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Synopsis As Introduced Amends the Counties Code and Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that a county or municipality may create an urban agricultural zone composed of organizations or persons: who grow produce or other agricultural products; who raise livestock or poultry; who process livestock or poultry; or that sell a minimum of 75% locally grown food. Provides for the creation of an urban agricultural zone board to advise the county board, county board of commissioners, or corporate authorities of a municipality on urban agricultural zones. Provides for urban agricultural zone application requirements, including the number of jobs to be created, the types of products to be produced, and, if applying for a vending urban agricultural zone, the ability to accept food stamps under the provisions of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program if selling products to consumers. Provides for county and municipal public hearing and notice requirements before adoption of an ordinance to establish an urban agricultural zone. Provides that property taxes on property located within an urban agricultural zone shall not be increased, if so provided in the urban agricultural zone ordinance, for a period of up to 25 years. Provides that sales tax amounts received from the sale of agricultural products sold in an urban agricultural zone shall be deposited in the Urban Agricultural Zone Fund and specifies distribution to the county, municipality, or school districts under specified circumstances. Allows for wholesale water rates and a reduction in water connection charges for property in an urban agricultural zone. Amends the State Finance Act making conforming changes.
Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes: Removes provisions amending the Counties Code allowing county urban agricultural zones and related references. Excludes specified farmland from the definition of "blighted area" and from properties that may receive a tax abatement. Provides that an application to develop an urban agricultural zone shall also identify the geographic description of the area that will be included in the urban agricultural zone, all taxing units of local government impacted by the proposed urban agricultural zone, and the amount of property taxes to be abated, if any. Specifies that the real property located within an urban agricultural zone that is not subject to assessment are properties that are used for growing or raising of agricultural products if authorized by the urban agricultural ordinance. Provides tax amounts received from the sale of agricultural products grown or produced and sold (rather than just sold) in the urban agricultural zone shall be deposited in the Urban Agricultural Zone Fund. Provides that any entity providing water to an urban agricultural zone may authorize a water user who grows or raises agricultural products in the urban agricultural zone (rather than a grower urban agricultural zone) to pay wholesale water rates, if available, or pay 50% of the standard connection charge. Makes other changes. Effective July 1, 2017.
Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that the corporate authorities of a municipality may establish an urban agricultural area after receipt of an application by a qualified farmer or partner organization to establish the area. Provides for the formation of an urban agricultural area committee that shall conduct the activities necessary to advise the corporate authorities on the designation, modification, and termination of an urban agricultural area. Provides requirements for the application, notice and public hearing, and adoption of an ordinance designating the urban agricultural area. Provides that a municipality may provide for abatements of property taxes levied against real property located within an urban agricultural area that is used by a qualifying farmer for processing, growing, raising, or otherwise producing agricultural products. Provides that a municipality may authorize an entity providing water, electricity, or other utilities to an urban agricultural area to allow qualified farmers or partner organizations in the urban agricultural area to pay wholesale or otherwise reduced rates or pay reduced or waived connection charges. Limits restrictions, regulations, special assessments, and levies that a municipality may place on property in urban agricultural areas. Amends the Department of Agriculture Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Department shall adopt rules consistent with the purposes of the new provisions of the Illinois Municipal Code, including, at a minimum, rules defining specified terms. Provides that upon request from a municipality, the Department shall issue opinions regarding the consistency of applicants covered under these definitions. Amends the Property Tax Code and Illinois Municipal Code making conforming changes.
Governor Amendatory Veto Message Recommends removing provisions added to the Property Tax Code and the Illinois Municipal Code that permit municipalities to provide for abatements of property taxes levied against real property located within an urban agricultural area that is used by a qualifying farmer for processing, growing, raising, or otherwise producing agricultural products. Recommends removing provisions added to the Illinois Municipal Code that permits property tax abatements for property located in a redevelopment area created under the Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act. (Deletes reference to: 35 ILCS 200/18-165)
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