Council considers action to repeal ordinance

Legislation aims to end confusion over driveway apron reimbursement program

North Perry Village is looking to end confusion regarding reimbursement for the construction of driveway aprons.

To bring clarity to the matter, Village Council is considering an ordinance to terminate the community’s driveway apron reimbursement program.

Council is expected to hear a second reading of the ordinance at its regular meeting on Dec. 6. The ordinance received a first reading at the panel’s November meeting, when village officials discussed uncertainty surrounding the program.

Many years ago, the village launched a program in which it would offer reimbursement for driveway aprons to people who were building homes.

“I believe that the village just wanted to keep everything uniform and all of the driveways looking nice,” Mayor Ed Klco said.

To apply for reimbursement, a person would submit building plans for his or her home, and fill out a form which would be reviewed by the village zoning inspector. If an application was approved, the resident would be reimbursed based on how many yards of cement went into the driveway apron, Klco said.

However, earlier this year, Klco said a resident stated she was told there was no longer reimbursement being giving for

driveway aprons. Village officials then conducted research, but could find no legislation on file discontinuing reimbursement to residents for driveway aprons.

Klco said there were seven homes built in the village between 2013 and 2018, and the owners weren’t able to seek reimbursement for driveway aprons.

Because of “a lack of communication” within village government, the program “fell through the cracks” and the seven homeowners “didn’t get the opportunity to fill out forms and get

the OK from our zoning,” he said.

In conjunction with proposed legislation to officially terminate the driveway apron reimbursement program, Klco also asked council to approve $960 payments to each of the seven homeowners who weren’t able to apply for the program between 2013 and 2018.

“We feel as a community that we owe those seven property owners that opportunity to get reimbursed (for driveway aprons),” Klco said.

The $960 reimbursement cost was recommended based on research conducted by village Engineer Bill Baker.