With the Lake Forest City Council scheduled on Monday to consider a residential development on the site of the former municipal services building, some residents continue to urge the council to modify or turn down the latest plan.
“Everybody I know has written letters to the city council or called them or both,” said Jan Gibson, who objects to the proposed development’s density, height and number of apartments (110). “Maybe it should have 50 rentals.”
Emily Watts is concerned about Franklin Park, on the northeast corner of the property, being shrunk. A proposed road running between Laurel Avenue and Franklin Place could require moving a proposed apartment building east, reducing park size. The latest plan may be found on the Lake Forest city website.
“It’s only a pocket park,” said Watts. “If they move it even further, it will greatly reduce that area.”
Watts is also concerned that if the property ends up in owned by institutional investors, there will be nothing requiring them to retain the park or the Heritage Tree.
While Franklin Park could be reduced in size, neither it nor the white swamp oak known as the Heritage Tree could be developed, said Cathy Czerniak, community development director.
“Those would be recorded on a plat as out-lots,” Czerniak said. “They could not be developed. There would be a specific requirement that they would be maintained, in perpetuity.”
Those restrictions would remain even if the developer sold the property, Czerniak said.
Czerniak declined to comment prior to the July 6 City Council meeting on whether the proposed development’s density, height or number apartments could change significantly.
Czerniak went on to say the development of the 10-acre site would have two main benefits. First, the residences would provide prospective customers who are within walking distance of downtown businesses. Second, the property would return to the tax rolls, meaning property tax revenue for the library, schools and other taxing bodies.
Monday night’s City Council meeting is open to the public and begins at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 220 E. Deerpath Road.