'Real Pushback' From Burr Ridge Expected

BURR RIDGE, IL – Burr Ridge became a subject during Lyons Township High School's secret discussions in 2022 about selling land to an industrial developer.

"One of the areas where we're going to get real pushback is Burr Ridge," Brian Stachacz, the school's top finance official, told the board during a May 2022 closed meeting.

During several closed sessions, officials predicted Willow Springs would object to industrial uses on the high school's wooded land at 79th Street and Willow Springs Road. Such uses are banned in the area in question, which is next to houses and an elementary school.

Stachacz agreed about Willow Springs' likely opposition, But he also said neighboring Burr Ridge would be affected. He said truck traffic for a warehouse-type development would get off at Interstate 55. The trucks would then go on Burr Ridge's section of County Line Road, passing "fairly affluent" households, then turn on 79th Street to the property, he said.

"I think Burr Ridge is going to jump on that," Stachacz said.

He was right that Burr Ridge, among other nearby towns, would object to an industrial development. But in its opposition, the village did not mention truck traffic.

In February 2023, the Burr Ridge Village Board joined other towns in adopting a resolution opposing industrial uses.

The village declared that such uses would have a "deleterious effect" on Edgewood Valley Country Club, which is next to the high school's land and was annexed to the village a year earlier.

Burr Ridge also stated it opposed any attempt to de-annex the high school's property from Willow Springs. That same fear was expressed by officials in area towns.

At a January 2023 meeting, the high school's then-lawyer, Ares Dalianis, said that if Willow Springs did not approve industrial zoning, the school had "other remedies." He did not indicate what those remedies were, and school board members did not inquire – at least publicly.

Behind closed doors the following month, then-board member Julie Swinehart asked Dalianis about the allegation of de-annexation.

"That is extremely unlikely. I'm surprised they're mentioning that," Dalianis said. "It's a Herculean task for removing (the property) without the acquiescences of both public bodies."

During meetings in early 2023, the board would not answer the public's questions about the property. Instead, members sat stone-faced as residents criticized the planned land sale to an industrial buyer. Nearly all the board's discussions were behind closed doors.

That secrecy violated the state Open Meetings Act, the attorney general ruled. The law allows the board to discuss setting the price of real estate in closed session. But Dalianis interpreted that exception to mean the board could talk about anything remotely connected to the sale. The board later ousted his firm, Chicago-based Franczek.

Last month, the board released the latest batch of closed-session recordings at the attorney general's request.

At several school board meetings in 2023, Burr Ridge Trustee Guy Franzese spoke out against the board's plan. After members changed their approach later in 2023, Franzese again addressed the board.

"Serious, honest community engagement will go a long way to regain the trust that this board lost with this community," said Franzese, a Lyons Township High graduate.

After the uproar from residents and officials, the board pulled the plug on the effort in March 2023, just weeks ahead of the board election.

The board is still looking to sell the land, but not to an industrial developer. It has held discussions in public.

Recordings of the closed sessions are available on the "Neighbors of Pleasantdale" YouTube page.