For years, Illinois has languished in 48th place, ahead of only Connecticut and Rhode Island, in the amount of per-capita public open land.
But after Lake, Kane and Will County residents voted Tuesday to approve $200 million in bond issues to preserve open space, officials and activists believe the state may be in the midst of a green streak.
“We have a long way to go, but eventually referendums like these will make a significant dent in our ranking,” said Ed Hoffman, who tracks acquisition programs for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
The three referendums, coupled with a $75 million acquisition proposal approved two years ago in DuPage County, are in keeping with a national movement that in recent years has spurred taxpayers in New Jersey, Rhode Island and Oregon, among others, to approve more than $1 billion in land acquisitions.
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Tuesday’s proposals were fueled by a range of political pressure systems, from savvy grass-roots organizations to revamped county boards.
Lake County’s vote was telegraphed in past elections, in which anti-sprawl candidates replaced pro-growth incumbents. And officials in other counties were emboldened by the successful land-acquisition drive in DuPage, where tax increases rarely are welcomed.
“I think (the DuPage referendum) gave courage to the other counties to ask for the big dollars they did this week,” said Roger Kotecki, vice chairman of the DuPage County Forest Preserve Commission’s Finance and Land Acquisition Committee.
Preservationists consider the measures the ultimate weapon against suburban sprawl, which has created a host of unwanted side effects, ranging from increased taxes to traffic congestion and flooding.
“The development growth in the past five to 10 years has been so dramatic, people are afraid that if they don’t preserve the land now it simply will be lost,” said Joyce O’Keefe, associate director of the Chicago-based Openlands Project and committee co-chairwoman of the Lake County referendum drive.
The victories show that voters “are willing to help fund land acquisition to maintain a green landscape,” added Michele Moss, a spokeswoman for the Sierra Club’s Illinois chapter.
In Will County, voters approved a $70 million bond issue to buy land from a wish list of 11,500 acres.
About $20 million will be used to improve current holdings, including providing access, constructing roadways and establishing educational programs.
“It’s wonderful,” said a jubilant Jack Riley after the referendum proposal passed 56 to 44 percent.
Riley, who is co-chairman of a citizens group that campaigned for the Will County proposal, said he believes the measure benefited from changing public perceptions of what makes a community desirable.
“I think this shows people care about their community and their lifestyles,” he said. “Long term, it’s going to be good not only for families but also for business in general because open space will attract people to Will County and make them want to live here.”
District officials hope to increase their present 12,000 acres by more than half.
Nearly two-thirds of Lake County voters favored a $55 million referendum aimed at expanding and improving the 20,771-acre Lake County Forest Preserve District.
It is the second time in six years that Lake County voters have approved a forest preserve funding referendum proposal.
But much of the $30 million approved in 1993 sat dormant for years under the administration of former Lake County Board President Robert “Bulldozer Bob” Depke, who pushed for development across the county.
Depke lost his re-election bid in 1996, and subsequent elections have swept pro-conservation candidates into office.
The $30 million was quickly exhausted in acquiring 1,683 acres for forest preserves, prompting the district to go back for more on Tuesday.
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The support for the new proposal “really exceeded our expectations,” said Lake County Board President James LaBelle.
“It is an indication of how solid the residents of the county are in terms of supporting environmental preservation,” he said.
Of the $55 million, $35 million is earmarked for new land. The rest will be used to restore wildlife habitat, create hiking trails and improve public access.
In another indication of the changing political landscape in Lake, Gurnee residents voted against a proposal to build an entertainment center near Six Flags Great America. But that vote is non-binding.
In Kane County, voters approved the forest preserve district’s $70 million referendum proposal, again with nearly two-thirds of the vote. Officials say the money could buy up to 5,000 acres.
Kane has about 8,000 acres in public land, far fewer than many other collar counties.
“I think now I’m going to go home and take a nap,” said Kane County Forest Preserve President Jack Cook (R-Elgin) after the commissioners’ scheduled monthly meeting Wednesday in Geneva.
Kane last approved a bond issue for land acquisition in 1991, and most of that $30 million has been spent.
The “buy” signals sent by voters in Lake, Kane and Will were so strong, conservationists are hoping to capitalize on the trend.
As a next step, several said they would encourage support for Gov. George Ryan’s proposal to create a $160 million fund to protect open land.
Cook County so far has been the region’s leader in preserving open space, with about 11.1 percent of all land set aside, according to the Openlands Project. DuPage ranks second, with 10.9 percent and Lake County ranks third, with 7.1 percent.
McHenry, Kane and Will County each have less than 3 percent of land preserved, with 2.6, 2.4 and 2.2 percent, respectively.
Those percentages are expected to change as forest preserve districts in DuPage, Lake, Kane and Will Counties begin to make use of the newly approved funds.
In McHenry County, the Conservation District plans to double its land holdings to about 20,000 acres. A $75 million referendum may be placed on the ballot in 2001, said Bob Barkeidistrict president.
But while Tuesday’s votes may indicate that suburban voters are willing to pay to preserve open space, Kotecki said he doesn’t think DuPage will go back to its voters asking for even more money anytime soon.
“I don’t see us jumping on anything now,” he said.