The Streator City Council backed annexation agreements with property owners in the Circle Drive subdivision, setting the stage for the city to extend sewer service to the area.

The agreements cover multiple properties on Capri Street, Circle Drive, Impala Court, Imperial Drive, Manhattan Drive and Monterey Drive and were approved following a public hearing at which no Streator residents spoke.

City Engineer Jeremy Palm said that the city will design, permit and oversee the construction of a sewer project to extend service to the subdivision within five years of annexation.

The plan also includes connecting homes to the new sewer and abandoning existing septic systems.

According to city documents, the project is estimated to cost between $3.3 million and $4 million and will be split evenly between the city and residents. Homeowners’ shares will be assessed per lot and payable over a 10-year period after completion.

The city will seek additional funding through the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s Unsewered Communities grant program to help offset costs.

Mayor Tara Bedei and other council members noted that residents previously had been notified through two public meetings and mostly expressed support for the agreements.

Notably, homeowners in the newly annexed area won’t pay full city property taxes right away. Instead, their tax bills will gradually increase over five years, starting with an 80% refund the first year and shrinking each year until the full amount is due in year five.