Denied in Lake Forest, Costco wins over Mettawa board

Costco Wholesale Corp. created such a fuss when it made a failed effort to build in Lake Forest in 2005, a resident at a public meeting mocked its reputation for selling bulk snack foods and said it would turn the tony town into "Fake Forest."

Three years later, Costco has stirred the pot among residents in Mettawa, just west of Lake Forest near the Tri-State Tollway and Route 60. Weeks of controversy were capped Tuesday night when the Mettawa village board voted 5-2 in favor of selling public land to Costco.

Costco would build what's been described as an environmentally sensitive structure on the 22-acre site Mettawa owns southwest of the tollway and Route 60. Proponents, such as Mettawa Mayor Barry MacLean, say at least $1 million in annual sales tax would buy more open space and fund completion of the village's trail system.

"My sense is, after the one side loses, we join forces to make this a better place," MacLean said before the vote in favor of selling the property to Costco. "I hope that's what happens here."

But the Mettawa Preservation Party opposition group and others said they were unhappy with what they contend was a less-than-open plan to sell the 22 acres to Costco. Similar to Lake Forest, some Mettawa opponents voiced concern about the idea of a warehouse store in the small town nestled in the trees off Route 60.

Mettawa Trustees Lawrence Falbe and William Nicholson, who cast the two dissenting votes, criticized their board colleagues for rushing into the Costco deal. Nicholson also said the village didn't do more than provide "lip service" for hosting a recent public session on Costco for residents.

"More than 200 people have expressed they don't want this project," Nicholson said.

Mettawa resident Jesse Ray, a retired marketing executive, has filed a lawsuit in Lake County circuit court claiming village officials said they acquired the 22 acres over time for a park or open space, but actually intended to flip it to a developer.

"We think we'll prevail on the case law that's out there," Ray said after the meeting Tuesday night.

Mettawa's Costco site is on the opposite side of the tollway from where the company initially wanted to open in Lake Forest.

The company retreated from Lake Forest amid stiff opposition from residents, environmentalists and what would have been neighbors in the Conway Park business complex.

With roughly 400 residents, Mettawa is largely rural and has no village hall.