Dear Community,
We are sharing an important update regarding the future of our school communities—both Fremont School District 79 and Mundelein High School District 120—and our preparation for future enrollment growth primarily due to the impact of Ivanhoe Village. This proposed new development in Mundelein is expected to include more than 3,700 housing units and generate a population of over 7,100 new residents, including the potential addition of over 1,000 new students to our schools. As you may be aware, Fremont SD 79 is projected to reach capacity at its preK-5 schools within the next four to seven years, and the additional students from Ivanhoe Village will exacerbate the facilities issues.
Background: The Ivanhoe Village development, owned by the Wirtz Family, will have a direct financial impact on the seven communities we serve. Since the Village of Mundelein annexed Ivanhoe Village in December 2022, School Districts 79 and 120 have made every reasonable effort to work with the Village and the Wirtz Family to ensure our schools are properly resourced to support students and their education, while equally protecting taxpayers’ financial interests. These financial agreements are called impact fees—one-time payments to help cover school districts’ capital and/or operational expenses prompted by a new development. See the timeline here.
The Bottom Line: To date, the Wirtz Family has failed to recognize the impact of their development on the School Districts. We have provided substantial and compelling information revealing the financial burden that you, our community members, would incur should the developer refuse reasonable responsibility for the impact.
Urgency: The Village of Mundelein indicated a desire to approve the Ivanhoe Village development this spring. School impact fees must be in place before the Village approves any development plan.
The School Districts are not against development, nor are we looking for a financial handout. However, we need to be able to support the anticipated growth in enrollment without compromising our educational standards or saddling our taxpayers. We are attempting to be good neighbors with the Wirtz Family, who has resided within our community for well over 100 years. It benefits our communities, including future Ivanhoe Village residents, to have quality schools.
How could the absence of a fair and reasonable impact fee structure with the developer impact you as a taxpayer?
- Current taxpayers will bear the burden of our School Districts’ increased capital and operating needs. Taxpayers who reside outside the Village of Mundelein will also be impacted, including those who reside in Grayslake, Hawthorn Woods, Libertyville, Long Grove, Round Lake, and Wauconda.
- The anticipated revenue generated from new Ivanhoe Village homeowners will not cover large capital costs for the enrollment influx of hundreds of students, such as additions and new buildings. The developers should offset a reasonable portion of the $150 million enrollment growth projects as detailed in Fremont School District’s Educational Long-Range Facility Plan (ELFP at-a-glance).
Without proper capital support, how could this impact our School Districts?
- Increased tax burden on current community base
- Increased class sizes
- Reduced educational programming
- Students in mobile classrooms
What can you do to advocate?
The Village of Mundelein holds the ultimate authority on development agreements regarding impact fees.
- Attend and provide public comment at an upcoming Village of Mundelein Board of Trustees meeting; speak out and advocate for the students and taxpayers. Upcoming Village of Mundelein Board of Trustees meetings:
- Monday, February 24; 7:00 p.m. (Village Hall; 300 Plaza Circle, Mundelein)
- Monday, March 10; 7:00 p.m., same location
- Monday, March 24; 7:00 p.m., same location
- Ask the Village to slow down the process and require the Wirtz Family to negotiate a fair impact fee agreement that our students, community, and taxpayers deserve—we should not be pressured by an arbitrary deadline.
- Demand that the developers pay their fair share. The tax impact of this development should not predominantly fall upon our current taxpayers.
It is time for the communities we serve to stand up and urge Village of Mundelein leaders to demand that the Wirtz Family do what’s right for our schools and our communities. Please let the Village of Mundelein Trustees know how you feel about relying on taxpayers to subsidize a megadevelopment project.
As always, we thank you for your support of Fremont 79 and Mundelein 120 students and schools.
Sincerely,
Peter Rastrelli, Ed.D.
D120 Board President
Gabriela Whipple
D79 Board President
Kevin Myers, Ph.D.
Superintendent of Schools, D120
Trisha Kocanda, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools, D79