Reedy farm likely to become part of Kane County forest district

Kane County Forest Preserve District officials are on the verge of making their largest land purchase so far this year.

The Reedy Farm in an unincorporated area near Gilberts would add 79 acres to the existing Binnie Forest Preserve. The farm, located off Galligan Road on the west side of the preserve, has been in private ownership and used to grow corn and soybeans.

The district's executive committee of forest preserve commissioners gave unanimous, preliminary approval of the purchase in a meeting Thursday without discussing the specifics or the purchase price.

The asking price of the property is $21,500 per acre. That would put the cost at about $1.7 million for the district unless officials negotiated a less expensive deal. That would make the Reedy Farm purchase the largest and most expensive acquisition since the district purchased the 173-acre Harrigan Farm in Rutland Township for $2.58 million in December 2020.

The district still has $14.65 million remaining in its land acquisition fund to make the purchase.

The full forest preserve commission must take a final vote before the purchase is official.