Developers may have to hand over more cash, land in Batavia

Batavia aldermen may be interested in raising the amount housing developers have to pay in cash or land to school districts for the impact their plans have on schools.

The city wants more information, however, to support the Batavia school district's suggestion to change the formula that determines how much land is needed to accommodate students for elementary, middle and high schools.

The proposed revision would increase the amount of acreage needed for schools. However, Alderman Susan Stark said that Rotolo Middle School, with nearly 1,500 students enrolled, would not meet standards set in the new proposal that calls for having 900 students at a middle schools.

Kris Monn, the school district's assistant superintendent for business, said the district probably would not build a second middle school even if enrollment increased. Instead, the district likely would add on to Rotolo.

“What does that really mean? Those numbers seem random to me,” Alderman Nick Cerone said of the acreage calculations.

The aldermen, meeting as a committee, voted 8-5 against recommending the ordinance to the council.

Alderman Alan Wolff suggested that the land-cash fee be raised gradually over three years from its current $100,000 per acre. The first year, he said, raise it to $130,000; the next year, to $150,000; and the third year, to $175,000.

Scott Buening, the city's economic development director, estimated that property values have risen to $260,000 an acre.

Mayor Jeff Schielke suggested revising the land-cash ordinance, since it hadn't been changed since 2000. The ordinance also addresses how much land or cash developers would have to give to park districts.

The council will discuss the matter again at its June 16 committee meeting.