Village of Fox River Grove President and Board of Trustees met Jan. 20
Here are the minutes provided by the board:
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
Village President McLaughlin called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. in the Municipal Center. Present at roll call were Trustees Curtiss, Hester, Joseph, Knar, Migdal, and Wall. Also present were Administrator Soderholm, Assistant Administrator Bechler, Operations Manager Reese, Operations Manager Zintl, Chief Waitrovich, and Clerk Caesar.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Kyle Platt, 402 Lucille Ave. – Mr. Platt reiterated on his opposition to the Proposed Downtown Tax Increment Financing District #3 (TIF #3) for the development of Block B, as stated at the previous Board meeting. Mr. Platt doesn’t feel the Block B parcel qualifies since the blighted building are no longer present and the lot is now what he considers prime real estate. Mr. Platt also questioned the financial stability of the developer given their need for the TIF to make the development happen. Mr. Platt also asked the Board to consider, in their next budget meeting, shifting some of the bi-monthly base fee charge over to the consumption fee rate, so heavy users pay more.
VILLAGE PRESIDENT AND TRUSTEE REPORTS
Trustee Migdal provided a recap of the January 8, 2026 Planning & Zoning meeting for case 2026-01, where the petitioner is requesting consideration to allow an air conditioning condenser in an interior side yard and modifications of certain conditions imposed by the Village Board in Ordinance 2025-15. All Commission members had no problem with the air conditioning condenser in an interior side yard, with the condition that is not be moved more than ten (10) feet South from its existing location. Trustee Migdal reported that the majority of the commission members were in favor of recommending approval for the modifications of conditions placed by the Village Board in Ordinance 2025-15, with the exception of one member who felt the bump out added onto the garage illegally should be removed prior to permitting so it is made right and not lost in time or during the construction phase. Trustee Migdal also noted one other Member stated that while they appreciate the petitioner wanting to add additional garage space and improving the esthetics of the front roof line from the expanded house to the garage, they did not see a hardship that would justify the modifications to the conditions placed in Ordinance 2025-15 by the Village -Board.
1. APPROVAL: CONSENT AGENDA – APPROVAL VIA ONE VOTE FOR ALL
A. Village Board Meeting and Executive Session Minutes – January 6, 2026
B. Accounts Payable – January 20, 2026
Trustee Hester made a motion to approve consent agenda items A – B. Trustee Curtiss seconded. Roll Call: Trustee Curtiss, Hester, Joseph, Knar, Migdal, and Wall -all “yes.” MOTION PASSED.
2. PUBLIC HEARING: PROPOSED DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT PLAN, REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT AND REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT AREA FOR TAX INCREMENT FINANCING (“DOWNTOWN TIF #3”)
President McLaughlin opened the public hearing for the proposed downtown redevelopment plan, redevelopment project and redevelopment project area for Tax Increment Financing (“Downtown TIF #3”) at 6:38 p.m. President Mclaughlin administered the oath to all present for public comment.
Administrator Soderholm stated the public hearing is the next step in the process to approve the proposed Downtown TIF #3 and introduced Pete losue, with Teska & Associates to present his findings when preparing the proposed Downtown TIF #3 for the purpose of redevelopment of Block B in the Village of Fox River Grove.
Mr. losue stated he has many years of experience with creating TIF’s and shared that he personally has never experienced reversal of a TIF that he has been involved with. Mr. losue stated the “Block B” area identified for TIF #3 is already in a TIF District and that it is being “carved” out to create a new TIF of its own. Mr. losue provided a briefing of the January 5, 2026 Joint Review Board meeting with the attending TIF District members, saying the Joint Review Board voted in favor of the TIF.
Mr. losue specified that notices were mailed out to all residents within the 750 ft. of the TIF area and he would address questions after his presentation.
Mr. losue asked if everyone understood Tax Increment Financing (TIF), and with no questions proceeded to explain that the eligibility for the TIF #3 proposal is different since this particular parcel of land is now considered “vacant land”. Mr. losue explained the two sets of TIF qualifying criteria for vacant land, and how the proposed TIF area must qualify in at least one of the two sets. Mr. losue is confident that the Block B area is a solid qualifier, since it qualified in both sets of criteria.
Mr. losue opened the floor up for questions.
Trustee Knar asked Mr. losue for clarification on the eligibility with regards to the Block B area being a “blighted area prior to demolition” and what he meant by “adjacent to deterioration”. Mr. losue explained that when the current TIF was created there was extensive studies and research documented on the deteriorating buildings that once stood on the Block B area prior to demolition and that the study was full of photos and documentation showing all the structurally unsafe buildings, full of cracks, and deterioration.
Resident Kyle Platt requested clarification as to how it qualifies now that the buildings have been removed, and its current state of green space.
Mr. losue, explained there is a difference between established pristine farmland vs. previous blighted, deteriorating buildings that were once there and already qualified for the current TIF the parcel is in, prior to the demolition. Mr. losue stated he even applied the “but for” test, a statutory requirement under the Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act (65 ILCS 5/11-74.4) stating that a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district cannot be created unless the municipality finds that the redevelopment project would not reasonably be anticipated to occur, or would not occur without the use of TIF funds. Given this particular parcel has been struggling for years to find a developer due to the size and shape of the land, the need for TIF funds has become an absolute necessity to get the project done.
Ted Schuman, 217 Lincoln Ave. – Mr. Schuman stated he lives within the 750 ft. of the proposed TIF #3 area and received the TIF notice and that he was present to become more informed on the development given his proximity to the site.
Mr. losue, concluded the question-and-answer session by informing all present that tonight was strictly a public hearing and no action would be taken by the Village Board this evening. Mr. losue informed the Village Board that action could not be taken any sooner than the next 14 days and no later than the next 90 days.
Trustee Migdal made a motion to close the public hearing. Trustee Knar seconded. All were in favor. The Public Hearing closed at 6:55 p.m.
3. ОТHER BUSINESS
None.
4. ADJOURNMENT
Trustee Knar made a motion to adjourn the Village Board meeting at 6:55 p.m. Seconded by Trustee Curtiss. A voice vote was taken. Trustees Curtiss, Hester, Joseph, Knar, Migdal, and Wall – all “yes”.
MOTION PASSED.
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