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Where Is
Big Hollow School District
Big Hollow
School District encompasses parts of the municipalities of
Fox Lake,
Volo,
Lakemoor,
and Round
Lake as well as parts of unincorporated Lake
County. Because of this, our school district faces
impact from five entities, as opposed to a typical district
influenced by one or two. As of late 2004, there are approximately
400 acres land available within the school district eligible
for potential development.
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School
District Boundaries (annotated)
This map from Lake County's mapping division
has been annotated with key roads, school facilities, lakes,
and other landmarks. It is in .JPG format and is .4Mb. |
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What's The
Impact
When
a developer brings new homes and the people that move into
them to an area, they are required to accommodate the 'impact'
that they bring. This includes the general areas of roads,
schools, parks, fire protection, and libraries. As an unincorporated
piece of land is annexed into a specific municipality, impact
fees are negotiated and included as part of the annexation
agreement. Legally, the negotiation and agreement are between
the municipality and the developer. Big Hollow school district
officials and Citizens Advisory Committee members have been
active in negotiations and meetings with these parties to
be sure that the developers are shouldering the true impact
to the school district. School impact fees by law can only
be used for purchase of land, adding onto existing buildings,
or constructing new buildings. The School Board has communicated
to all county and village officials their policy on
student estimates and impact fees, according to the legally
defensible Naperville Formula.
Big
Hollow's Numbers
To understand
why the numerous new developments in the school district have
not fully shouldered their fair share of 'impact', we've illustrated
the school district's costs in simplified numbers below.
- When completely built out, the Fish Lake Rd. campus will
have cost approximately $40,000,000. This includes the initial
land, existing Primary building, and the new intermediate
and middle school buildings. These numbers are reasonable
as the school building design and costs are conservative.
- The campus will have a capacity of 2000 students.
- The district receives on average 1/2 student per unit
across all types of housing units.
- Impact fees have been split between
the elementary district (Big Hollow) and the high school
district (Grant) in a 3/4, 1/4 ratio or 2/3, 1/3 ratio.
$40,000,000 / 2,000 = $20,000 (cost per housing unit)
$20,000 * .5 = $10,000 (cost per student)
To accomodate the true impact of this dollar amount with
the historical elementary/high school ratios, impact fees
of the following amounts must be negotiated with each new
developer.
3/4 elementary, 1/4 high school: $10,000 + $3,333 = $13,333
2/3 elementary, 1/3 high school: $10,000 + $5,000 = $15,000
For a one page, legal paper-sized view of
this calculation, click the picture above.
Current
Impact Fees
Impact fees are a one-time revenue negotiated
between each municipality and developer. The school district
has no power or authority to establish impact fees. They can
only be used for land purchase or building construction. Amounts
depend on unit type and number of bedrooms. Recent per unit
impact fees in the district are:
Fox Lake $800 - 5,050 Lakemoor
$1,111 - 3,682 Round Lake $720 - 7,167
Volo $835 - 5,321
Future Impact
Fees
The CAC has been involved in the Lake County
Impact Fee Study Group. Click here
for the latest updates.
New Residential
Development In The School District
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To see a map of current residential development within
the Big Hollow school district boundaries, click the
picture.
Updated: 2/20/06.
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* Notes:
- Municipality:
New developments in the school district not already under
construction are proposed for unincorporated land. The municipality
listed is the one in which the developer is seeking annexation.
- Remaining
Units:
As of March 2006.
- Students:
Estimates of the number of students coming from a new development
vary according to each party's (developer, municipality,
school district) calculation. Big Hollow School District's
average across all unit types of 1/2 child per unit has
been found over many years to be accurate.
- Impact
Fees: Numbers listed are a range across unit types including
apartments, townhouses, other multi-family units, and single-family
homes. The impact fee split between the elementary and high
school districts are negotiated with each municipality.
- Heron
Bay, Rockwell Place: Remaining units of total. Not all
units are within Big Hollow school district.
Round Lake: A summary of The Village of Round Lake Residential
Development can be found here.
Meeting
Notes
Lancaster
Falls
(Ryland Homes) |
- 11/9/04:
Volo Plan Commission
Approved intergovernmental agreement with Lake County
Forest Preserve District and Lakes Region Sanitary
District per utility and trail easements concerning
Fish Lake Rd. Lakes Region Sanitary District has approved
sewer agreement with Volo. Passed ordinances approving
development agreement, re-zoning, map amendment, and
P.U.D. designation for parcels south of Rt. 120. Parcels
north of Rt. 120 affecting Big Hollow were tabled
until 11/23. Transition Fee articles presented to
Volo officials. Requested meeting with Big Hollow
on transition fees.
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Volo
(RL Hummel) |
- 3/1/05:
Volo Village Board
Road improvements/signal in Fish Lake Rd./Rt. 120
area required. 118 single family and 30 duplex units
below to Big Hollow and the rest to Wauconda schools.
An economic study was waived by the village board.
A draft of impact fees based on the Naperville formula
was handed out. Price range for single family units
is $450,000 - $650,000 range. An SSAwill be used for
public improvements. Public hearing was closed. Approval
of annexation agreement likely at 3/22 meeting.
- 2/10/05:
Volo Plan Commission
89.72 acres on northwest corner of Fish Lake Rd. and
Rt. 120 (less one small parcel at corner). 60 acres
in Grant Township & 29.69 acres in Wauconda. 297
units total; 118 single family, 30 duplex, 149 townhomes.
Most units appear to be in Wauconda school district,
including what appears to be all duplexes and townhomes.
Units in Big Hollow on north end appear to be custom
homes in the $450-$650,000 range. Fee structure similar
to Remington Homes' Remington Pointe development.
Plan Commission approved the project.
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| Emerald
Bay (Ryland Homes) |
- 10/17/05:
Round Lake Village Board
Final
votes for annexation, amended zoning, and preliminary
plan. Village board approved it by a vote of 4-1 (Blauvelt,
Newby, Perkowitz, Brubaker - Yes, Del Prato - No,
Shaw - abstain, Gentes - vote not needed). There was
little discussion outside of Trustee Del Prato again
disagreeing on changes to the plan being done and
not involving the plan commission. This development
is ready to proceed, bringing with it negative impacts
to Big Hollow.
- 08/01/05:
Round Lake Village Board
Continuation
of public hearing. Amendment to the prior annexation
vote is around land use deviating from the intended
C-2 zoning for the commercial portion of the project.
Issue taken with changes having happened between Zoning
Commission approval and presentation to the Village
Board. Superintendent Ron Pazanin presented detailed
information on impact fees, transition fees, recent
press, Lake County Impact Fee Tool, and an impact
analysis of this development on the school district.
Approximately 40% of Big Hollow students now come
from Round Lake. Again, despite showing that this
development will not shoulder the cost of its "impact"
to Big Hollow, the village board approved it by a
vote of 5-1 (Blauvelt, Newby, Perkowitz, Shaw, Gentes
- Yes, Del Prato - No, Brubaker - abstain). Clearly,
Round Lake's needs to get sewer service to the southwest
quadrant in a timely manner (to beat Volo to the area
- publicly admitted to by several village officials)
will not take negative school district financial outcomes
into account.
- 06/20/05:
Round Lake Village Board
Continuation
of public hearing. Conversations with Big Hollow have
continued, although little compromise has been reached
on impact fee amounts. Transition fee amounts have
been rejected by Ryland. Some engineering details
that had not been resolved since the Plan Commission
level were discussed and objected to. Big Hollow school
board members presented information on the chronology
of talks between Big Hollow and Ryland, other Round
Lake development fee amounts, the resolution passed
by Big Hollow School Board to use impact fees of $8,157
per unit based on recent Lakewood Grove numbers as
precident, and that these fees are lower than Valley
Lakes numbers years ago. Also mentioned was the upcoming
Lake County Impact Fee ordinance. Despite showing
that this development will not shoulder the cost of
its "impact" to Big Hollow, the village
board approved it by a vote of 4-2 (Blauvelt, Brubaker,
Perkowitz, Shaw - Yes, Del Prato, Newby - No, Gentes
- vote not needed).
- 06/06/05:
Round Lake Village Board
Continuation
of public hearing.. Dawn Marie Dr. sewer work authorized.
Conversations with Big Hollow and Grant school districts
have taken place, but no final agreements yet. Lake
County Impact Fee ordinance being developed was mentioned.
Transition fees mentioned, but not directly addressed
by comments from the mayor. Continuation of hearing
to 6/20 7:00pm meeting where a vote will likely be
taken.
- 05/16/05:
Round Lake Village Board
Presentation
of approved plan by Ryland Homes. Questions from the
public around traffic study and school fees. Have
'wrinkles to work out' with schools, but no meeting
dates on the books. Continuation of hearing to 6/6
7:00pm meeting.
- 11/16/04:
Round Lake Plan Commission/Zoning Board
Continuation
of hearing. Revisions to plan in the areas of; removed
2 buildings/9 units on north end, increased park from
.5 to 1.6 acres, traffic report from 2/04 available
but unreviewed, additional guest parking, drainage/buffer/emergency
access/light/sewer/water concerns from Dawn Marie
Dr. residents. Brief mention of 11/11 meeting with
school district. Another school meeting needed, but
not scheduled. Numerous concerns outstanding - hearing
continued to 12/14 7:00pm
- 11/11/04:
School District/Developer
Preliminary meeting to discuss impact fees (based
on latest Fremont District development numbers), transition
fees, timing of fees, and impact fee use waiver. Presented
Big Hollow district impact fee statement/chart.
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Fox
Lake
(Centex Homes) |
- 09/13/05:
Fox Lake Village Board
Village
Board meeting with public comment. Village Board vote
unanimously against. Litigation continues.Agenda
- 09/06/05:
Fox Lake Village Board special meeting
Public
hearing on Centex Homes annexation agreement. Specifics
on litigation and the proposed resolution were not
discussed. Reduction in units to around 260 on 15
acres. Those in attendance criticized the proposed
project, although the project was not the purpose
of the meeting. Big Hollow officials requested information
on the financial impact of the development on the
school district and a chance to meet with Centex to
work out impact fees/schedule of payment and transition
fees. A super-majority vote of 5-2 was required. The
vote was 4-3, so did not pass and the litigation remains
unresolved. Agenda
- 11/12/04:
Fox Lake Plan Commission
Proposal
for 280 townhouses on Rt. 134 parcel adjoining Holiday
Park development. Plan Commission voted against 4-0.
- 04/28/05:
Fox Lake Plan Commission
Second
petition by Centex with revisions, well attended (50
- 60 people). Settlement involving Fox Lake and Holiday
Park LLC. Excludes 5 acres of commercial at the top
of the hill. 35 acres down the hill petitioned to
be rezoned from B-3 commercial to PUD with R-4 underlying.
280 townhomes of 4 & 6 units. Developer estimates
65 students. Plan Commission turned down without adding
contingencies. New Plan Commissioners confused by
details. May go to Village Board now.
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Fox
Lake
(unknown) |
- Preliminary
information: 12 acres, west of Rt. 12, across from
Fox Ridge, unincorporated land annexation into Fox
Lake, multi-family (no unit number available), R1
to R4 w/PUD
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Rockwell
Place
(Kirk Homes) |
- 02/03/05:
Lakemoor Village Board
Proposal
for 959 units (down from 1004) brought to village
board after zoning rejected some aspects and approved
some. Numerous minor changes made to streets, setbacks,
etc. Numerous bike paths, parks, tot lots added. No
further contact with any schools affected (Big Hollow,
Grant, McHenry, or Wauconda). Next village board meeting
is March 10.
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Remington
Pointe North
(Remington Homes) |
05/04/06: Volo Plan Commission
Continuation
of public hearing. Updates from last meeting made
to plans including; some larger side yards, minor
road changes, boulevard medians, and additional acreage
around wetland area. More firm base prices as; $275,000
(67 homes in neighborhood #3), $375,000 (105 homes
in neighborhood #2), and $395,000 (76 homes in neighborhood
#1). Updated financial impact numbers show; market
value of $95 million, taxable value of $31 million,
887 new residents, 248 houses (down 5), 188 students
to Big Hollow, 78 students to Grant, $72,000 annual
deficit to Big Hollow for 3 years, and $92,000 surplus
to Grant for 3 years.
For 2 weeks, Big Hollow administration has repeatedly
tried to get financial numbers from Strategy Planning
Associates. To date, this information has been unavailable.
Upon request for the information to be available electronically,
Nate from Remington Homes quickly declined. Big Hollow
also expressed concern for safety at both the Rt.
12/Molidor Rd. intersection, as well as Molidor Rd./Fish
Lake Rd. Big Hollow CAC tried to get clarification
on the changing school impact numbers, but was unable
to get clear answers between impact fees and transition
fees. The Plan Commission will compile questions by
May 11 for Remington Homes to address. These should
be available at the Volo Village Hall. The public
hearding was continued to Thursday, May 18, likely
at 7:30pm at the Plumbers Union Hall on Rt. 12 in
Volo. - 04/20/06:
Volo Plan Commission
Proposal
for 253 single family homes (30% 3 bedroom, 70% 4
bedroom) on 158.6 acres generally known as the Doetsch/Fisher
property, with prices in the $275,000 and $335,000
ranges. This is an addition to the currently being
constructed Remington Pointe and Townes At Remington
Pointe development. The parcels are directly north
of this development and border Rt. 12, Fischer Lake
property, and Wilson Nursery. Remington Homes' financial
planner
Strategy Planning Associates projects 188
students and a $343,280 deficit to Big Hollow School
District over a 3 - 4 year buildout. There will be
an additional $104,665 deficit to Grant High School
District. As the meeting ran long, no public comment
was heard. The public hearing was continued to Thursday,
May 4, likely at 7:30pm at the Plumbers Union Hall
on Rt. 12 in Volo.
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* Note: Meeting Notes are not official public
record, rather a summary by CAC, school district attendees,
or press accounts.
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