Mary Ventrella

The Stormwater Management Program Plan (SMPP) for the Village of Harwood Heights outlines policies, plans, and procedures to comply with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency's (IEPA) National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Phase II Permit. The plan focuses on six minimum control measures: Public Education, Public Participation and Involvement, Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination, Construction Site Runoff Control, Post Construction Site Runoff Control, and Pollution Prevention and Good Housekeeping. Its overarching goals are to improve water quality, create cleaner and more aesthetically pleasing local water bodies, enhance recreational opportunities, and promote a healthier environment for both residents and wildlife.

The ordinance conditionally approves a special use permit for an adult use cannabis dispensary at 4660 N. Harlem Avenue in the B2 Central Shopping Zoning District. It includes conditions and restrictions for the special use permit, such as obtaining necessary permits, compliance with plans, advising patrons about on-site cannabis consumption prohibition, parking lot lighting, emergency vehicle access, random inspections, and a timeline for opening the dispensary.

The ordinance establishes and centralizes various fees, charges, fines, and penalties associated with the Village's proprietary and administrative functions, regulatory measures, and enforcement. It covers a wide range of items, including administrative booking fees, reproduction costs for records, real estate transfer taxes, voluntary disclosure amnesty, gross receipts taxes on various utilities, motor fuel tax, sales tax, leased vehicle occupation tax, telecommunications infrastructure maintenance fee, tenant's privilege tax for non-residential storage, cannabis retailers' occupation tax, and various license fees for businesses and activities within the Village.

The ordinance provides for the issuance of taxable general obligation bonds to fund the Village's Police Pension Fund's unfunded liability and establish a budget stabilization fund. It authorizes the levy and collection of a direct annual tax to pay the principal and interest on the bonds and approves the sale of these bonds to Stifel Nicolaus & Company Incorporated.