Cook County Forest Preserve District Board Adopts Sustainability and Climate Resiliency Plan

Cook County Forest Preserve District Board Meeting - September 11, 2018

What did the Board decide? 

• Adopt the Sustainability and Climate Resiliency Plan, which calls for the Cook County Forest Preserve District (FPD) to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by the year 2050 and implement a roadmap that will allow the forest preserves to be resilient in a changing climate. Item 18-0313. 

• Celebrate the late Donna M. Alexander, who had a special relationship with the FPD. Item 18-0308.
• Authorize agreements to expand the Sand Ridge Bicycle Trail by 1.3 miles. 
  • FPD will pay 20% of the engineering costs for phase III the project estimated at $70,000. 
  • The FPD selected Christopher B. Burke Engineering to serve as consulting engineers for phases I, II and III, and FPD will pay 20% of their cost (13,939.21) for Phase III. Item 18-0349.
  • The FPD will pay 20% of the construction cost ($136,500).
  • The FPD will pay the full amount of the phase 3, and then get reimbursed for IDOT’s share, ending with only paying the above. Item 18-0356.
• Accept a grant award from the Nature Conservancy (part of an award they were granted from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation) for habitat restoration activities at Thornton-Lansing Nature Preserve in Lansing, specifically to complete 56 acres of wetland restoration.  “In addition, through collaboration with other partners, 18 acres of wetland swale and adjacent upland habitat will also be revisited at Powderhorn Prarie and Marsh Nature Preserve in Burnham as well as comprehensive monitoring of wetland bird populations across the project sites” to measure impact of restoration activities. Item 18-0340.
• Authorize FPD to enter into and amend the Sixth Amended and Restates Intergovernmental Agreement with Cook County.  The amendment adds reimbursable services. Item 18-0343.
• Authorize FPD to enter into an execute a contract that would address energy efficiency improvements at the Central Garage Building in Maywood. The contract would be for two years, and there are two potential one year extensions. Item 18-0287.
• Authorize FPD to enter into and execute a contract with Christopher B. Burke Engineering to construct 1.3 miles of bicycle trail from Sand Ridge Nature Center to Green Lake Aquatic Center and the Burnham Greenway in South Holland and Calumet City. The contract is for $70,000, but 80% will be reimbursed by IDOT. Item 18-0348.  

The following items of interest were all referred to the Real Estate Committee:

• Authorize FPD to grant a permanent easement of 0.492 acres to IDOT for the replacement of 2 existing culverts to reduce flooding and to do maintenance. The easement fee is $8,000.  Item 18-0297.
• Authorize FPD to grant a temporary easement for five years to IDOT for 0.208 acres for regrading of existing berms to reduce flooding. 32 trees will be removed. Item 18-0300.
• Authorize FPD to grant a permanent easement to IDOT for 0.281 acres for access to its pumping station.  No trees are expected to be removed.   Item 18-0305.
• Extend an Intergovernmental Agreement with the Village of Palatine that grants Palatine limited access to the FPD property to establish and maintain a vegetative buffer between the forest preserves and nearby homes.  No cost.  Item 18.0338.
• Authorize the renewal for five years of an existing Intergovernmental Agreement with Northbrook Park District to use and maintain a chain link fence between the forest preserves and the Coast Guard Park in Northbrook, which has an off-leash dog area.  Item 18.0339.
• Sell one of the 27 properties that were approved by the State Legislature for sale.  Item 18-0347.
  

Observer - Sarah Bury                    Meeting Length - 23 minutes