Potential Special Service Area #14 & 15 (Water)
Current Status of SSA #14 & #15 (as of 6/27/2024):
SSA #14 & #15 Created
At the Board Meeting on June 26, 2024, the Village Board passed 2 ordinances creating SSA #14 & #15. The next step is to finalize the project plans and engineering plans. Once finalized, the project will publically go out to bid. After the bid process and the contractor is selected, the project will commence. More information will be provided to the residents located in both Special Service Areas.
Public Comment Period Closed June 5, 2024
The 60 day comment period ended Monday, June 5, 2024. The Village Board is now in discussion to pass an ordiance establishing Special Service Area #14 & #15. This matter will be discussed at the next Committee of the Whole meeting on Wednesday, June 19 at 7:30pm located at Village Hall (2020 O’Plaine Rd)
Public Comment Period Begins April 5, 2024
The 60 day comment period begins April 5, 2024. This is now the time to submitt any objections (negative votes) towards creating the Special Service Area if you are located in either SSA #14 or SSA #15. If 51% or more of the registered voters AND 51% or more of the individual lot owners object to the creation of the SSA, the SSA is defeated and cannot be proposed again for 2 years. If the objection criteria are not met, the SSA can be created by the Village Board via ordinance. If you would like to submitt an objection, please do so by writing a letter with a signature and drop off at the Village Hall (2020 O’Plaine Rd) Monday-Friday from 9am-2pm. Please contact Public Works Trustee John Wagener ([email protected]) or Village Engineer Ben Metzler ([email protected]) or the Village Hall 847-362-5363 with any questions.
The Public Hearing for SSA #14 & SSA #15 was held on April 4, 2024 at 7pm. This meeting discussed/explained the project scope, costs, and timelines. Presentation
The Village Trustees passed the ordinance establishing SSA #14 & SSA #15 at the Regular Board meeting on Wednesday, January 24, 2024. If your lot is located within SSA #14 or SSA #15, you will receive a certified letter notifying you of the SSA establishment and a public hearing date. There is nothing official to object to at this time. Any objections should be filed after the Public Hearing.
Please Find More Information Below
Oct. 20 – SSA Letter from the Public Works Committee
Owner Insterest SSA #14 Map (Based off Signed Petitions)
SSA #14 Informational Slideshow
Proposed SSA #14 & SSA #15 Map
Tax Bill Yearly Payment for SSA #13 (Est. 2022)
Tax Bill Yearly Payment for SSA #11 (Est. 2007)
Tax Bill Yearly Payment for SSA #10 (Est. 2002)
For any further questions, please contact
Trustee John Wagener ([email protected]) or
Village Engineer Ben Metzler ([email protected])
What is a Special Service Area?
It is a long-term finance tool which can be utilized to fund infrastructure projects for a group of benefitted properties.
General Formation Process
Establish interests within a group of contiguous lots
Propose SSA Ordinance (Village Board) and schedule a public hearing along with the notice
Public Hearing is held to explain the scope of the project, costs and a timeline
After the Public Hearing there is a 60 day comment period. This period entitles residents who are located in the proposed SSA to opt out and object to the creation.
– If more than 51% of registered voters AND individual lots object, the SSA is defeated/will not be created.
– This SSA cannot be re-established for another 2 years
– If the objection criteria is not met, the SSA can be created by the Village Board via an ordinance.
After the ordinance is passed, the project plans will be publicly bidded out to various contractors. The lowest bidder will be awarded the project and the construction can begin.
Residents can, but dont have to connect to the city water. If the resident chooses to connect, a building permit must be obtained from the Village. The resident will then need a certified plumber to connect to the city water.
Project Costs
The Special Service area will facilitate the extension of public infrastructure to the edge of your property. The costs discussed herein will cover installation of a new water or sewer main and a service stud which terminates at your property line. Upon completion of the project, you will be responsible for costs to install your private service, including connection fees and contracting with a plumber/contractor to install the service piping.
1. Cost for Public Improvements (potential SSA 14): $55,000 – $65,000
Yearly Payment Scenarios
|
Per Lot Share |
Interest Rate | ||
| 4% | 5% | 6% | |
|
$55,000 |
$4,047.00 | $4,413.34 | $4,795.15 |
|
$65,000 |
$4,782.81 | $5,215.77 | $5,667.00 |
2. Costs Paid at the Time of Connection (above and beyond SSA Per Lot Share Costs)
After the water main/sanitary sewer improvements are complete within the right of way, SSA participants can connect to the new mains. There are two components to the private service connection: Connection/permit fees and service installation costs.
Connection and Permit Fees
|
SEWER |
|
| Village of Green Oaks | $1,000 |
| Village of Libertyville | $1,000 |
| Lake County Public Works | $1,580 |
| Permit Inspection | $500 |
| TOTAL | $4,080 |
|
WATER |
|
| Village of Green Oaks | $3,500 |
| Meter | $430 |
| Permit Inspection | $500 |
| TOTAL | $4,430 |
Private service installation cost is dependent on the length of the service and plumbing configuration for each house. Costs will generally be in the range of $7,000 to $15,000, but can be greater. For water connections, if the well will be kept for lawn watering purposes, a dual check valve/RPZ must be installed (approximately $700).
In total, the private connection cost will be an additional $10,000 – $25,000 depending on the length and location of the service. During design, the Village works with SSA participants to identify a preferred location for the water/sewer service stub. During previous SSA’s, multiple homeowners would work on a “group-buy” and hire one contractor to reduce costs.
Connection to the water/sewer system is not required as part of an SSA. The only conditions under which connection is required is failure of a well or septic system. If you are part of an SSA, you can continue to use your well and septic until failure. The Village does not mandate connection by a date or timeframe.
Schedule
The SSA establishment process typically takes 4 months at a minimum. After establishment, the project is designed and competitively bid, a process that takes approximately 3-5 months (depending on the size of the project). The contract award process and bond sale takes 2 months, and construction will last 3-6 months (again, depending on scale of the project).
Common Questions
Link to SSA Tax Law 35 ILCS 200/27-5
Do I have to connect?
If SSA 14 is approved and your home is located with the special service area district, you do not have to connect to the municipal water supply. The Village does not set deadlines or require connection to the public water system within a specific timeframe. However, if a well were to fail on a lot that is within 250 feet from a public watermain (measured from the main to the nearest property line/corner along the right-of-way, Lake County Health Department would not issue a permit for a new well. Lots within 250 feet of a public watermain (defined as “AVAILABLE COMMUNITY WATER SYSTEM” in Section 170.04 of the Lake County IL Code of Ordinances) will not be issued a permit from the Lake County Health Department without signoff from the community water system. Permits are required for new well construction. Replacement of a well pump, yard piping, and/or treatment components are permitted.
Can I keep my well?
If SSA 14 is approved and your home is located with the special service area district, you can keep your well as a supplemental irrigation well so long as it is disconnected from the municipal water supply within your home. Many homeowners have kept their well and use it for watering their lawns and gardens.
What if my home is outside of the SSA and my well fails?
If the property is located outside of the SSA district, but the SSA 14 municipal water supply is “located no further than 250 feet from the closest property boundary of a single-family dwelling property,” then the Lake County Health Department will not issue a permit for a new well. These homes would be required to connect to the existing water main and to further extend the water main across the frontage of their property to the far side of their lot at their own expense. See Lake County Code of Ordinances, Regulation of Private, Semi-Private and Non-Community Wells and Water Systems, § 170.01, et seq.
What is the cost of the water?
The current rate in Green Oaks for municipal water is $6.05 per 1,000 gallons. There is also a quarterly user fee of $17.30. Green Oaks rates are competitive with surrounding communities. You can estimate your water usage based upon the usage of a typical Lake County household here:
https://www.lakecountyil.gov/DocumentCenter/View/311/Water-Conservation-Brochure-PDF?bidId=
How is the quality of Lake Michigan water?
Green Oaks purchases its water from the City of Waukegan. The overall quality of Lake Michigan water has improved substantially since the late 1960s. This is primarily due to IL EPA enforcing stricter regulations regarding the direct discharge of municipal and industrial wastes into the Lake. According to the Illinois EPA’s Source Water Assessment Report, since the water supply’s intake is 6,200 feet into the lake there is low susceptibility to shoreline contaminants due to mixing and dilution. For more detailed information on the quality of Lake Michigan water from Waukegan, please see the City of Waukegan 2023 Annual Water Quality Report:
https://www.waukeganil.gov/DocumentCenter/View/8771/2023-CCR-Final-Completed-20230518