Publications & Sites 
Oakbrook Terrace Park District may lose out on land
Related Documents
Article Extras
Updated: June 4, 2012 11:27AM
While reflecting on his 40 years of service to the Oakbrook Terrace Park District, Treasurer Bill Cizek told the Doings last fall that he would like to acquire one more piece of open land for Park District use.
Cizek was referring to developer Robert Krillich’s property just south of 16th Street and north of Butterfield Road where he hoped the Park District could receive land to preserve as open space for the residents of Oakbrook Terrace.
However, a recommendation by the DuPage County Plat Committee, has all but dashed those hopes. The committee voted in April to waive an ordinance which would have required a land or cash donation to the Park District to compensate for the lost of space and recommended the designated 20 acres of land for private use, going to the development’s homeowners association.
Park District director Laura Barron called the decision “disappointing,” and said she had been working with the developers for three years trying to secure a piece of property.
“Now that the (committee) has accepted it to be donated for private use that really puts the area that has the highest concentration of our residents at a greater deficit,” Barron said. “They voted to allow the developer to donate the land to the homeowner’s association of the proposed development.”
Barron said the west side of Oakbrook Terrace houses the Brandywine community and Versailles Apartments, which she estimates has a combined 5,000 residents. The proposed development, known as Lakes of Royce Renaissance, is expected to house up to 3,000 additional residents.
Barron said there are only 6 1/2 acres of Park District land on that side of the city to serve a majority of Oakbrook Terrace’s residents.
“We have a huge open-space deficit,” Barron said. “The city of Oakbrook Terrace did not have a land ordinance until the 1980s when there was a lot of development.
“This is the last piece of property we could potentially receive for open space.”
In 2007, Krillich de-annexed most of the land from Oakbrook Terrace, but a small portion remained in the city. The Park District was hoping to receive 20 acres of the property.
“Up until April, we thought we were going to receive a park donation, possibly with improvements from the developer,” Barron said. “We feel this land should be public land.”
The DuPage County Plat Committee will meet at 8:30 a.m. today in Wheaton to vote on the recommendation.
