The Maplewood School joint committee met Sept. 16 to discuss the use of the 15-acre Maplewood site. (Photo by Adela Crandell Durkee/for Chronicle Media)

The Maplewood School joint committee continued the process of deciding the best use of its 15-acre Maplewood site, during a meeting Sept. 16 attended by fewer than two dozen people at Cary Junior High School.

After a 16-month process, the Village Board approved the Comprehensive Plan in January 2015. More than 1,000 citizens got involved in the process. A part of the plan’s purpose and vision is to promote and encourage multifamily housing near the downtown, with a focus on walkability and proximity to the Metra Station. Many citizens voiced a need for viable shopping in the downtown area, which is answered in part by high-density mixed-use zoning. The 15-acre Maplewood site fits the vision and aligns with the overall goals of the Plan.

Village Administrator Chris Clark explained the plan as it relates to the Maplewood site.

“It’s important to understand that the plan is not done for Maplewood, it is for the community at large. The plan is a vehicle for seeking grants, such as the Metra Station improvements.”

The plan is a high-level concept to meet the goals of the village. Specifics for Maplewood are contingent on a developer’s design and the Zoning Board’s approval, and subsequent Village Board approval. That process involves public hearings.

The plan for Maplewood shows a transitional development: single-family detached homes, row-homes, townhomes, and multi-family condos or apartments. The plan includes shops, a park, and a buffer area of landscaping. A road connecting the area to Metra parking is included. The village’s right-of-way for the road existed at least 30 years prior to the school closing.

Clark pointed out that adding development results in public improvements.

“The various taxing bodies cooperate to make it as affordable as possible,” he explained. “Ninety-eight percent Janus Cutoff improvement came from outside funds.”

Availability of state and federal funds is based on criteria set by those taxing bodies.

Jeff Schubert, District 26 director of finance and operations, explained that the district’s mission statement drives all decisions. District 26 has a fund balance of 21 percent. That gets a grade of “fair,” compared to the 80 percent fund balance of other schools in the area. Still, it’s a big improvement over the negative values the district saw a few years ago, when it was in danger of being taken over by the state.

Enrollment continues to decline, due to the graduation of larger classes. The population is currently at a plateau. Selling the property to a high-density, mixed-use developer will improve the fund balance by adding tax dollars. The projected student population of a Maplewood development is 19 students distributed across the K-12 classes. The current schools can absorb that number of children, without increasing costs. The estimated increase in tax revenue is $2.9 million over the next 10 years.

District 26 has the second-lowest tax rate for elementary schools in the county. Although schools were consolidated as part of their fiscal recovery effort, class sizes average 24 students.

Chris Christenson, District 26 committee representative said, “Maplewood must come down. The floor boards are coming up, the walls are falling in. [Demolition] will cost the school district a lot of money.”

The demolition cost is estimated between $500,000 and $700,000 for District 26. Simply demolishing the building or developing a park on the property is untenable to District 26 because the district needs the money.

The Maplewood property is currently zoned residential. A developer must submit a plan and petition for a zoning change. Before a developer can submit a building plan, it must first negotiate a sale with District 26.

The buyer and seller face another contingency. District 26 cannot afford to move the bus garage located on the property prior to the sale. District 26 estimates the cost of relocating the garage at $1.7 million to $2.6 million. A developer must factor in the relocation into their timetable. Although the re-zoning could occur prior to a sale, that may limits the range of development possible.

The crowd, mainly people from the neighborhood adjoining Maplewood, expressed respectful concern about high-density, mixed-use development. The comments ranged from remorse for demolishing a village landmark, built in 1929, to concerns about the accuracy of the projected student population. Community members wanted to know if a church or park could meet the plan objectives. Several people questioned the reliability of the projected tax revenue, asking how certain the officials are that capacity will be reached. Other citizens expressed concern about the lack of detail and the impact on current property value.

Christie Wagner summed up the concerns succinctly: “I have a respect for the role everyone has. The current (school) board brought the district out of a difficult place. As a Maplewood resident, I am continually concerned about the direction. What the past board did affected us dramatically. We are still feeling the repercussions. For the public to have trust, we have to believe that the village and the School Board are acting in the best interest of the community.”

The next committee meeting is in October. The details will be announced on the village website.

— Joint committee discusses Maplewood site use —