Easement Controversy Over Road Construction on North Shore Channel Property Dominates Water District Board Meeting

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting - November 1, 2018
Commissioners present: all except  Josina Morita.

Public Comment time at this meeting concerned the following.
Summary of Issue:
The Cook County Dept. of Transportation made a request for an easement for a road to be built across the tenth hole of Canal Shores Golf Course in Wilmette. The Keefe Trust is the actual party benefiting from said easement. The Trust purchased the property several decades ago with the knowledge that there was no road to the parcel. Since the Wilmette Park District leases the land which contains the golf course, the Keefe Trust applied for permission to build a road across the tenth hole of the course, running alongside existing houses at Golf Terrace. Wilmette Park District denied application stating this was a use of public land for private profit.  
It is unclear why  Cook County and its transportation department became involved and made this request to the MWRD Board when  the  beneficiary of the easement grant would be the Keefe Trust.

Public comment:
Thirty-three citizens against the easement testified over a period of three hours, making the following points:

1. Ecological concerns-construction would destroy wetlands & wildlife habitats
2. Canal Shores, a public course, has been used by residents of Wilmette and Evanston for 100 years. It is a great recreational resource for the community.
3. Protection of green space is a public good now more than ever.
4. Course is used for bird watching, cross country skiing, walking, not just golf.
5. This is a good governance issue. This is public land preserved for the use of the public. Taking this land for the benefit of one private developer is not defensible.
6. Taxpayers will end up bearing the cost of the road and its maintenance.
7. Fear of litigation from Keefe Trust is no reason to grant the easement.
8. This will not increase tax revenues because the road will cause existing properties to lose value.
9. Wilmette Park District counsel stated that they will not stand for a decision that violates the terms of the lease.
10. Building a road will cause more flooding of basements in the area.
11. Golf Terrace homeowners will be harmed by this decision. They will have a road in front and behind their homes, resulting in safety issues for children and a loss of property values.
12. The connection between the Keefe Trust  and the law firm of Senate President Cullerton was raised. Is political connection being used to exert pressure on commissioners?

Comments/questions from Commissioners:

• There was confusion over who would actually pay for the road and its maintenance. John Yonan from the CC Highway Dept. was not able to give a definite answer. He suggested there might be a public/private partnership. 
• Commissioner Walsh warned of litigation if the easement was not granted. Also, he seemed to feel it was somehow wrong to deny a request from another governmental body, in this case Cook County Transportation Dept.
• Commissioner Shore asked for an estimate of the cost of building the road. Yonan said there were too many variables and he could not answer at this time. Ms. Shore was confused as to why Keefe was involved if it is a Cook County request. She also suggested it was hard to see how building a road furthers the mission of the MWRD - that is, to protect water and to manage flooding.
• Commissioner Dunkin was visibly upset about spending three hours of board time on testimony about a sliver of a golf course in a wealthy area of the county. He said areas like Englewood receive little attention, though there is great need, while elite areas of the North Shore get an inordinate amount of attention. He called for a vote up or down and then movement to matters of more importance.

Commissioner Avila moved to defer this issue, and this ended the morning session. 

Observer - Georgia Gebhardt                       Meeting length: three hours (10:45 a.m.-1:45 p.m.)