Palos Park officials respond to Lemont outcry on annexation plans

Palos Park Mayor John Mahoney and Village Manager Rick Boehm said they dispute the village of Lemont's characterization of their annexation negotiations in eastern Lemont Township as an aggressive land grab that will have a negative impact on nearby residents.

Property owners of Cog Hill Golf and Country Club, Gleneagles Country Club, Ludwig Farms and Mid Iron Golf Club have talked with Palos Park about annexing into the village since 2009.

Mahoney said it was the property owners that came to Palos Park to start negotiations.

"They feel that Palos Park best meets their needs in terms of the type of community they want to associate with," Mahoney said.

[ Lemont officials said they learned about a deal between the Forest Preserve District of Cook County and Palos Park to annex a portion of forest preserve land that would give Palos Park property close enough to the Lemont Township properties to be able to annex them. ]

Lemont Mayor Brian Reaves said the forest preserve district is being used as a pawn in a land dispute between Lemont and Palos Park.

Boehm said the forest preserve district approached Palos Park in January 2014 about providing water from Lake Michigan for a police station to replace the well water it was using.

He said Palos Park has agreed to provide the water in exchange for annexing the land in order to give Palos Park a corridor to annex the Lemont Township properties if it is able to reach an annexation agreement with the property owners.

"While this could provide a conduit for properties to annex into Palos Park, it does nothing to force them into annexation," he said.

Lemont officials are also concerned about what kind of developments would be allowed on the properties – in particular, Ludwig Farm and Mid Iron.

Boehm said neither annexation nor new developments on the properties are imminent.

He said Cog Hill and Gleneagles plan to remain golf clubs for the foreseeable future.

Ludwig Farm has discussed a residential development of single family homes and town homes, and Mid Iron has discussed office buildings and light retail, he said.

He said the market will eventually dictate development on this land, regardless of which village it is part of.

Mahoney said Palos Park will encourage high quality developments and consider how they may affect nearby residents who are not part of their village.

He said he is not surprised by Lemont area residents' frustration over potentially losing these properties.

"I understand how much it means to them," he said. "I understand they have a passion for what they do. They are disappointed. I would feel the same way."