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| Government Affairs -
April 2008 |
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Victories
With few exceptions, HBAI posted a list of victories the week of March 13 in
the Illinois General Assembly that should allow our members to breathe a
little easier. After a two week break, the Illinois legislature returned on
April 1 to address bills on the House and Senate floors that made it out of
their respective committees. The deadline for bills to get out of their
house of origin is April 18 which is the same week as our HBAI Lobby Day
(April 16th). After that, the process starts all over again with Senate
bills being heard in the House and House bills being heard in the Senate.
The session’s final deadline for all bills is slated for May 29th. - Bill
Ward, Director, Governmental Affairs - Home Builders Association of Illinois
Energy Efficiency Standards - Senator John Cullerton
(D-Chicago) refused to call SB2456 in the Senate Environment & Energy
Committee on Wednesday. This bill would have required all new residential
construction to meet the standards of the International Residential Code’s
Energy Efficiency Standards. The bill was pulled at our request.
Statewide Building Standards - State Rep. Susana Mendoza
(D-Chicago) held from consideration at our request legislation that would
have imposed the International Residential Code as the state building code
for Illinois. HB4955 would have also mandated inspections on all new
residential construction, even in counties with no inspectors. The Illinois
Municipal League opposed the measure as well.
Radon - HB4789 will create a task force to consider any
further regulations regarding radon mitigation. Rep. Karen May (D-Highland
Park) agreed to take out language mandating mitigation systems in all new
construction.
Statewide Stormwater Planning - SB2025 would have
created a statewide stormwater plan. Senator Iris Martinez (D-Chicago)
placed an amendment on the bill containing no substantive language (a move
called "shelling a bill") so that the bill will remain alive but doesn’t
harm anyone. She said she would like to later talk to various stakeholders
on this issue. HBAI was opposed to the bill.
Local Wastewater Permitting - Senator Susan Garrett
withheld from consideration a bill to create local permitting for wastewater
sewer systems. HBAI and the Illinois EPA opposed the measure as this
government service is already performed at the state level. SB2307 would
have also allowed counties to impose fees for this duplication of services.
NIHBA - Naperville Cleanup
Guidelines Debate
In the coming weeks, the Naperville City Council will try to
pass an ordinance that will penalize lot owners for not maintaining their
property.
City staff recommended that owners have one year to comply
with the poliicies, but NIHBA member, developer and lot owner Hal Stembridge
said that timeline was too strict and would cost thousands of dollars in a
slow market since they are having a more difficult time moving the property.
"Builders do comply for the most part," said Stembridge,
owner of Stembridge Builders, Inc. "We’re not arguing all the (language) in
the ordinance. What we’re really disagreeing with is the time. I figured we
will need 80 to 100 yards of black dirt (per site). To put that in and take
that out - it costs for the hauling, the grading. Once it’s there, all that
black dirt is no good."
According to the city, it would cost about $3, 400 in
landscaping costs to each lot, once the criteria is met.
"The cost of $3,400 is a low estimate," Stembridge said. "I
believe ($8,000 to $15,000) is more accurate. They didn’t include any
dumping fees or hauling fees."
This ordinance has been tabled until mid April.
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