Lake Zurich wants all lost trees replaced

Ela Township must plant 114 more trees to make up for the trees it cut down while clearing land for its new town hall and offices in Lake Zurich.

That's in addition to the 139 trees and 94 shrubs the township proposes to plant in its approved landscape/tree preservation plan for the 5-acre site.

The Lake Zurich village board Tuesday night authorized an intergovernmental agreement requiring the township to plant the additional 114 trees by May 31, 2013. The directive was recommended by the village tree commission. The agreement would spell out the township's obligation toward planting and maintaining the trees.

However, it is not known what reaction township officials will have to the village board's action. Several meetings have failed to resolve the situation. Village officials have said it is the only way the township can avoid a $35,100 fine for removing the trees without village permission.

Lake Zurich Trustee Jim Johnson was the only board member to vote against the agreement.

"I think we're getting to the point where this is becoming adversarial and it's becoming punitive instead of caring for the taxpayers who are ultimately going to pay for (this)," Johnson said.

Ela Township officials were not present at the meeting, but have been notified of the village's intended action, officials said.

In May, the township violated a village ordinance when its contractor clear-cut 112 trees from the 5-acre site at 22155 W. Route 22 and from adjacent Knox Park in Lake Zurich.

According to the village's tree ordinance, the township must replace 281 trees to make amends for the ordinance violation or pay a $300 per lost tree fine.

"We have never asked for more than the original 281 trees," said Al Froehde, a Lake Zurich tree commission member.

The tree commission reduced the total number of trees the township must replace. Yet, the commission rejected the township's request for credit for the shrubs and bushes it proposes to plant on the new town hall site to replace bushes that were cleared.

"We have told them over and over again that bushes are not considered as part of the trees and they are not included," Froehde said.

Township officials also requested they be required to plant only 60 additional trees over three years, something the commission rejected.

Since all the replacement trees would not fit on the new town hall site, the remaining 114 will be planted in the township's Knox and Knigge parks and by the township highway department garage, which the township has agreed to do.

Yet, that may not be enough for residents surrounding Knox Park, said resident Jim Tarbet.

"There is still no buffering of any substance to isolate the noise that's generated there," he said. "I'd ask that Knox Park be put as the first priority because that's where the problem exists."

Tarbet said neighbors have not been able to use the park because it serves as a youth football field.