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Postponing a controversial decision over the redevelopment of forest preserve land may give Hinsdale time to “set the record straight.”
Hinsdale Village President Tom Cauley said Wednesday’s Forest Preserve District of Cook County Board decision to hold off on a final vote over the Duncan Field intergovernmental agreement will allow the village to better explain several issues.
“There are a lot of misconceptions out there about what we are trying to accomplish, and this should give us time to conduct our own publicity campaign to make sure everybody knows the true facts,” Cauley said.
The Forest Preserve voted 9-4 to accept a report from the Real Estate Committee of the Forest Preserve District, a move which allows the two parties to continue to negotiate a proposed 30-year pact, with a final vote pending in November, Cauley said.
“We have already negotiated the intergovernmental agreement, and pretty much conceded to all the district’s wishes so far,” Cauley said. “But at this point, it may better serve us to go this route and take the time to set the record straight on a number of issues that we feel have been miscommunicated to the public by special interest groups.”
Some open land advocacy groups, such as Friends of the Forest Preserve and Openlands, oppose the terms of the proposed intergovernmental agreement.
About 50 advocacy group supporters attended the meeting, said Gina Hassett, director of the Hinsdale Parks and Recreation Department.
“We need to be vigilant and protect our open space,” said Gerald Adelmann, executive director of Openlands, an advocacy group whose mission is to protect open space in Northeastern Illinois. “We are concerned about the precedent this agreement might eventually set. If one municipality is allowed to designate and use forest preserve land for a specific purpose, then where do you draw the line?”
The village is hopeful a deal can be worked out in the next month, Hassett said.
“A few (forest preserve) commissioners argued the plan doesn’t do along with their land management policies, but we think it does,” Hassett said.
The village is proposing an amendment to an existing intergovernmental agreement with the forest preserve district that would allow the village to make up to $2 million in site improvements to a 34-acre parcel located north of Ogden Avenue and west of the Tri-State Tollway.
The parcel is the site of Duncan Field, an unlighted baseball field that is used by the village for youth baseball and softball programs under term of an existing intergovernmental agreement the village renews every year. The village has used the field and site for 30 years.
Postponing a controversial decision over the redevelopment of forest preserve land may give Hinsdale time to “set the record straight.”
Hinsdale Village President Tom Cauley said Wednesday’s Forest Preserve District of Cook County Board decision to hold off on a final vote over the Duncan Field intergovernmental agreement will allow the village to better explain several issues.
“There are a lot of misconceptions out there about what we are trying to accomplish, and this should give us time to conduct our own publicity campaign to make sure everybody knows the true facts,” Cauley said.
The Forest Preserve voted 9-4 to accept a report from the Real Estate Committee of the Forest Preserve District, a move which allows the two parties to continue to negotiate a proposed 30-year pact, with a final vote pending in November, Cauley said.
“We have already negotiated the intergovernmental agreement, and pretty much conceded to all the district’s wishes so far,” Cauley said. “But at this point, it may better serve us to go this route and take the time to set the record straight on a number of issues that we feel have been miscommunicated to the public by special interest groups.”
Some open land advocacy groups, such as Friends of the Forest Preserve and Openlands, oppose the terms of the proposed intergovernmental agreement.
About 50 advocacy group supporters attended the meeting, said Gina Hassett, director of the Hinsdale Parks and Recreation Department.
“We need to be vigilant and protect our open space,” said Gerald Adelmann, executive director of Openlands, an advocacy group whose mission is to protect open space in Northeastern Illinois. “We are concerned about the precedent this agreement might eventually set. If one municipality is allowed to designate and use forest preserve land for a specific purpose, then where do you draw the line?”
The village is hopeful a deal can be worked out in the next month, Hassett said.
“A few (forest preserve) commissioners argued the plan doesn’t do along with their land management policies, but we think it does,” Hassett said.
The village is proposing an amendment to an existing intergovernmental agreement with the forest preserve district that would allow the village to make up to $2 million in site improvements to a 34-acre parcel located north of Ogden Avenue and west of the Tri-State Tollway.
The parcel is the site of Duncan Field, an unlighted baseball field that is used by the village for youth baseball and softball programs under term of an existing intergovernmental agreement the village renews every year. The village has used the field and site for 30 years.
Under terms of the proposal, the village would fund site improvements, which would include the addition of two soccer fields, a bike trail and the restoration of about 30 acres to its native habitat.
“Part of the plan would include having Hinsdale remove invasive species like buckthorn, and restoring the parcel at our own expense,” Hassett said.
Throughout the duration of the existing agreement, Hinsdale has been responsible for providing security, trash pick up and regular maintenance to the parcel. The village spends $8,000 annually outside the agreement on those items, Hassett said.
Cauley said negative publicity surrounding the proposed amendment has been fueled by inaccurate information.
“This is not a land grab, as some have stated. We are not going to use the park exclusively for our own purposes, and we are not going to padlock it or restrict its use by fencing it off,” Cauley said. “This will benefit all those who come to the park, not just residents of Hinsdale.”
Cauley also said the village will not seek a bond referendum to fund the project in February, as was discussed several weeks ago at a Village Board meeting.
“I think the best way to fund this would be to roll it into our infrastructure master plan and use funds earmarked for village improvements,” Cauley said. “There is no rush to do this all at one time, the improvements could be done over time, so we are not going to seek going to referendum to fund the plan.”
Village Manager David Cook said the village likely will apply for state grants that may be available through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
“The key thing is I think we are getting closer to a document the forest preserve district can support,” Cook said.
