Normal will require landlords to give tenants advance notice before entering their residences, after the Normal Town Council’s approval Monday night.
A new ordinance — set to take effect later this month — means renters will be afforded a 12-hour notice prior to non-urgent access to the units. Exceptions include emergencies, or requested repairs. While the ordinance becomes official Nov. 16, it only applies to rental agreements made after that date.
The vote followed renewed calls from Illinois State University students to add the protection.
Earlier this fall, the ISU Student Government Association passed a resolution asking Normal to require a 24-hour notice. It’s something the association has tried to secure for several years now.
ISU students’ main concern has been leasing staff bringing potential tenants through occupied units with no advance notice.
Council member Chemberly Harris backed the ordinance, recounting her own personal experience as a renter. But she lamented the 24-hour notice proposal had been whittled down to half the time students had requested.
On Monday, several students addressed the council prior to the vote, with many sharing stories of feeling unsafe in their own residences.
Among those offering public comment was Matthew Tozcko of the Bloomington-Normal Tenants’ Union, who urged approval, saying to do otherwise would be a dereliction of duty.
ISU Student Government Association member Braxton Myers told WGLT after the meeting that he'd have preferred to see a 24-hour advance notification requirement. But he still took Monday's vote as a victory.
"This is not exactly what we were going for. But at this point, these are quite substantial protections that we've created and passed for renters in the area," he said.
Myers said students have complained for years about impromptu visits from landlords showing the apartment to potential future tenants.
"Leasing agents come into off-campus apartments, with sometimes no notice or less than 30 minutes notice. This creates situations where people are sleeping, showering — in their homes where they should feel safe," he said. "This advance notice is important to protect their privacy," he said.
The 5-2 vote saw council members Kathleen Lorenz and Scott Preston voting “no.”
Preston wants the town to require some advance notice for tenants, he said. But he believes a shorter window — something like four hours, makes more sense.
In the campus area, transfer students looking for an apartment might only be available during a one-day visit, said Preston.
Lorenz didn't think the town spent enough time studying the advance-notice ordinance, prior to proposing it. She called the one presented Monday a "half-baked ordinance."
Mayor Chris Koos disagreed, telling Lorenz that ISU student government had been asking for this for three years, and that town staff had been working on the proposal for nearly a year.
Property tax hearing planned for December
In another matter, the $14.3 million tax levy being proposed represents a 6.8% increase over last year’s collected amount, said City Manager Pam Reece. That includes about $4.2 million for the Normal Public Library.
Despite the increase, the tax rate is expected to decrease about 10%.
The town’s equalized assessed value (EAV) has grown close to 20% — mainly attributed to commercial and industrial growth, said Reece. That accounts for the higher levied amount.
She said the growth allows Normal to capture the tax revenue needed to stay on track for fully funding pensions, while allowing taxpayers a lower property tax rate.
“The rate actually would go down,” said Harris, who voted in support of authorizing staff to begin the steps of proposing the levy. “Even though the levy itself is being increased, it is a great story to tell,” she said.
The levy will incorporate a policy allocating $500,000 to the General Fund, in support of operations and the town's capital fund. Staff cited increasing costs of running the town's operation.
If the proposed tax levy passes, the levied amount will allow Normal to totally fund its public safety pensions, and to provide 50% funding for its nonpublic safety pensions (Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund), and Social Security obligations.
Council members Preston and Lorenz voted against authorizing the town to prepare the levy, citing their opposition to the town’s decision to put the $500,000 into the town’s general fund.
Fourth marijuana dispensary permit issued
Also at Monday’s meeting, the council approved plans for a fourth marijuana dispensary.
The special-use permit allows Ayr Wellness to open in north Normal, off Main Street and Raab Road. The business plans to locate in a commercial space available at 1730 Bradford Lane.
In a 6-1 vote, Lorenz opposed the permit, saying she’s concerned about the traffic increase that could develop around the Raab Road access point.
Ayr Wellness becomes the fourth adult-use recreational marijuana shop approved for Normal, and the third in the north Normal area near Interstate 55.
So far, only one adult-use marijuana dispensary is open in Normal — Beyond/Hello, located off Main Street, just north of I-55.
But earlier this year, the council issued special-use permits to two other dispensaries that have yet to open. One, Revolution, is planning to open at 1609 Northbrook Drive, also off Raab Road not far from the Ayr Wellness location.
The council OK’d a permit for High Haven, too. It's planned for 106 Mall Drive, the site of the former Chinese restaurant Mandarin Gardens.
In other business, the council:
- Approved contracting George Gildner Inc. for two separate water projects. About $135,000 will cover the work for the Osage Street water main extension project. Nearly $85,000 will go toward the installation of automatic flushing devices related to chlorine levels.
- Approved amending the Shoppes at College Hills final development plan. That will make way for a Raising Cane's restaurant — to be built where Beauty Brands now stands. That’s near Panda Express, off Veterans Parkway and Jumer Drive. The current Beauty Brands building will be razed when its lease expires in May 2025.
