Barrington library still not sold on Lake Zurich Road realignment project
While a Barrington official this week touted the advantages a road project would have for the library, the Barrington Area Library Board still hasn't signed on for the nearly $3.5 million Lake Zurich Road realignment project, which would require it to sell its parking lot.
The project, which is fully funded by largely federal and state sources, would shift Lake Zurich Road south to the intersection of Berry Road and Northwest Highway - currently the entrance to the Barrington Area Public Library. To do that, the village needs to buy land owned by the Barrington Park District and the library.
At Monday's Barrington village board meeting, Greg Summers, the village's director of development services, updated the village board on efforts to purchase the properties. He touted the parts of the project that would help the library, saying it would increase the number of parking spaces and improve the drainage system.
In his presentation, Summers talked about the history of the Lake Zurich Road project and how the village got input from a 20-member community advisory group. That group had people from The Garlands of Barrington, Barrington Area Unit School District 220, residential areas near the intersection, the library and many others. He also noted that the Lake Zurich realignment project was favored by 80 percent of the people who attended the public hearing on the underpass and realignment projects back in January 2014.
Summers also read from a letter written by the library's top administrator, Executive Director Detlev Pansch, Oct. 14, 2013, as part of the village's effort to raise outside funds. Pansch wrote the library was willing to work with the village toward a plan that would benefit everyone.
Library Public Information Manager Karen McBride said Tuesday what Summers didn't mention in his presentation was that same day, Pansch wrote another letter detailing the concerns the library board had.
Some of those problems remain nearly four years later, she said. They include that having the road closer to the building would be noisy and unsafe. The board believes the project would fundamentally alter the area around the library and rob it of its charm, she said.
Summers said he was hopeful that an agreement could be reached. He said his understanding was that the Barrington Park District, which owns land adjacent to the library's land, won't sell until the library does.
"I think that those two will come in together and then we'll be in a very strong position to move forward quickly," Summers said.