To Fellow Residents of the Village of Germantown Hills August 2001

Once each year, the Village Board writes this letter to residents and businesses, providing newsworthy information we hope will be of interest. We also use the letter to explain some of the Village ordinances that are intended to keep Germantown Hills a great place to live. We will be grateful if you take a few minutes to read this letter carefully.

Burn Ordinance

Open burning is permitted only of "landscape waste" which means grass or shrubbery cutting, leaves, tree limbs, and other materials accumulated as a result of the care of lawns but shall not include freshly cut grass clippings. There shall be no open burning of tires, furniture, garbage, refuse or other waste other than landscape waste. It shall be permitted only between sun-up and sundown, at which time the fire must be completely extinguished. It shall be constantly attended by a competent person until the fire is extinguished and shall not be done on Village Streets.

Small bonfires for wiener roasts or other recreational purposes, or for ceremonial purposes are permitted with some requirements, please contact the Village Hall. If you observe a fire you are concerned about please call the Woodford County Sheriff’s office or if you would like a copy of the ordinance please call the Village Hall.

Mailbox Ordinance

The Village is working on an ordinance to address safety issues relating to placement and construction of mailboxes. Mailboxes or supports that are placed too close to the roadway pavement, and mailbox supports that do not break away readily when struck, interfere with the Village’s snow plowing operations and present a hazard to motorists. The ordinance will likely prohibit the use of brick mailbox enclosures and may set a dollar limit on the Village’s reimbursements if your mailbox is struck by a snowplow. Your cooperation in addressing these safety issues will be appreciated.

ESDA

In 2000 the Village of Germantown Hills established an early storm warning system. These two systems are located at the J.R. White Park and the Middle School. These sirens are outdoor warning devises only. Persons wishing to receive early notification of severe weather should invest in a NOAA weather radio. These radios are available with an automatic warning alert ranging in cost from $30.00 to $80.00.

ESDA still needs more volunteers for storm spotting especially during the daytime hours. Training is available free but is very seasonal.

Annual Sewer Bill Rate Adjustment

The amount of your sewer bill is revised annually, and is partly determined by your water meter reading taken last winter. (During winter months, nearly all water ends up in the sewer system. By using that reading, customers who water their lawns or fill swimming pools in the summer are not unfairly penalized on their sewer bills). New residents, those on wells and others who did not have a valid winter reading will be charged based on the average usage of all other residences.

This year we must increase the rates a small amount. Remember, however, that your own sewer bill may have gone up or down by more or less, depending on your particular winter water usage this last year.

Sump Pumps

Reminder to all residents that no down spouts or sump pumps are allowed to be hooked into the sewer system.

Property Taxes

The Village Board maintains its property tax rate at a level no higher than needed to operate the Village Government efficiently. We will continue to keep property taxes as low as possible in the future.

Road Construction This Summer on Village Streets

This summer we will be conducting maintenance of some streets in the Village. We cannot control exactly when this work will start. At the request of some of our residents, we will try to place signs indicating where the work will be done, shortly before it begins.

When there is road construction in your area, please slow way down and observe traffic control signs and barriers. We know that the construction is inconvenient, but some drivers have sped past our workers, putting them in danger. Nobody wants an accident to happen, especially you.

Unleashed Pets are Against the Law

It is illegal within the Village to allow your pets to run free. The Village has an ordinance prohibiting stray animals and severe cases of barking dogs. Please contact the Woodford County Animal Control Department to impound strays.

Homeowners Insurance Information on Sewer and Sump Pump Backups

We’ve been asked to let homeowners know that sump pump failures and sewer backups caused by power failures are typically not covered under your standard homeowner's insurance. If you are concerned about this, you should contact your insurance agent to see if you should have special rider coverage for this potential loss.

Water Company

The Village does not provide your drinking water. Please contact Caterpillar Trail Public Water District.

New Construction at Your Home or Business

Remember that if you intend to construct any structure on your property, including fences, pools, garages, sheds, installation of a sign, or a roadside underdrain (culvert), you must contact the Village before you begin. We’ll assist you in determining how you can plan your construction so that it is consistent with the Zoning Ordinance. Calling first will avoid confusion, and prevent a disastrous situation where your new construction might have to be moved or torn down. Also remember to contact JULIE (Joint Utility Locating Info for Excavators) at 1-800-892-0123, prior to doing any digging. Otherwise you could be held responsible by the utility companies for any damage done to their underground utilities.

Don't Ruin Your New Driveway

If you ever decide to construct a paved driveway all the way to the street, you’ll want to be sure that the end of the driveway is at least a little lower than the edge of the street. If your driveway is higher at this point, it will be struck by the Village snowplows in the winter. Not only is this hard on your Village equipment, it will almost certainly damage the end of your new driveway.

Also, while we don’t discourage completion of paved driveways all the way to the street, we do want people to understand that their property line usually ends 10-15 feet from the edge of the street, and that this portion of the driveway is really sitting on public property. If the Village needs to do road or ditch maintenance that would damage or destroy this section of your driveway, the Village is not obligated to replace it. We expect to do such work on Fandel Road in the near future.

Sign Ordinance, Lighting Regulations: Homes and Businesses

Most people in Germantown Hills have indicated that they like the clean, open, country like appearance of our Village. To keep it this way, the Village has adopted a zoning ordinance that regulates advertising, identification signs and commercial lighting levels. A permit is required for any sign, in both residential and commercial zones. When you are issued the permit, we’ll work with you to insure your sign meets the zoning requirements. The Zoning Ordinance also prohibits the advertising of cars or any other material parked or displayed on Village roads and road shoulders along Rte. 116.

Home Occupation Permits

If you wish to conduct a business from your home, you must apply to the Village for a home occupation permit. The process explains how you can legally conduct your business, and avoids complaints by neighbors.

Park Vandalism

Do you enjoy spending your summer in the sun and having a family picnic? The parks in Germantown Hills are a great place to make this happen. Let’s not let vandals ruin that experience for you and your family. We need your help! Please notify the village hall (phone or e-mail) or police if you see or know of anyone who has been involved in vandalizing your parks.

Village Meeting Schedules/Hours

The Village Hall is located at 216 Holland Road (next to the fire station). It is open to serve you 5 days per week, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Regular Village Board Meetings are generally held on the 2^nd and 4^th Thursday of the month at 7:00 p.m., at the Village Hall (Note that hours and schedules may change due to summer schedules, vacations, or holidays). Planning Commission Meetings are scheduled for the 3rd Monday of the month at 7:00 p.m. at the Village Hall. The Zoning Board of Appeals meets as needed.

Germantown Hills Village Board of Trustees:
http://www.germantownhills.com/village/index.html

Marv Johnson, Mayor

Ron Clementz Dave Cole John Ford

Jeff Craft Darlene Ford Lyle Neff