Residents upset with Prairie Crossing plan
Additional traffic potentially creating safety hazards tops the list of reasons why some residents question the idea of a third school opening at the Prairie Crossing subdivision in Grayslake.
Prairie Crossing developers Victoria and George Ranney outlined plans for Country Meadows Montessori School to depart Gurnee for the upscale subdivision in a letter to residents. They also hosted an open house for questions this week.
Country Meadows would join private Montessori School of Lake Forest and the public Prairie Crossing Charter School at the development near routes 45, 137 and 83.
Resident Tim Theer and others are against the Country Meadows plan, mostly because they contend narrow roads can't support more traffic and safety problems would develop. Theer said it's likely the extra traffic from Country Meadows would delay buses trying to exit Prairie Crossing after collecting children for various public schools.
Theer also questioned how Prairie Crossing's developers can tout an environmentally sensitive subdivision while pushing for a school that would attract at least 200 children riding in vehicles to reach the premises.
"Environmentally friendly?" Theer said Thursday. "Adding cars with pollution in the area doesn't make sense."
Although the Ranneys announced Country Meadows has contracted to buy land where pre- and elementary schools already are permitted east of Osage Orange Road and Route 45, Grayslake Trustee Jeff Werfel said it might not be that simple.
Original plans called for the public charter school to rise on the site now pegged for Country Meadows. The charter school was built to the south near Jones Point Road and Route 45.
Werfel said he's asked Grayslake village staff to look into whether the document governing the Prairie Crossing development would still automatically allow Country Meadows on the site in question because the charter school was constructed elsewhere.
"They're not really following the intent of what the overall ... development was," Werfel said, referring to Prairie Crossing.
Victoria Ranney, president of the subdivision's parent Prairie Holdings Corp., did not return messages seeking comment Thursday. Country Meadows Principal Mary O'Young could not be reached.
Werfel said he's also requested village staff to examine a proposal to have a drive built through Grayslake taxpayer-owned John Gage Park leading to Country Meadows from Route 45. The park covers 9 acres, with a baseball diamond, soccer fields and basketball court.
Country Meadows Montessori School operates on Washington Street in Gurnee. If it moves west to Prairie Crossing, plans call for it to provide private education for children from 18 months to sixth grade.
Montessori School of Lake Forest at Prairie Crossing educates children ages 12 to 15. The neighboring public charter school by Jones Point Road and Route 45 has kindergarten through eighth grade.
Theer said three schools scattered on 677 acres were not part of any plans he viewed after buying his Prairie Crossing house about 13 years ago.
"It's absolutely not what the residents of Prairie Crossing or the town were sold," Theer said.