About
While the Village has engaged in sustainability efforts in the past, the adoption of the Greenest Region Compact formally marked the Village's entrance into sustainability. Please see the information below and on linked pages to view current sustainability efforts in support of the GRC goals.
Sustainable Development
Stormwater Management
The Village has adopted the Kane County Stormwater Ordinance to govern the location, width, course, and release rate of all stormwater runoff channels, streams, and basins in new developments to prevent erosion and flooding. Developers are required to obtain a stormwater permit that is issued by the Village after engineering review for compliance with the ordinance as well as EPA stormwater pollution prevention requirements.
International Building Codes
Unless other State-mandated codes apply, the Village utilizes the International Code Council's set of building codes. In 2022, the Village transitioned from the 2006 editions to the 2018 editions, modernizing permitting and inspection requirements. This set of codes includes the Energy Conservation Code, which addresses energy efficiency on several fronts including cost, energy usage, use of natural resources and the impact of energy usage on the environment, as well as the Green Construction Code, which is a elective code containing measures that result in better indoor environments, lower impact on natural resources, better neighborhood connections, and improved walkability.
Solar Ordinance
In 2018, the Village added solar energy systems (SES) as permitted structures and uses for both residential and commercial sites. Currently, building-mounted SES are permitted on structures in almost all zoning districts, and ground-mounted SES, such as solar fields, are allowed with special use approval in many business and industrial zoning districts.
EV Readiness Program
Village staff have been working with the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus in its first cohort of the EV-Readiness Program. The goal of the program is to become certified as an "EV-ready" community, signaling that Hampshire has embraced a commitment to electric vehicle charging through communicating EV-related information to the community, clarifying regulations on EV charging, and proactively passing changes to the Village Code that address the issue areas related to EV charging (e.g., zoning, permitting, parking requirements). Certification is expected in late summer.
Clean Water and Water Conservation
Industrial Wastewater Pretreatment
The Village currently enforces the industrial pretreatment regulations of the Village Code, which allow the Village to regulate, permit, and monitor a business's wastewater discharge into the public sewer system. Certain industries are required to be permitted, and others are required to be permitted based on their expected usage or other factors determined by the utilities supervisor. The objectives of the regulations are:
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To prevent the introduction of pollutants into the publicly owned treatment works that will interfere with its operation;
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To prevent the introduction of pollutants into the publicly owned treatment works that will pass through the publicly owned treatment works, inadequately treated, into receiving waters, or otherwise be incompatible with the publicly owned treatment works;
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To protect both publicly owned treatment works personnel who may be affected by wastewater and sludge in the course of their employment and the general public;
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To promote reuse and recycling of industrial wastewater and sludge from the publicly owned treatment works;
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To enable the Village to comply with its national pollutant discharge elimination system permit conditions, sludge use and disposal requirements, and any other federal or state laws to which the publicly owned treatment works is subject.
Watershed Nutrient Assessment
The Nutrient Assessment Reduction Plan (NARP) is a Village-funded study on the local impact of the regional watershed, including Hampshire Creek, Coon, Creek, and the Kishwaukee River. One major goal of the study is to discover what, if any, impact the Village wastewater treatment plant has on the watershed. The Village's engineering firm and utilities staff are highly confident the study will prove negligible impact, which will ensure stricter and more costly federal requirements are not unnecessarily imposed on the treatment process. This study comes as a result of an EPA mandate to numerous dischargers in the larger Rock River watershed.
View a presentation from the Village's engineering firm regarding the NARP (starting at 35:10).
Water Conservation
The Village's water conservation regulations are in effect from May 1 - September 30 each year to restrict the usage of Village water to fill pool and irrigate lawns during this season (note that lawns may be irrigated without restriction during July and August).
Water Loss Prevention
The Village actively searches the water distribution system for leaks that result in wasted water. A third-party is contracted every two years to conduct a leak detection survey, and the Utilities Department utilizes the results to identify and prioritize repair/replacement projects. This program and other efforts have resulted in a 70% reduction of water loss in the last 5 years.
Open Space
Walking & Biking
The Village encourages walking and biking to reduce traffic congestion and emissions and to increase community wellness, supported by the efforts described below.
The Village was awarded an Illinois Dept. of Transportation Safe Routes to School grant in the amount of $250,000 to construct sidewalks on streets identified for high levels of student walking/biking. IDOT approval of the project is expected in spring of 2024 with construction to follow. The Village plans to apply for additional funding through this program every two years.
The Village is beginning a plan for a community-wide bike path that will eventually connect downtown to Prairie Ridge to Lakewood to Oakstead to Tuscany Woods and back to downtown. Construction of this path largely depends on private development, so the Village is taking care to ensure provisions for the path are included in applicable annexation and development agreements.