LTHS Changes Approach To Controversial Land Issue

LA GRANGE, IL – Lyons Township High School officials on Monday made no admissions of mistakes they may have made in trying to sell the school's land in Willow Springs to an industrial buyer earlier this year.

But the school board president called for a "fresh start" and a "collaborative relationship" with Willow Springs. This is a far cry from the school's documented efforts to keep the village and other public bodies out of the loop.

The school owns 70 acres of wooded land in Willow Springs. It bought the property more than six decades ago with the expectation that it would build a third campus in light of surging enrollment.

However, enrollment stabilized, so the land went unused. It is zoned for residential and small retail purposes, with industrial uses prohibited, though the school secretly courted industrial buyers last year.

The school's attempts to sell the land to industrial developers drew protests from residents and local public bodies.

For the first time in more than six months, the board brought the issue to the table. Board President Dawn Aubert said the board did so because Willow Springs earlier this summer enacted a moratorium on new development on the property through March. The village said it is studying the "highest and best use" of the land.

Aubert said Superintendent Brian Waterman, in consultation with the board's attorney, recommended the board take part in the village's process by conducting its own study of the land and its potential uses.

She said the board was advised to hire a land-use consultant to examine the current zoning and help the board better understand its options. She also indicated the board could commission an appraisal of the property based on current zoning.

Last year, without letting the public know, the board appraised the land for industrial uses only. Once the appraisal came to light, Willow Springs officials and residents objected.

In her speech, Aubert said the board's approach was "reactive" previously. She may have been referring to the process that began after Bridge Industrial expressed interest in the property.

Other board members agreed with the idea to hire a consultant. Aubert said the board could vote on that issue as early as Aug. 21.

Board member Tim Albores, who took office in the spring, said his stance on the property remained the same: It should not be sold to an industrial buyer. No other board member took that position.

Based on the appraisal, the school set a minimum price of $55 million for the land, geared toward an industrial user. The land is next to houses, a school, a country club, a park and a UPS facility.

What was likely embarrassing for the board was the release of its January closed session recordings on the land issue. In May, the attorney general ordered their release because the board broke state law by closing the doors to the public.

In the two hours of closed session recordings, members generally agreed that the sale would hurt nearby Willow Springs residents. They bashed Willow Springs officials and said the village would be hard-pressed to deny an exception to zoning. They talked about their strategy to keep information about the sale away from Willow Springs and other public bodies. And one board member detailed what he called a conspiracy theory involving the opposition to the land sale.

On Monday, more than 80 people showed up for the board session, a high number for a summer meeting.

During public comments, officials and residents welcomed the high school's apparent change of approach. All the speakers opposed industrial uses on the land, receiving applause from the audience.

"Serious, honest community engagement will go a long way to regain the trust that this board lost with this community," said Guy Franzese, a village trustee for neighboring Burr Ridge and a Lyons Township High graduate.

Willow Springs Village President Melissa Neddermeyer, who previously called for Waterman's ouster, said her village supports the school's desire to sell the land for the benefit of students.

"Zoning exists for a reason, and industry is prohibited on this site for good reasons," she said.

Village Administrator Ryan Grace said he welcomed an open discussion with the high school. He detailed why the zoning code would not allow industrial uses for the land.

He said the entire Village Board and its lawyer were on hand at the meeting.

"We were prepared to engage if you so wished," he said.

Resident Jim Distasio, who lives next to the school's property, said the school board should have worked with the village a year ago on the sale.

"We asked for a more collaborative approach, and I can see the nascent stages of that here," he said.

At the same time, he said, "You don't need a land-use study to tell you industrial facilities don't belong anywhere near schools... Ultimately, people would breathe much easier if the board would just commit to not selling this property to an industrial buyer."

Willow Springs resident Jim Distasio on Monday welcomes the Lyons Township High School board's new approach to selling its land, which is next to his house. (David Giuliani/Patch)