Palos Park Scores A Win In Annexation Battle With Lemont

PALOS PARK, IL - Cook County Circuit Judge Carol Kipperman has upheld Palos Park's annexation of 1,446 acres in an ongoing land battle between Palos Park and Lemont.

Judge Kipperman rebuffed Lemont's argument that Palos Park officials had waited too long to act on an annexation petition from Gleneagles.

The judge's decision puts Lemont's efforts to annex residents of the Sun Hill subdivision into question. Patch previously reported that Lemont had filed a petition for the residents of Sun Hill, which is located south of McCarthy Road, west of Bell Road. If the judge had ruled in favor of Lemont, Palos Park's annexation of Cog Hill and Gleneagles could have been undone.

Properties that have been annexed into Palos Park include Cog Hill Golf and Country Club, the Gleneagles Country Club, the MidIron Club and Ludwig Farm. Previously, the properties were in unincorporated Cook County.

The village of Lemont said they cannot discuss litigation strategy in any detail.

"Obviously, we are disappointed in the judge's ruling," Village Administrator George Schafer said. "We are currently weighing our options to determine what course is in the best interests of the village of Lemont and the affected homeowners."

On Palos Park's website, Mayor John Mahoney states that Palos Park has been working for years to annex these properties and that the property owners had approached Palos Park to begin annexation into the town.

In the past, Lemont officials from the village, police department, township and school district have opposed the annexation and have asked to work with property owners to come to a solution without the annexation into Palos Park.