One court fight for high school land

Indian Prairie Unit District 204 will not have to undergo two separate trials to set a price for land where it wants to build Metea Valley High School.

DuPage Circuit Judge Robert Kilander has denied a motion for each of the two property owners -- the Brach and Brodie trusts -- to have separate trials against the district.

Indian Prairie wants to combine the land in question off Route 59 near 75th Street and Commons Drive in Aurora with 25 acres it already owns to create an 80-acre high school campus.

The district, which includes portions of Naperville, Aurora, Bolingbrook and Plainfield, had planned to start construction in the spring.

However, it has been unable to reach an agreement with the owners on the value of the land. It ultimately will be up to a jury to set the price.

Just over a week ago the Brodies filed a motion asking for separate trials.

"The Brodie trust thought it would be a lot simpler trial if it was just the Brodie trust against the school district, one side putting on its case and the other side putting on its case instead of having three parties with many more witnesses and much more … for the jury to understand," said Steve Helm, attorney for the Brodies.

The school district had filed an objection to the motion, but the Brach trust did not weigh in on the matter.

District 204 attorney Rick Petesch declined to comment Tuesday.

The property owners and school district have filed more than 30 additional motions in the case that will be heard Sept. 6.

Among the motions, the Brodie trust is requesting the trial be moved out of DuPage County. If that fails, it has also asked to exclude District 204 residents from serving on the jury.

The condemnation trial is scheduled to begin Sept. 17.