The Village Board Monday night approved changes in a land-use plan for 191st Street despite objections from Mokena Elementary School District 159 officials.
District Supt. Roger Reardon said the schools will lose tax money if land that had been zoned for industrial use for 20 years is allowed to become residential. Assistant Supt. Pat Chesla said most of the commercial land in Mokena is not within school district boundaries.
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“We don’t want to lose what little commercial possibilities we have,” she said.
Backers of the plan defended it as the best choice for the community as a whole. Mayor Robert Chiszar said the change will stimulate development along 191st Street by improving the area’s appearance.
The land-use plan commissioned by the village cuts the acreage earmarked for industrial use and emphasizes office and residential. The section of 191st Street between LaGrange and Wolf Roads was selected for study because it serves as a gateway to the village, officials said.
The goal is to ensure an attractive entrance to Mokena and to prevent the addition of industrial development right next to residential land, such as the Barrington Square subdivision south of 191st Street.