Lake in the Hills strikes tentative deal for airport land

Lake in the Hills officials have reached a tentative deal ending a nearly three-year legal fight over a disputed piece of land needed for the village's $23 million airport improvement plan.

Under the agreement, which still needs final approval from village trustees and a judge, Lake in the Hills would pay the Athans Co. $780,000 for a three-quarter-acre lot on the north side of the airport.

That payment, village attorney Michael Smoron said, covers the cost of the land and related costs for Athans, such as building a new driveway, replacing parking and any utility changes made necessary by the village making the site part of the airport.

The agreement also includes a provision allowing Athans to maintain access to the airport's single runway for a monthly fee, Smoron said. That fee, tied to the consumer price index, could go up if the company uses the access for a commercial purpose, such as a charter service.

Barring a breakdown in talks, Judge Michael Caldwell is expected to sign off on the deal June 10. The settlement would resolve multiple lawsuits filed since October 2007 when the village began condemnation proceedings to gain ownership of the parcel.

"This is something that should have been done a long time ago," Village President Ed Plaza said Tuesday. "It was a contentious situation."

Athans attorney Bill Ryan was not immediately available for comment Tuesday.

Despite the legal wranglings, the village has been able to move forward with the airport improvement plan thanks to a 2009 deal allowing work to proceed while officials and Athans haggled over compensation for the land.

Village officials say they need the property to meet Federal Aviation Administration requirements regarding separation between the airport's single runway and its taxiway. The improvement plan, funded mostly through state and federal grants, also includes the realignment of Pyott Road and construction of a new parking apron.