Hobson land to be a Naperville park

Land between the ponds in Naperville's Hobson West neighborhood is on its way to becoming a park instead of townhouses.

Naperville Park District commissioners voted Thursday to spend $2.5 million to purchase the six acres that have been the source of ongoing debate in the community.

"We are very pleased with the outcome of this purchase," President Suzanne Hart said. "We believe the park district has been a good steward of the taxpayers' funds while serving the recreational needs of the public. We trust our residents feel the same way."

The site is between two nine-acre ponds the park district already owns in the neighborhood between Plainfield-Naperville Road and West Street. For years, residents have been urging the board to buy the land from Crestview Builders to create a 15-acre park.

During negotiations earlier this year the park district offered $2.5 million for the land, but Crestview wanted $4.1 million. The developer has said it has spent about that much on the land thus far.

Then in June Crestview offered to sell part of the land for $2.5 million and give the rest to the park district as a gift after holding it in escrow for two years. But the park district rejected the offer saying its attorneys did not feel the deal would be legally binding. Commissioners indicated at that time the matter was closed.

Last week however, Crestview resurrected it with an offer to sell the entire six acres for $2.5 million without the two-year escrow.

Board members deliberated the matter in closed session for roughly 45 minutes Thursday. When they emerged, they voted 4-1 in favor of purchasing the property, and they expect to close on it within 60 days.

Hart and commissioners Andrew Schaffner, Kristen Jungles and Gerry Heide voted in favor while Marie Todd cast the dissenting vote. Ron Ory and Mary Wright were absent.

Todd said there are amenities needed in other areas of the city.

"We as board members need to be looking at the entire community, and we have a finite amount of dollars we can spend to support the community and serve them in terms of recreational amenities," Todd said.

Residents in the audience clapped and cheered when the purchase was approved.

"I would like to thank the board for showing their stewardship for the environment," said resident Marion Baran. "You have protected hundreds of trees, scarce wetland, biodiversity, wildlife and you have reduced pollution and curtailed global warming and much more. You will save the natural beauty of this entire area."

Jungles called on the community to continue supporting park district land purchases.

"I would strongly encourage all of you to stand by the promise you have made for the past year and a half to assist the park district in the acquisition of open space," she said. "This is the first of many parcels we need to acquire at the park district in order to be able to meet the recreational needs both passive and active in the community."

Eric Shutes, director of planning, said before closing on the land the park district will analyze the results of an environmental study and consult with city staff. It will then be studying ways to enhance the land in the context of its Open Space and Recreation Master Plan and ask the public for input.