Council votes to end driveway program

North Perry Village has ended its driveway apron reimbursement program for people who build new homes in the community.

Village Council, at its Jan. 10 meeting, approved an ordinance to terminate the policy.

The repeal will not apply to a person who currently is building a new home in the village, Mayor Ed Klco said. That individual filled out an application for a

driveway apron reimbursement before council took action to end the program. He will receive a reimbursement check for $960 after his house is completed, Klco said.

In addition, North Perry Village recently sent $960 checks to six other residents who constructed homes in the community between 2013 and 2018, but didn’t get an opportunity to seek reimbursement for driveway aprons immediately following their building projects.

Confusion surrounding why those people didn’t apply for the reimbursements is what prompted Village Council to initiate legislative action late last year.

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,” 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, in 2018, the mayor 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.

Because of “a lack of communication” within village government, the program “fell through the cracks” and six homeowners “didn’t get the opportunity to fill out forms and get the OK from our zoning,” Klco said.

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