Yorkville gives stalled development a boost

June 1, 2010
By Steve Lord

YORKVILLE -- City officials here have not received much applause lately, but they did last week.

Residents of the Blackberry Woods subdivision spontaneously clapped for the City Council after it approved amendments to the subdivision's annexation agreement that should restart building in the 126-lot subdivision where only 13 houses have been built so far.

"We hope this snowballs," said Mayor Valerie Burd. "If they get going, maybe others will see it and get going, too. This is a win-win in a lot of ways."

Despite that, three aldermen voted against the proposed changes, most notably because they opposed amendments to the annexation agreement that would freeze building codes and fees through Dec. 18, 2018.

A similar freeze was in the original annexation agreement in 2005 and is set to expire in July. Extending the freeze affects three city fees that the city has increased since 2005 -- water connection fees, which went up from $2,660 to $3,700; water meter costs, from $250 to $390; and the municipal building fee of $150, which has gone up to $5,509. All those fees were changed in 2007.

Dan Kramer, the Yorkville attorney representing Blackberry Woods, said the developer is ready to start building again.

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