Mayor urges O’Fallon residents to fill out state survey for I-64 sound barrier

A long-awaited sound barrier along Interstate 64 may finally be in the works in O’Fallon.

The Illinois Department of Transportation has sent out surveys to the residents affected, the city learned Monday, Dec. 5.

At the O’Fallon City Council meeting Monday, Mayor Herb Roach urged residents in Wards 4 and 6 who live along I-64 to respond, or else the project may not happen. He said it affects over 100 of them.

He said the city has wanted a sound barrier to be built to help protect the homeowners from the highway noise for a long time, and the state is considering it — but a majority of residents need to express their support.

“They could take it out of their plans,” Roach said. “I urge residents to please fill it out and send it back — don’t place this is File 13.”

More Multi-Family Residences at Lake St. Ellen

A multi-family development known as Lake St. Ellen – Phase 2 will add 53 two-family residences to O’Fallon.

The council approved Cade Osborn’s request for a planned use and preliminary plat. The 106 residential lots — plus a 107th to remain vacant for potential future development — will be located on the east side of Old Collinsville Road near St. Clair Bowl.

The development plans include 18 single-story villas (36 units) and 35 two-story townhomes (70 units).

Community Development Director Justin Randall said Osborn plans to retain ownership of each unit and rent them, although they are to be constructed and platted so all the units could be sold to individual owners.

The single-story villas are 1,490 square feet and include three bedrooms and two bathrooms with 650 square feet of finished basement and a two-car garage. The two-story townhomes are 1,640 square feet with three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and a two-car garage.

This proposal is continuation of the 2002 development know as Lake St. Ellen Villas — which developed 67 villas — for a total of 134 units. The proposed project will offer villas and townhomes that are consistent and complimentary to the existing development, Randall said.

The new development will be phased, with Phase One including 18 single-story villas (36 units) built immediately north of the existing Lake St. Ellen Villas neighborhood. Phase Two will consist of 35 two-story townhomes (70 units) south of the existing Autumn Pine subdivision.

Tax Levy to Be Adopted Dec. 19

In other action, the council moved forward the tax levy ordinance for approval Monday, Dec. 19, which must be filed with St. Clair County by the last Tuesday in December.

The estimated rate setting EAV is $812,953,699 which is 4% or $31 million higher than the 2021 Final Rate Setting EAV.

As of Nov. 22, that is the base for the next year’s estimate provided by the county. Based on preliminary calculation, the estimated rate is 0.8394. Last year’s certified rate was 0.8358.

Finance Director Sandy Evans said the county will apply a 0.9957% multiplier for O’Fallon Township and a 1.0521% multiplier for Caseyville Township. That’s an average of 1.0239% and will increase the EAV by $8,259,739.

The current disabled veterans’ exemption totals $111,942,901, which represents a 16% increase from the previous year. Disabled vet exemptions now are 14% of the residential EAV.

The city uses property tax to pay for such services as police, fire, ambulance, streets, parks, library and contributions to the general fund and pension-related funds.

When a O’Fallon taxpayers pay their property tax bill, St. Clair County receives the money and then disperses it to each taxing body based upon its tax levy.

Evans said the city is requesting an increase in funds except the fire pension fund compared to last year’s request. The library board has not requested an increase.

Other city news

• City Clerk Jerry Mouser said his office will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. beginning Monday, Dec. 12, through Monday, Dec. 19 — excluding the weekends — to accept candidate petitions for the consolidated election April 4, 2023, for council members.
• The council meeting for Monday, Jan. 2, and committee meetings for Monday, Dec. 26, are canceled.
• People still have time to donate to the Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Tots campaign. Their collection bin at the O’Fallon Police Department will be accepting donations of unwrapped toys until Saturday, Dec. 10. Stop by the lobby and place a toy or toys in the bin.

This story was originally published December 6, 2022 at 10:29 AM.