Plan Commission Approves County's Master Plan

Libertyville’s Plan Commission voted Monday night to approve a controversial special use permit for a 172-acre Lake County government center on the north end of Libertyville. The issue heads to village trustees for a final decision.

The vote, however, was not unanimous. Commissioner William Cotey voted against the special use permit, but declined, on the advice of the village attorney, to explain why.

More than 30 residents showed up at Monday's meeting, including homeowners in the Cedar Glen and Adler Park neighborhoods, which abut the land. The residents say they are concerned about what the county may build on the property.

Lake County government center, near Winchester Road and Milwaukee Avenue, is home to a $23 million , , , and the .

Unspecified Uses On Master Plan

. The property is zoned as an Institutional Buildings District, which permits the county to build drug rehabilitation, probation, mental health or substance-abuse facilities on the land.

The county designed a master plan for the property at the request of the village, but it has not listed specific uses because they aren’t known, according to Matt Guarnery, Lake County’s construction project manager.

The master plan calls for eight different zones within the property, with special uses in two of them. This 20-year plan also leaves 40 percent of the property as open space.

During Monday's meeting, Guarnery reiterated that some uses, such as a hospital and a jail, have been taken off the list of acceptable uses for the property.

Guarnery reminded commissioners that the county has adjusted landscaping requirements to assure residents of their privacy, including doubling the building setbacks, landscape screening that is taller and more dense than required, and building lighting that will be lower than required in any 24-hour facility.  

The problem for residents, however, is that there are too many uses left on the list that are unacceptable to residents, according to Rick Marder, an Adler Drive resident.

“Anything related to criminal intent; we don’t want on the property,” he said. “If they have land not near schools and pools, they should put these places there.”

Marder and other residents object to the land being used for several ancillary, or subcategory uses, including ambulance services, facilities that would house the mentally ill and substance abusers, and schools.

Residents say they would also like to see facilities such as temporary housing for battered women, and outpatient mental health and substance abuse centers located only in special use areas, which would require public hearings.

According to Senior Assistant County Administrator Dusty Powell, the 172-acre property is the only property large enough for a government center.

Residents Want More Details

Marder said he plans to attend the next village board meeting to voice his opinion. He is upset that village staff did not “drill down” into the subcategories of allowed uses before making their recommendation to members of the Plan Commission.

"We will find out what the process is next in Libertyville, and go to the trustees. We will get our message out to them. We want to avoid uses associated with criminal intent; apparently Lake County doesn’t agree.”

Terry Postula of the Citizen Advocacy Center in Elmhurst said she has been working with area residents since last fall to ensure that their voices are heard in the matter. She spoke to commission members, saying there are three legal issues: the perceived property rights of the county, how much regulation Libertyville will have over the county in regard to the property, and the ancillary uses allowed by the zoning.

Postula said she believes the village should hold county staff members accountable for meeting with area residents again. She is concerned that the master plan will be approved by village trustees, and as the property is built, the village will have no control.

“The only ones who can hold their feet to the fire is you,” she said to Plan Commission members.