Naperville Council Briefs: Monarch, pollinator efforts to be promoted; Block 59 plan OK’d; service tax proposed to fund Washington Street sidewalk rehab
This is a roundup of small items to come out of the most recent Naperville City Council meeting.
Monarch, pollinator conservation
The city of Naperville has committed to monarch conservation and managing city land to promote pollinator habitats, joining a growing list of monarch friendly municipalities and park districts, including Naperville Park District and the city of Aurora.
Council members committed to working with the DuPage Monarch Project to increase the amount of suitable habitats for butterflies, moths and bees throughout DuPage County.
The annual monarch population report released last week showed the number of monarch butterflies wintering in the mountains of central Mexico dropped by 22%.
In a resolution unanimously adopted by the council, the city agreed to increase and improve habitats for monarch butterflies and native pollinators through such actions as:
Identifying locations where native milkweed and nectar plants can be planted;
Creating at least one monarch way station that meets Monarch Watch certification;
Installing educational signs around monarch-friendly plantings;
Supporting the transition of appropriate city land from turf grass to native plants;
Educating the community about the value of native plants and promoting The Conservation Foundation’s pollinator programs.
Block 59 project, tax approved
Brixmor Property Group cleared the final bar last week to begin construction this fall on an upscale dining and entertainment destination at the northwest corner of Aurora Avenue and Route 59 in Naperville.
The council in an 8-1 vote approved plans for Block 59 that will require the company to demolish all but two of the existing buildings in the Heritage Square shopping center and construct 11 new buildings for the new restaurant and entertainment complex.
To fund the infrastructure improvements needed for the 16.5-acre site, the council voted 6-3 to adopt an added 1% tax on sales on shops, services and restaurants within the district, including Heritage Square and the eastern portion of the Westridge Court shopping center.
A highlight of the complex will be a four-season plaza for concerts and festivals in the warmer months and skating in the winter.
Washington Street service tax proposed
Property owners on Washington Street from Chicago to Benton avenues in downtown Naperville could pay a special tax that will cover a portion of the cost of improving the sidewalks.
The streetscape construction is expected to start in late February or early March 2024.
Work will be put out for bid as part of improvements on Washington Street and on the east side of Main Street adjacent to the Van Buren parking lot.
Over the next 15 years, property owners would reimburse the city for 40% of the improvements from the back of the roadway curb to the face of the buildings. The city will pick up the remaining 60% along with all the utility and roadway improvements.
The utility work will be funded through city electric and water funds, the road work through the Transportation, Engineering and Development (TED) Roadway Maintenance Improvement program, and sidewalk improvements — new walkways, streetlights, planters and benches — through the general fund.
If no more than 50% property owners object, an ordinance establishing the tax would be brought to the council at the June 6 meeting.
