DuPage forest preserve demanding more from Navistar

New conditions added to a land sale agreement could complicate Navistar's plans to relocate the company's headquarters to Lisle.

DuPage County Forest Preserve commissioners unanimously approved the four new conditions as part of a resolution at a Tuesday morning meeting. They would require Navistar to provide an environmental impact report, delineate specific land-use plans for the site, conform to the land's "office and research" zoning and maintain the roadway transferred in the land sale as public.

While Lisle and Navistar officials say the new conditions are not insurmountable, the public roadway issue may be the one point that can't be overcome. The road being bought from the forest preserve district by Lisle and the county on behalf of Navistar is identified as being blocked off for security purposes under the company's current proposal. The county and Lisle are purchasing a 3-acre ring road for $1.5 million.

"I really have get a better definition of what public purpose is and it may be something we need to talk about with the forest preserve," said Navistar spokesman Roy Wiley.

Forest preserve officials have been second-guessing the land sale agreement in the past month after residents who live near the site raised safety and pollution concerns regarding some of the work being proposed by Navistar.

The road was bought by the forest preserve in 2007 as part of a 52-acre purchase from Alcatel-Lucent. Because the forest preserve is forbidden from selling land to anyone other than another taxing body, the county and Lisle stepped in to facilitate the land transfer on Navistar's behalf.

The residents began voicing their concerns shortly after the land sale agreement was made public. They warned of environmental dangers from diesel fumes and storage, and challenged the company's assertion that on-site vehicle testing wouldn't be intrusive.

Meanwhile, company officials said neighbors were jumping the gun with their concerns because all of the company's plans haven't been finalized. Supporters of Navistar's move believe the neighbors will find fault with any of the company's plans simply because they don't want Navistar as a neighbor.

"No one really knows what the final use of the property is," said Dewey Pierotti, forest preserve commission president. "When we were first contacted, they told us that it was going to be the international headquarters for a major corporation. Now, all of a sudden, they are talking about a four-story garage."

Pierotti and commissioners were rankled last month when an e-mail exchange between Lisle village officials was uncovered insinuating Pierotti could be finagled into selling the forest preserve land near the building through "backroom politics."

Forest preserve officials added the new conditions because they were advised they have no legal reason to terminate the land sale agreement with the county and Lisle. But there is also some concern that the commission can't add new conditions to an agreement they've already approved.

"I think it's too late," said Lisle Mayor Joe Broda. "But nothing they're asking for isn't workable."

Pierotti said he doesn't "trust" Lisle to do what's in the best interest of the district.

"We went in there with our eyes closed," he said. "We trusted them when they said the people are all going to get along with it. We won't cooperate anymore. We won't sign any documents. We won't transfer the property. We won't do anything until they comply with all these requirements."

Wiley said the company plans to comply with any requirements mandated as part of the land sale.

"We take seriously the concerns of local residents," Wiley said. "We will specify the land uses, we do provide environmental impact statements and certificates and I'll make this clear that this land is zoned office and research and that's all we'll be doing here because we're not asking for any variances."

Some neighbors have hired lawyers to fight Navistar's proposed move, including the operators of a special school for autistic children located nearby. Some of the neighbors were at the county board meeting Tuesday urging the county to back out of the agreement.

"Not getting the truth about this in advance is costing a lot of money and time and this could have all been handled months ago," said resident Julie Schnell.

County officials have cited the proposal's economic development potential for new jobs and spurring the local housing market, but the county has it's own set of conditions Navistar must meet. The company expects to add 2,000 positions to the corporate headquarters when it moves. The county is also negotiating a development agreement with Navistar that will include parameters about job creation and maintaining the 87-acre campus as the company's headquarters for a specific duration.