In a swift move to protect homes in Naperville’s historic district, the City Council this week boosted fines for illegal demolition to $10,000 from $500.
The action, unanimously passed by the council, is meant to hit developers where it hurts–in the pocketbook. The amendment also included slapping violators with a two-year building moratorium.
While fully endorsed by the council and brought up to current state standards, some council members believed the fines were not steep enough.
“Ten thousand dollars is a spit in the bucket compared to what the cost is of a home in this area,” said Councilman David Fiore.
Councilman Richard Furstenau agreed and suggested the penalty should carry a $25,000 to $50,000 fine and a three-year building moratorium.
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The council also upped fines for correctable violations on historic properties to a range of $500 to $1,000 per day per violation from $50 to $500 per day per violation.
The changes come months after the illegal demolition of a two-story home at 27 N. Wright St. and a City Council decision to allow a church to tear down a historic home to expand its parish and build a parking lot.
If a violation occurs, a code enforcement officer would issue the citation and then a judge would determine the appropriate fine to issue to violators on a case-by-case basis, according to city staff.