Park district wants help in buying Hobson parcel

Wanted: Generous government entity willing to help park district buy land. Ability to move quickly and affinity for open space a must.

The Naperville Park District will be turning to other agencies this month in an attempt to partner to buy six acres between the ponds in the Hobson West neighborhood.

"We know the city voted that they don't have an interest in this, but we want to ask them for assistance and … possibly other groups like the DuPage County Forest Preserve District," said Eric Shutes, director of planning for the district.

The district already owns the nine acres that make up the ponds, but residents have been pushing it for more than two years to purchase the land in between to create a 15-acre park.

The land is owned by Crestview Builders, which plans to build townhouses on the property if it is not sold to the park district.

The city originally forbade the developer from building on the land for a year. When that deadline expired Wednesday, the two sides agreed to extend it until Jan. 30.

Kathy West, attorney for Crestview, said that extension is final. That leaves just under four weeks for negotiating.

Crestview is asking $4.1 million for the land. The park district has offered $2.5 million, citing the additional expense of turning the site into a recreational area.

"We responded to the park district that their offer was not acceptable," West said. "It was less than what we purchased the property for and less than what we have into the property."

West said Crestview has been willing to negotiate, but the two sides met only a couple of times this past year in addition to exchanging correspondence. They do not have any meetings scheduled.

The park district did not make an offer on the land until Dec. 3, but Shutes said it had been discussing the issue throughout the year looking for the best approach.

On Wednesday, the city council voted against stepping in to help any further, but Shutes said the park district still may seek its assistance. He would not say whether it would consider a tax increase via a referendum as suggested Wednesday by Councilman John Rosanova.

"All kinds of possibilities are out there," Shutes said. "As far as the details of what we could pursue, that's more for executive session."

Meanwhile, the Naperville-based Conservation Foundation already has offered to help purchase the land through its Buy-and-Hold program. The foundation would acquire the property and the park district would have two years to pay it back while still being able to use the land.

Brook McDonald, president and CEO of the foundation, said he hasn't spoken to the park district lately, but the offer is still on the table.

"The first thing is they have to figure out if they have a deal or not (with Crestview)," he said. "Until that happens, our offer is irrelevant."

The park board's next meeting is at 7 p.m. Thursday at the municipal center, 400 S. Eagle St.