NEW LENOX – The New Lenox Village Board unanimously approved waiving more than $13,000 in permit and plan review fees for two significant community projects during its meeting on Monday.

The board granted a $12,200 fee waiver to the New Lenox Community Park District for its upcoming $1.4 million renovation of Sharon’s Bay Park. It also approved a second waiver of $1,500 for a parking lot resurfacing project at the United Methodist Church.

The larger of the two requests relates to what village officials described as “significant improvements” to Sharon’s Bay Park, located in the Bluestone Bay subdivision. According to Community Development Director Robin Ellis, the permit and plan review fees for the $1.4 million construction project were calculated to be $12,200.

“The park district is proposing significant improvements to the Sharon’s Bay Park,” Ellis reported to the board before the vote.

The second waiver benefits the United Methodist Church, which is undertaking a $125,000 project to resurface its parking lot. The associated village fees were estimated at $1,500.

Ellis noted that the village’s policy is to support such requests from fellow government entities and non-profit organizations.

“Because it is a church or nonprofit organization, they are requesting that we waive that in-house permit fee, which is typical,” Ellis explained regarding the church’s request. She later confirmed the park district is also a taxing body eligible for the waiver.

There were no questions or comments from the board members on either request before they were approved in two separate unanimous votes. Trustees Amy Gugliuzza, Bryan Reiser, Lindsay Scalise, Jim Wilson, and Keith Madsen voted in favor. Mayor Tim Baldermann and Trustee Katie Christopherson were absent.

The approvals underscore the village’s practice of providing financial relief to local taxing bodies and non-profit institutions to help facilitate community improvement projects.