Batavia Illinois – The 5th Ward

Consent Agenda

The committee quickly addressed a package of routine financial, contractual, and regulatory items to ensure ongoing public works projects and administrative duties proceed without delay.

• The committee authorized intervention in property tax proceedings before the Kane County Board of Review, the DuPage County Board of Review, and the Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board.
• A resolution was passed to purchase a new Falcon asphalt patch trailer from Midwest for an amount not to exceed $45,774.
• The committee approved a contract with Electric Conduit Company for directional boring at 707 Branson Drive.
• A contract was authorized with Fox Excavating, Inc. for the demolition, backfilling, grading, and seeding of the building site at 330-338 Webster Street.
• An ordinance was passed granting a Conditional Use Permit for a massage establishment at 8 North River Street.

Community Health Improvement Plan (TAP Telehealth)

City Staff proposed expanding a successful municipal employee telehealth service to all city residents and businesses, aiming to reduce healthcare costs and alleviate emergency room burdens by providing instant, low-cost access to licensed physicians.

• The proposed TAP Telehealth program would provide 24/7 access to medical professionals via text, phone, or video, covering up to 10 individuals per household or business for a flat fee of $9 per month.
• The service operates on a negative-option subscription model, meaning all 12,224 city utility customers would be automatically enrolled and billed monthly on their utility statements, whether they use the service or not, unless they actively opt out.
• A Vendor Representative explained that this opt-out structure is necessary to prevent adverse selection and maintain the low $9 monthly price, noting that residents who opt out within the first 90 days would receive a full refund.
• Several Committee Members expressed skepticism and concern that the opt-out model would be perceived by residents as a trap or a “stealth tax”.
• The city would retain $1 from every $9 subscription, generating potentially over $100,000 annually to be placed in an escrow account for local health initiatives or utility assistance programs.
• The Vendor Representative highlighted that the service does not require insurance or copays, and allows doctors to prescribe medications and find discounted prices at pharmacies like Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, or Cost Plus Drugs.
• The committee agreed to postpone a final decision, requesting that staff provide more statistical data on utilization rates from the city’s internal employee trial and from the Village of Algonquin, which previously implemented the program.

Building Demolition at 14-18 North Batavia Avenue

The committee conducted an extensive review of a Certificate of Appropriateness to demolish the Hubbard building, a vacant, non-contributing structure situated next to the historic Batavia United Methodist Church. The debate required officials to balance the property owner’s urgent need to mitigate a severe fire hazard against city planning concerns regarding the loss of a continuous downtown commercial street wall, the potential for long-term vacant lots, and the reduction of TIF 3 tax revenues.

• Site History & Condition: The 14-18 North Batavia Avenue property is a “haphazardly connected” patchwork of structures dating from the 1880s to the 1970s. Over its history, it housed a gymnasium for a Batavia High School boys’ state championship team, as well as Hubbard’s Home Furnishings, Ethan Allen, and Acosta’s.
• Current Usage & Safety Hazards: The building has been devoid of commercial tenants since 2019 and was recently utilized for training exercises by the Batavia Fire Department. A Trustee representing the church testified that the building is structurally beyond its design life, was built with substandard materials, and poses a severe fire risk to the adjacent 1887 historic stone church. The Trustee noted the Batavia Fire Department explicitly identified it as the most dangerous building in the city regarding fire risk.
• Financial & Tax Implications: The church lost its tax-exempt status on the property because it allowed the Batavia Fire Department to train there, generating roughly $23,000 in property taxes for various taxing bodies in 2024 and $8,000 in 2025. City Staff expressed concern that demolishing the building reduces the property to a vacant lot, permanently eliminating it from the tax rolls and cutting future increment revenues for the TIF 3 district.
• Urban Planning Concerns: City Staff initially recommended denying the demolition, noting it conflicts with the downtown plan’s goal of maintaining an active commercial “street wall”. A Heritage Manager representing Preservation Partners of the Fox Valley submitted a letter echoing this, warning that demolishing the building without an immediate redevelopment plan could create a “missing tooth” in the streetscape that negatively impacts pedestrian comfort and surrounding property owners.
• Downtown Realities & Code Enforcement: Countering preservation arguments, a Committee Member strongly advocated for the demolition, asserting the city underestimates the negative impact of dilapidated buildings and overestimates their historical value. The member pointed out that several downtown buildings are stuck in deep vacancy because landlords cannot afford remediation. They admitted the city exacerbated this issue when a prior City Council directed staff to go light on code enforcement, a decision that is now catching up with the municipality. Furthermore, the member lamented the unusual prevalence of unloved, empty lots in the downtown core, arguing that such stagnation starkly contrasts with Batavia’s high property values and wealth.
• Mitigation Conditions: To soften the loss of the street wall, the committee attached five strict conditions to the demolition approval:
  • The church must implement a landscape plan within one year—utilizing shrubs, ornamental grasses, perennials, and decorative field stones—along a 5-to-10-foot depth of the North Batavia Avenue sidewalk.
  • The existing driveway apron on North Batavia Avenue must be removed and replaced with a barrier curb.
  • The applicant must provide a bond sufficient to cover the cost of sidewalk replacement in the event the public walkway is damaged during demolition.
  • The building footprint must be restored to grass and feature a physical barrier to prevent vehicles from parking on the lot.
  • The applicant must provide written correspondence to the neighboring property owner at 24 North Batavia Avenue regarding potential liability and the need for parking blocks, due to a 10-foot grade change between the properties. (The church has already executed a Hold Harmless and Indemnification Agreement with the city).
• Future Use: The Pastor explained that while 2019 plans for a structural expansion exist, they are outdated and lack immediate funding. In the interim, the newly created green space will be utilized as a community hub for outdoor worship services, Vacation Bible School, Parents’ Day Out, ice cream socials, and as a public space for prayer and reflection.
• Demolition Execution: The church is solely responsible for all costs associated with utility disconnects and the demolition process. City Staff noted that a heating oil tank was previously removed from the building without issue, and they do not currently anticipate major environmental contamination on the site. Prior to demolition, the church saved historical elements of the old gymnasium, including the center circle and free-throw lines.
• Outcome: The Mayor and several Committee Members strongly supported the demolition, arguing that the dilapidated building is an eyesore and its removal will permanently uncover and highlight the striking 19th-century field stone architecture of the neighboring sanctuary. The committee voted 12-0 to send Ordinance 202639 to the City Council with a positive recommendation, inclusive of all five staff conditions.

City Council Updates and Project Status

The City Administrator and staff provided operational updates on historical assessments, traffic safety initiatives, and public works equipment to keep the committee informed on the city’s strategic operations.

• The city was awarded a $15,300 grant from the State of Illinois Historic Preservation Office to fund phase two of an exterior building conditions assessment by JLK for contributing structures and the Campana Building.
• The Information Technology Department successfully migrated all data from old enterprise storage equipment to a new system.
• The Police Department met with representatives from the Ecker Center to collaborate on handling 988 mental health-related calls.
• A Committee Member raised urgent concerns regarding a high frequency of traffic accidents caused by left-hand turns at the intersections of Fabian Parkway and Route 31, requesting a formal communication to the Kane County Division of Transportation (KDOT) to remove flashing yellow lights.
• Staff confirmed KDOT is already working on restriping efforts along Randall Road to create positive offset left-turn lanes to improve visibility.
• The Public Works Department received authorization to trade in a less-utilized Hydrovac truck for $127,000 to offset the purchase of a new, highly demanded Vactor truck.

Entities Mentioned

Documents: https://bataviail.community.highbond.com/Portal/MeetingInformation.aspx?Id=260

Author: Jim Fahrenbach