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| Forest preserve buys land next to Lucent property | |
| Jul 25, 2007 | |
| Marni Pyke mpyke@dailyherald.com | |
| Daily Herald | |
| Pertains to Danada & Herrick Lake Regional Trail, Lisle, Naperville, Wheaton | |
| Buying 51 acres priceless to DuPage board The DuPage County Forest Preserve District grew by 51 acres Tuesday after commissioners voted 5-2 to spend $22.4 million to buy a Lisle property after a testy debate. The property is owned by Alcatel Lucent and located north of the telecommunications giant's offices with the signature disc design on Warrenville Road. The site is heavily wooded with restored prairie, trails and athletic fields. It is adjacent to Danada Forest Preserve on the east side of Naperville Road. Developers were also pursuing the property with plans to locate big-box stores and homes there. "This is tailor-made for the forest preserve," Commissioner Joe Cantore said. "It's got fantastic potential and it's fairly inexpensive. "Let's act like forest preserve commissioners. This is a no-brainer." Lucent officials still must finalize their end of the deal. The land will be paid for with proceeds from a $68 million loan voters approved in a 2006 referendum. Commissioners Roger Kotecki and Mike Formento voted against the acquisition. "There are many properties with a higher ecological value than this," Kotecki said. "It's a good forest preserve acquisition, but it's not as good as a number of others." Formento argued putting millions into the Lucent site means the district won't be able to afford the 500 to 600 acres cited during the referendum campaign. "The money slated for Lucent could be used more efficiently buying more land at a lower price," Formento said. He also noted that in closed session weeks ago commissioners had voted against the purchase, drawing ire from several officials. Other opposition came from Lisle Village Manager Jerry Sprecher, who told commissioners the municipality wants the land developed to increase the tax base. But most of the nearly 100 residents packing the meeting cheered the decision. "Once you lose open land, it's gone forever," Naperville resident Fred Spitzzeri said. Nearby homeowner Julian Szucko said developing the land was short-sighted. "It's an invaluable piece of property," he said. "It's not a vacant piece covered with dandelions and garlic mustard." District President Dewey Pierotti said the forest preserve's finances show a history of careful spending and took issue with what he called "ridiculous statements by some commissioners." "I feel like Don Quixote fighting windmills," he said. Formento also contended the forest preserve was violating the law by purchasing land to halt development. Cantore bristled at the comment, saying, "I'm not insulted very easily, but I'm insulted." Forest preserve attorneys said neither the ordinance nor commissioners referred to preventing development as a rationale for the purchase. District staff described the land as environmentally valuable and important to protect Danada's ecosystem. The Wheaton Park District is expected to assist the forest preserve with maintenance of the athletic fields. As a result of negotiations, two minor roads, a child-care center and utility structure were left out of the deal. |
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