Local,county and state officials have banded together to try to mitigate the impact of the Navy’s plan to rebuild military housing at Ft. Sheridan.
The task force will consist of the mayors of Highland Park and Highwood, school board presidents from Districts 112 and 113, Lake County Board members, Highland Park Park District President Lorry Werhane and state Sen. Susan Garrett (D-Lake Forest), among others, said Highland Park Mayor Mike Belsky.
It’s “better to have all of these groups at the table” as the Ft. Sheridan project proceeds, Belsky said.
The task force plans to meet monthly starting Friday, he said.
Belsky and others have voiced concern over the Navy’s plan to replace dilapidated military housing at Ft. Sheridan with new homes, which would be placed on the tax rolls for the first time.
The plan also calls for selling some of the military’s most valuable land — 51 acres along the lakefront — to a developer.
According to a tentative timeline, proposals from developers are due this month, with contracts to be awarded in November, property back on tax rolls in 2006 and homes built by 2008.
Just how development will affect schools, parks and other aspects of Highland Park and Highwood remains uncertain as an increase in property tax revenue is weighed against a possible increase in costs to the communities, the schools and other groups providing services to residents, officials said.
“We do want to make sure the school districts are not overwhelmed,” said Belsky, who said the task force will look at property taxes, land contributions, impact fees and federal aid to the schools.