Residents Petition Lisle Village Board to Save Public Greenway

Choose the “Win – Win” strategy. That is what passionate Village of Lisle taxpayers are urging their elected officials to do.

At issue is a 1/3-acre parcel of property owned by the Village. The green space has served as a vital cultural and recreational amenity for the public for almost 20 years. The importance of this oasis, located in the downtown perimeter, will soon skyrocket as planned adjacent multifamily developments infuse structural density and hundreds of new people and pets into the area.

The parcel is in grave peril of being lost forever through sale to a multifamily housing developer. Two blocks east of Main Street at 922 School Street, it connects the Museums at Lisle Station Park and the historic Lisle Cemetery. Wayfarers on its bark path are treated to soaring deciduous trees and evergreens and to a variety of shrubs.

The public benefit of the property is undeniable. Thousands of people are drawn to special events in the park and cemetery throughout the year. A member of Lisle’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee advises that it is considered valuable connectivity. And forward-thinking community members brim with ideas about how to enhance the space for benefit of the whole community.

The lot is on the east periphery of land the developer has accumulated, which includes the now vacant Bank of America property and the houses between Center and Spencer Streets. He has made it publicly known that he will pursue his apartment and townhouse project with or without this lot, so keeping it for the public will not impede development.

Five of six Village of Lisle trustees have indicated their intent to sell the parcel to the developer. Of course, practically no one knows this is going on. A grassroots group of residents has so far garnered 350 signatures on a petition to prove to the elected officials that “we the people” do not support selling. Overwhelmingly the people they’ve talked to want to keep it.

The Village bought the lot from the Rittgarn family in 2006. Paul Rittgarn recalls his meetings with Cathy Schuster, then the Village’s Director of Economic Development. “She said we could rest assured that the property would not be built on, that it would stay open space,” he relates, with his wife vigorously concurring. The minutes of the Lisle Economic Development Committee’s meeting of May 12, 2006 support their recollection.

That promise might not have been included in a written contract. But Carl Doerr, who served as Village of Lisle Manager for over 27 years, observes, “The Village’s word should be something you can rely on.” Said Mr. Rittgarn about the five trustees who want to sell the property, “They’re not thinking for the whole Village. They’re thinking for themselves.”

The Village paid $255,000 for the lot in 2006. That is about $390,000 in today’s dollars. The Village also paid to have a 1,250 sq. ft. house and 750 sq. ft. garage razed.

A Village resolution to offer the lot for sale for not less than $171,500 was passed in December.

Anyone could bid on the property, but of course virtually no one knows it’s for sale. The Village advises it advertised it only by publishing the resolution in the small-print legal section of the December 21 Daily Herald. There is no “For Sale” sign on the property.

Village trustees recently authorized payment of $17,000 to third party Polco to conduct a satisfaction survey. There were 500 randomly selected participants. The grassroots petition opposing the property sale so far has reached 350 residents at no cost to the taxpayers.

The question now is, “Do the trustees really want to know what the residents want? Will they listen?”

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