On Dec. 3, Indiana’s Quality of Life Council, Lake County
Integrated Services Delivery Board, Center for Workforce Innovations, Northwest
Indiana Forum, and Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission are
co-sponsoring a workshop in Valparaiso, Ind. to feature the Campaign for
Sensible Growth’s recently released community guide for development, the
Sensible Tools for Healthy Communities
workbook.
“We want communities and developers throughout the area
to reach for the Sensible Tools
book when they’re
working through housing and development challenges,” said Ellen Shubart, manager of
the Campaign for Sensible Growth. “We’re excited to have the opportunity to
present it to our neighbors
in
Indiana, who are facing many of the issues
addressed in this guide.”
Communities
in northeastern Illinois, including
Fox River
Grove
in
McHenry
County
and
Burlington
in
Kane County , have hosted workbook training
sessions; this is the
first
in Indiana. In July, MPC and Business Leaders
for Transportation partnered
with
Indiana groups
in a successful forum
in
Merrillville,
Ind.
on shared transportation issues,
featuring U.S. Rep. Peter Visclosky (D-Ind.).
The Sensible Tools for Healthy Communities
workshop is Friday, Dec. 3, 8 to 10:30 a.m. at the Valparaiso University Student
Union. Visit the Campaign’s Web site, www.growingsensibly.org, to register.
Media may attend at no cost, but registration is appreciated to plan for
breakfast.
Campaign Contact: Ellen Shubart, Manager, Campaign for
Sensible Growth
312.863.6009 or eshubart@metroplanning.org
Contact: Jim McShane, President and CEO, Lake County
Integrated Services Delivery Board
219.838.3260 or jim3@lcisdb.com
Study Indicates Multi-family Housing Does Not Overcrowd Schools
Communities opposed to multi-family housing developments prop their arguments
on a variety of assertions, among them that “all of those new kids” will
overcrowd local schools. But a new study released by the National Association of
Home Builders (NAHB) puts that fear to rest. Using the most recent American
Housing Survey data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the NAHB found an average of 62
school-age children per 100 single-family households, but only 37 school-aged
children per 100 multi-family households. What’s more, buildings with more than
20 apartments or condominiums averaged just 26 school-age children per 100
households.
“These findings came as good news
to MPC, which supports a wide range of housing options in the region,” said MPC
President MarySue Barrett. “More than 70 years of experience has taught the
Council that communities with multi-family housing are more vibrant, in part
because more people means more shoppers, a larger tax base, and better use of
public services such as transit.”
Yet, while encouraged by the news that local school
leaders need not fear the effects of multi-family housing, MPC knows that school
quality is an issue of major concern in Illinois. As a member of A+ Illinois, a
statewide coalition for comprehensive school funding and quality reform, MPC is
working ensure that every child in
Illinois receives a quality education, regardless of where they live.
For information on A+ Illinois, read on and visit www.aplusillinois.org.
MPC Contact: MarySue Barrett, President, Metropolitan Planning Council
312.863.6001 or msbarrett@metroplanning.org
Contact: Peter Schwartz, CEO, Home Builders Association
of Greater Chicago
630.627.7575 or peters@hbagc.org
Local Communities Foot Up to 84 Percent of School Funding Bills
A+ Illinois is
spotlighting schools across the state forced to make unacceptable choices that harm
children due
to
Illinois ’outmoded, property tax-dependent
school funding system.
“Struggling” is not the word that comes to mind when
describing Evanston and Skokie, two of Chicago’s healthy North Shore suburbs.
Together, these idyllic towns have a median income of $58,855. Yet
Evanston/Skokie Consolidated School District 65 is
struggling: to reduce
expenses this year, the district opted not to fill 13 percent of its reading
specialist positions, five percent of teaching positions, six social worker
slots, and athletic coaching stipends. Meanwhile, classroom sizes continue to
grow, along with health insurance and facility maintenance
expenses.
The district’s cuts are not
the fault of local property taxpayers. They’re doing their part, and then some:
in
Evanston
and
Skokie, a whopping 84 percent of school funding comes from
local property taxes and other local revenue, while the state contributes a
dismal 8.6 percent.
“Districts in all corners of
the state are facing budget shortfalls, even after making cuts to vital
programs,”
said Bindu
Batchu, A+ Illinois
campaign manager. “The status quo for financing public education in
Illinois
is failing to
adequately fund our schools and placing an unfair burden on homeowners. The time
is now to restructure the state’s education funding
system.”
A+ Illinois
members will discuss solutions to the school funding crisis at a community meeting
on Thursday, Dec. 2, organized by a local partner, Neighbors for Strong Schools.
The meeting will take place at
7
p.m.
at
McCracken
Middle School, 8000 E.
Prairie
Rd.,
Skokie,
Ill.
A+ Illinois is urging Illinois leaders to make the tough
decisions necessary to ensure that every child receives the best education
possible. Learn more at www.aplusillinois.org.
A+ Illinois Contact: Bindu Batchu,
Campaign Manager, A+ Illinois
312.863.6014 or bbatchu@metroplanning.org
Contact: Jan Roy, Communications Director,
Evanston/Skokie Consolidated School District 65
847.859.8100 or royj@district65.net