O’Fallon City Council frees funds to address storm water issues in two neighborhoods

Two storm water drainage projects are being analyzed in O’Fallon, targeting flooding on North Cherry Street and a drainage study in the Deer Creek subdivision.

The 600 block of North Cherry was previously identified, but after heavy rain on July 14, 2023, the 800 block has now been added to expand the scope. Additional funds are being budgeted in FY 2025 to include roadway drainage designs for both areas.

A new regional stormwater detention basin is being designed to slow down the release of storm water from this area, and so is a new water main to replace the old ones in the area. The project also includes an asphalt overlay design for all t hat area’s streets.

At its March 4 meeting, the O’Fallon City Council approved an agreement with Millennia Professional Services of Illinois for $89,400 for the North Cherry Street improvements project.

The project will include West Jackson Street on the south and analysis and a design for Cherry Street immediately north and south of Wesley Drive. A new Regional Detention Basin west of White Oak Drive near the intersection of Wesley Drive is proposed to improve the combined north and south drainage.

Public Works Director Jeff Taylor explained that emphasis will be on retrofitting detention into a neighborhood that previously didn’t have it and will improve erosive outflows from the existing project area into Engle Creek.

He said water mains proposed for replacement are along Cherry Street north of West Jackson, Wesley Drive west of Lincoln, White Oak Drive, Mace’s Grove Street, and Nowland Court.

In conjunction with drainage and water main improvements, roadway patching and resurfacing of the project area is proposed.

The drainage study in the Deer Creek subdivision will evaluate the existing conditions of the culvert structure that conveys Engle Creek under Seven Hills Road, and then analyze an option to replace the culverts with a bridge structure and an option to replace the culverts with multiple box culverts.

All three of these analyses will also model 600 feet downstream and 2,500 feet upstream of the existing culvert structure. An erosion mitigation analysis will then be completed for both options and cost estimates will be prepared.

The council authorized a Millennia Engineering Services agreement for Deer Creek Subdivision drainage study not to exceed $48,400, which is included in both FY24 and FY25 budgets. All data will then be summarized in a written report.

In other action, the council agreed to pay $1,238,123.70 to Christ Brothers Asphalt for the 2024 resurfacing program.

This program takes place every summer and is supported by streets and Prop S funds. The streets selected to be overlaid are identified through the city’s Pavement Management Program. The funds, based on unit prices submitted, are reserved in the FY25 budget.

The council also OK’d paying $474,334.75 to KRB Excavating Inc., for the concrete replacement program. This is for general concrete repair of streets and sidewalks.

Calvary Church Rezoning

Calvary Church’s rezoning request to construct a 16,000 square-foot church facility in two phases has advanced for action at the March 18 council meeting.

Chad Townsley applied for a planned use approval to develop 5.59-acres on the west side of 1033 Hartman Lane, one-quarter of a mile north of Thouvenot Lane.

Community Development Planner Ryan Auer explained that the proposed first phase would be a 3,500 square foot space for small offices and learning rooms. The second phase would be construction of 9,850 square foot primary assembly space, primary welcome center, and additional teaching rooms.

Any new assembly in the city – including churches and places of formal worship – is required to seek planned use permission.

The property is currently zoned for an agriculture district and was previously used for residential purposes. The site is accessible by two gravel driveways onto Hartman Lane.

It is largely undeveloped, and there’s a densely wooded area around a half-acre pond. An existing barn on the far west side would be renovated for education and worship uses. Two structures on the east side would be removed during the second phase.

The Planning Commission approved it 10-0 and the city’s community development committee did too, in a 6-0 vote, agreeing to the staff’s recommendations. The council advanced it to the March 18 meeting 10-3, with aldermen Jerry Albrecht, Roy Carney and Ross Rosenberg voting no.

The staff recommended approval, but with certain conditions to be met. Both existing gravel driveways will need to be removed during the first phase of development, and the church must coordinate with St. Clair County to obtain necessary permits prior to any reconstruction. One of the new entrances will be directly across from Three Spring Road.

An alternate parking plan, with 56 spaces in phase 1 and 138 in phase 2, must be implemented. All parking spaces must meet the city’s design and accessibility requirements.

Sidewalks along Hartman Lane must be constructed, and with each phase of the development.

One Percent Grocery Tax

During his annual budget address Feb. 21, Gov. J.B. Pritzker proposed eliminating the 1% sales tax on grocery items, and that revenue is dedicated solely to municipal governments. That would result in a $325 million loss statewide, and O’Fallon stands to lose $1.2 million annually.

The council passed a resolution opposing it and urging the General Assembly to find a way to reimburse cities for lost revenue. The vote was 10-3, with aldermen Andrea Fohne, Dennis Muyleart and Tom Vorce voting no.

Finance Director Sandy Evans told the council’s finance and administration committee that this would be an undue hardship because most of O’Fallon’s sales tax revenue goes to the general fund, and the largest departments are police and streets.

Evans said this would directly affect the city’s ability to provide police services and street maintenance, including snow removal. At a time of rising pension costs, along with the state’s increasing number of unfunded mandates placed on local governments, the price of this proposed tax cut would have to be passed on to residents.

During the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns, the state suspended the 1% sales tax on groceries but reimbursed city governments for the loss on a per capita basis.

Potential New Hours

City Administrator Walter Denton said new hours are being tested at City Hall starting March 11. To provide better access to residents, certain city departments will expand office hours from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., as determined by directors, for efficient transaction of services. Full-time employees can either be scheduled to work four 10-hour days or five 8-hour days and does not affect any collective bargaining agreements. Previous hours were 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.