Impact Fees

Land cash contributions provide either land for school sites or a cash equivalency that can be used for the acquisition and improvement of school sites. The magnitude of the land cash contribution and its collection are determined by municipal ordinances. State law was recently changed to allow money from this source to be used for construction as well.

This fee has been determined through the Dahlstrom method, an empirical approach which the municipalities have reached a consensus to support. This fee can be used to pay for the construction of schools, additions and remodeling needed for growth. It is obtained from new homes and is based on a home's value and the number of bedrooms the home contains. The fee tables have floor and ceiling values. The fees are calculated separately for each detached, attached and multi-family housing unit.

Kaneland has received $7,830,382 in land cash and impact fees over the last ten years and has expended this money for the following purposes:

• Purchase of a school site in Maple Park
• Purchase of a school site at the Harter Rd. and Route 47
• Addition to John Shields Elementary School in Sugar Grove
• Addition to John Stewart Elementary School in Elburn
• Remodeling for energy savings at KMS and KHS in Maple Park
• Preliminary work by the architects and engineers for KMS and new middle school
• Remodeling of KHS 2nd floor addition

The money is held in an interest-bearing account to provide for future construction projects. All of these fees must be obtained through the municipalities. The district has no legal authority to obtain them directly from developers.