By Kelly Cantwell
Editor

The Batavia Village Council approved a resolution to create a community reinvestment area, which will allow Hal Homes to build a subdivision that will likely double the village’s population when full.

“It’s dramatic,” said village administrator Dennis Nichols, adding that this is the biggest thing to happen to the village in a long time.

He feels the subdivision might bring a wider range of ages to the village.

“I believe the village will benefit from having a mix of older and younger people,” Nichols said.

The process began in 2006, when Hal Homes purchased 145 acres that was then located in Batavia Township. Then the 2008 housing market crash postponed the development further. The village approached Hal Homes about annexing so the village could help Hal Homes move forward on the project, said Tim Burgoyne, director of site acquisition and development for Hal Homes.

The village annexed the land into the village in 2015, said Dennis Nichols, village administrator.

“Until that we couldn’t do anything,” Nichols said.

The community reinvestment area, which council approved on Nov. 14, will permit Hal Homes to pay half of the abated property tax for 15 years. The CRA also includes a few houses on W. Main Street, Nichols said.

“It actually doesn’t benefit us, it benefits the homebuyers,” Burgoyne said.

The subdivision, which will be called Streamside, will have 269 homes on lots that will be either 50, 60, 75, 85 or 100 feet wide.

“I think it’s going to be a nice place to live,” Burgoyne said.

He feels that the village is an “up and coming community” and that the improvements on state Route 32 make it easier to reach the area.

“It’s a marketing advantage for Streamside because they’ll be able to offer a 50 percent tax reduction for all buyers so that should help them sell houses and its an advantage for the village because the other 50 percent we will get for infrastructure improvements and other general village operations,” Nichols said.

Burgoyne hopes to break ground in the late spring. Building the homes will be market-driven, so Hal Homes will likely be there building for a few years.

“We’re looking forward to it. We’re excited to work with the village,” Burgoyne said. He added that the village is “progressive,” in that they are future-focused, which is one reason why he is glad to be there.