65 ILCS 5/11-74.4-6

(65 ILCS 5/11-74.4-6) (from Ch. 24, par. 11-74.4-6)

Sec. 11-74.4-6. (a) Except as provided herein, notice of the public hearing shall be given by publication and mailing; provided, however, that no notice by mailing shall be required under this subsection (a) with respect to any redevelopment project area located within a transit facility improvement area established pursuant to Section 11-74.4-3.3. Notice by publication shall be given by publication at least twice, the first publication to be not more than 30 nor less than 10 days prior to the hearing in a newspaper of general circulation within the taxing districts having property in the proposed redevelopment project area. Notice by mailing shall be given by depositing such notice in the United States mails by certified mail addressed to the person or persons in whose name the general taxes for the last preceding year were paid on each lot, block, tract, or parcel of land lying within the project redevelopment area. Said notice shall be mailed not less than 10 days prior to the date set for the public hearing. In the event taxes for the last preceding year were not paid, the notice shall also be sent to the persons last listed on the tax rolls within the preceding 3 years as the owners of such property. For redevelopment project areas with redevelopment plans or proposed redevelopment plans that would require removal of 10 or more inhabited residential units or that contain 75 or more inhabited residential units, the municipality shall make a good faith effort to notify by mail all residents of the redevelopment project area. At a minimum, the municipality shall mail a notice to each residential address located within the redevelopment project area. The municipality shall endeavor to ensure that all such notices are effectively communicated and shall include (in addition to notice in English) notice in the predominant language other than English when appropriate.

(b) The notices issued pursuant to this Section shall include the following:

(1) The time and place of public hearing.

(2) The boundaries of the proposed redevelopment project area by legal description and by street location where possible.

(3) A notification that all interested persons will be given an opportunity to be heard at the public hearing.

(4) A description of the redevelopment plan or redevelopment project for the proposed redevelopment project area if a plan or project is the subject matter of the hearing.

(5) Such other matters as the municipality may deem appropriate.

(c) Not less than 45 days prior to the date set for hearing, the municipality shall give notice by mail as provided in subsection (a) to all taxing districts of which taxable property is included in the redevelopment project area, project or plan and to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, and in addition to the other requirements under subsection (b) the notice shall include an invitation to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and each taxing district to submit comments to the municipality concerning the subject matter of the hearing prior to the date of hearing.

(d) In the event that any municipality has by ordinance adopted tax increment financing prior to 1987, and has complied with the notice requirements of this Section, except that the notice has not included the requirements of subsection (b), paragraphs (2), (3) and (4), and within 90 days of December 16, 1991 (the effective date of Public Act 87-813), that municipality passes an ordinance which contains findings that: (1) all taxing districts prior to the time of the hearing required by Section 11-74.4-5 were furnished with copies of a map incorporated into the redevelopment plan and project substantially showing the legal boundaries of the redevelopment project area; (2) the redevelopment plan and project, or a draft thereof, contained a map substantially showing the legal boundaries of the redevelopment project area and was available to the public at the time of the hearing; and (3) since the adoption of any form of tax increment financing authorized by this Act, and prior to June 1, 1991, no objection or challenge has been made in writing to the municipality in respect to the notices required by this Section, then the municipality shall be deemed to have met the notice requirements of this Act and all actions of the municipality taken in connection with such notices as were given are hereby validated and hereby declared to be legally sufficient for all purposes of this Act.

(e) If a municipality desires to propose a redevelopment plan for a redevelopment project area that would result in the displacement of residents from 10 or more inhabited residential units or for a redevelopment project area that contains 75 or more inhabited residential units, the municipality shall hold a public meeting before the mailing of the notices of public hearing as provided in subsection (c) of this Section. However, such a meeting shall be required for any redevelopment plan for a redevelopment project area located within a transit facility improvement area established pursuant to Section 11-74.4-3.3 if the applicable project is subject to the process for evaluation of environmental effects under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq. The meeting shall be for the purpose of enabling the municipality to advise the public, taxing districts having real property in the redevelopment project area, taxpayers who own property in the proposed redevelopment project area, and residents in the area as to the municipality's possible intent to prepare a redevelopment plan and designate a redevelopment project area and to receive public comment. The time and place for the meeting shall be set by the head of the municipality's Department of Planning or other department official designated by the mayor or city or village manager without the necessity of a resolution or ordinance of the municipality and may be held by a member of the staff of the Department of Planning of the municipality or by any other person, body, or commission designated by the corporate authorities. The meeting shall be held at least 14 business days before the mailing of the notice of public hearing provided for in subsection (c) of this Section.

Notice of the public meeting shall be given by mail. Notice by mail shall be not less than 15 days before the date of the meeting and shall be sent by certified mail to all taxing districts having real property in the proposed redevelopment project area and to all entities requesting that information that have registered with a person and department designated by the municipality in accordance with registration guidelines established by the municipality pursuant to Section 11-74.4-4.2. The municipality shall make a good faith effort to notify all residents and the last known persons who paid property taxes on real estate in a redevelopment project area. This requirement shall be deemed to be satisfied if the municipality mails, by regular mail, a notice to each residential address and the person or persons in whose name property taxes were paid on real property for the last preceding year located within the redevelopment project area. Notice shall be in languages other than English when appropriate. The notices issued under this subsection shall include the following:

(1) The time and place of the meeting.

(2) The boundaries of the area to be studied for possible designation as a redevelopment project area by street and location.

(3) The purpose or purposes of establishing a redevelopment project area.

(4) A brief description of tax increment financing.

(5) The name, telephone number, and address of the person who can be contacted for additional information about the proposed redevelopment project area and who should receive all comments and suggestions regarding the development of the area to be studied.

(6) Notification that all interested persons will be given an opportunity to be heard at the public meeting.

(7) Such other matters as the municipality deems appropriate.

At the public meeting, any interested person or representative of an affected taxing district may be heard orally and may file, with the person conducting the meeting, statements that pertain to the subject matter of the meeting.

(Source: P.A. 99-792, eff. 8-12-16; 100-201, eff. 8-18-17.)