Batavia committee backs 20 mph downtown and 2027 utility rate increases after budget hearing

Batavia's Committee of the Whole on Tuesday, Nov. 10, backed a 20 mph speed limit for the rest of downtown's streets and approved the 2027 electric, water and sewer rate increases, sending them toward a Dec. 7 City Council vote, according to BATV's video of the meeting. Aldermen held off on lowering residential streets to 25 mph until staff bring back legal and cost answers.

Committee votes are recommendations. The full City Council takes the final votes.

Budget hearing: questions, no vote

The committee opened and closed the public hearing on the proposed $173.36 million budget for 2027. No vote on the budget was planned that night, and the city expects final adoption Dec. 7.

Scott Piekarski, a 4th Ward resident, asked whether the half-percent home rule sales tax increase would ever sunset. City officials at the meeting said there is no plan to sunset it and that the money is expected to go toward debt service. Asked about short-term rentals, officials said Batavia has about 10 and collects annual fees and hotel tax from them.

The proposed budget would raise the city's property tax rate from 86 cents to 96 cents per $100 of equalized assessed value. The city estimates that adds about $120 a year to its share of the tax bill on a $400,000 home. Public hearings on the property tax levy and Special Service Area 61 are still to come, the city said.

Rate increases head to Dec. 7

The committee approved three ordinances on voice votes: 2026-55 (electric rates up 3.5%), 2026-56 (water up 8%) and 2026-57 (sewer up 8%). Staff said the ordinances are scheduled for the Dec. 7 council meeting because they have to follow budget approval, and the new rates would take effect Jan. 1.

On water, staff said the packet had last year's memo attached by mistake. The version the council sees will show the 8% increase plus a new 12-inch tap fee for connecting to the system.

20 mph downtown goes to the council

The committee recommended Ordinance 2026-60, which sets a consistent 20 mph limit on the remaining downtown streets listed in the ordinance. Staff said the committee had backed the idea at its previous meeting. No one had questions, and the motion passed on a voice vote. The ordinance now goes to the full City Council.

25 mph on residential streets: waiting on legal answers

The residential speed limit item was discussion only, and no vote was taken. Several aldermen wanted any change to include collector streets. Others worried that a blanket change without street-by-street studies could expose the city to lawsuits after crashes. The committee asked staff to come back with the legal answers and with sign cost estimates, both for a blanket change and for replacing every sign, before it decides.

Wagner Road gate and fire chief planning

Staff said the city has had no communication from Aurora about the Wagner Road gate since the committee's last discussion. The committee directed staff to send a letter this week to Aurora's mayor and every Aurora City Council member asking for an official response by Dec. 1. Several residents who live along Wagner Road near the gate spoke for keeping Aurora's gate and against a Batavia closure.

On fire chief succession, aldermen asked staff to collect input from firefighters before the job is posted and discussed a special one-item meeting after the next council meeting to finish the discussion. The city's meeting portal lists a special Committee of the Whole meeting for Nov. 16.

Watch or weigh in

BATV posted the full meeting on its YouTube channel. The proposed budget and a question form are at bataviail.gov/FY27. For the $9 telehealth charge the council approved Nov. 2, see our telehealth story.