Libertyville hosts town hall on County Farm plan
The future of Lake County’s long-held government campus property in Libertyville will get one last public airing next week in advance of an expected decision on a long range plan.
Mayor Terry Weppler has called a town-hall meeting for 7:30 p.m. Monday to discuss a proposed 20-year master plan for what is known as the County Farm property stretching north and west from Milwaukee Avenue and Winchester Road.
The informal give-and-take will be at the Libertyville Civic Center, 135 W. Church St., a larger venue than the nearby village hall.
The room was full in September for a village board discussion of the plan commission report on the proposal. After about a year of review spanning several lengthy public hearings, the plan commission recommended approval.
Weppler said the town hall meeting will provide a more informal and comfortable setting to clarify any outstanding issues before an expected village board vote Nov. 22.
He said the plan being considered limits the uses allowed for future development.
“A lot of people don’t understand right now what rights the county has,” Weppler said. “Because of the current zoning, there is a lot the county can do.”
“It’s amazing how many people I’ve talked to, they’ve heard some things and not others and really don’t understand everything related to it.”
Changes from the original proposal include increased setbacks for buildings and parking, reduced height of buildings, an optional development zone along Milwaukee Avenue where the current Winchester House is located, and other measures.
A master plan was required by the village as a condition of approval in 2007 of the county’s Central Permit facility, although that provision essentially has expired.
Legal ramifications of a village board denial of the proposed master plan or a county decision to withdraw it also are expected to be shared Monday at the forum.
Though the county has made several concessions, including agreeing not to build a correctional facility on the 172-acre campus, area residents remain concerned about what could be built.
While the county expects to build a new Winchester House nursing home on the property within the next few years, officials said there are no other major projects planned at this time.
“We’ve made a number of concessions to come up with a plan that allows the county to provide services countywide but respect the residents in the area,” County Administrator Barry Burton said.
Despite the changes, residents still have questions.
“The building use is the biggest issue,” said Rick Marder, a spokesman for the Citizens United for Healthy Development in Libertyville, who is scheduled to be a presenter Monday.
“This is an opportunity for the residents to be able to fully understand the implications of what’s on the table here,” he said. “If the plan would be rejected, what does the county have the ability to do anyway?”
Residents oppose any type of use that involves a “criminal element” such as parole and probation offices.
County officials say they have gone as far as they can.
“Obviously people want more but we think we’ve reached a good compromise,” Burton said. “Absent the plan, we fall back to the original zoning.”
That means anything permitted in that zoning district would require less stringent review.
“It’s a quality plan,” said John Spoden, Libertyville’s community development director.