98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2013 and 2014
HB2239

 

Introduced , by Rep. Christian L Mitchell

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
70 ILCS 810/7  from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 6410
70 ILCS 810/8  from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 6411
70 ILCS 810/8.1  from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 6411.1

    Amends the Cook County Forest Preserve District Act. Provides that any forest preserve district shall have the power to acquire land, in fee simple or by easement, for the following purposes: to create a forest preserve, for the consolidation of forest preserve units, to connect forest preserve units, to preserve and manage the water resources of the forest preserve district along water courses, and to provide for the extension of roads and parking for forest preserves. Further provides that any forest preserve district shall have the power to acquire land by easement as it shall deem necessary or desirable for public use of forest preserves. Provides that property owned by a forest preserve district and property in which a forest preserve district is the grantee of a conservation easement or the grantee of a conservation right shall not be subject to eminent domain or condemnation proceedings. Effective immediately.


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A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning local government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Cook County Forest Preserve District Act is
5amended by changing Sections 7, 8, and 8.1 as follows:
 
6    (70 ILCS 810/7)  (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 6410)
7    Sec. 7. Any forest preserve district shall have the power
8to create forest preserves, and for that purpose shall have the
9power to acquire in fee simple or by easements in land, in the
10manner hereinafter provided, and hold lands containing one or
11more natural forests or parts thereof or land or lands
12connecting such forests or parts thereof, or lands capable of
13being forested, for the purpose of protecting and preserving
14the flora, fauna, and scenic beauties within such district, and
15to restore, restock, protect and preserve the natural forests
16and such lands together with their flora and fauna, as nearly
17as may be, in their natural state and condition, for the
18purpose of the education, pleasure, and recreation of the
19public. Lands may be acquired in fee simple or by easements in
20land for the consolidation of such preserves into unit areas of
21size and form convenient and desirable for public use and
22economical maintenance and improvement and when in the judgment
23of the Board the public access, use, and enjoyment of such

 

 

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1preserves and other purposes of this Act will be served by
2connecting any such preserves with forested ways or links,
3lands for connecting links of such width, length, and location
4as the Board deem necessary or desirable may be acquired in fee
5simple or by easements in land and held for such purposes and
6improved by forestation, roads, and pathways. Any such district
7may also acquire lands in fee simple or by easements in land
8along or enclosing water courses, drainage ways, lakes, ponds,
9planned impoundments or elsewhere which, in the judgment of its
10Board are required to store flood waters, or control other
11drainage and water conditions, or to recycle secondary treated
12sewage effluents or wastewater through the production and sale
13of agricultural, silvicultural or aquacultural products,
14necessary for the preservation and management of the water
15resources of the district, provided no debris, tree, tree
16limbs, logs, shrubbery, or related growths and trimmings
17therefrom shall be deposited in, along, or upon the bank of any
18waters and water courses within the State of Illinois or any
19tributary thereto where the same shall be liable to be washed
20into or deposited along waters and water courses, either by
21normal or flood flows, as a result of storms or otherwise,
22which may in any manner impede or obstruct the natural flow of
23such waters and water courses. Unforested lands adjacent to
24forest preserves may also be acquired in fee simple or by
25easements in land, to provide for extension of roads and
26forested ways around and by such preserves and for parking

 

 

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1space for automobiles and other facilities not requiring
2forested areas but incidental to the use and protection
3thereof. All work done in or along any water course shall be
4done in accordance with the provisions of "An Act in relation
5to the regulation of the rivers, lakes, and streams of the
6State of Illinois," approved June 10, 1911, as heretofore and
7hereafter amended, insofar as such Act may be applicable.
8(Source: P.A. 80-320.)
 
9    (70 ILCS 810/8)  (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 6411)
10    Sec. 8. Any forest preserve district shall have power to
11acquire easements in land, lands in fee simple and grounds
12within such district for the aforesaid purposes by gift, grant,
13legacy, purchase or condemnation and to construct, lay out,
14improve and maintain wells, power plants, comfort stations,
15shelter houses, paths, driveways, roadways and other
16improvements and facilities in and through such forest
17preserves as it shall deem necessary or desirable for the use
18of such forest preserves by the public. Such forest preserve
19districts shall also have power to lease not to exceed 40 acres
20of the lands and grounds acquired by it, for a term of not more
21than 99 years to veterans' organizations as grounds for
22convalescing sick and disabled veterans, and as a place upon
23which to construct rehabilitation quarters, or to a county as
24grounds for a county nursing home or convalescent home. Any
25such forest preserve district shall also have power to grant

 

 

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1licenses, easements and rights-of-way for the construction,
2operation and maintenance upon, under or across any property of
3such district of facilities for water, sewage, telephone,
4telegraph, electric, gas or other public service, subject to
5such terms and conditions as may be determined by such
6district.
7    Whenever the board determines that the public interest will
8be subserved by vacating any street, roadway, or driveway, or
9part thereof, located within a forest preserve, it may vacate
10that street, roadway, or driveway, or part thereof, by an
11ordinance passed by the affirmative vote of at least 3/4 of all
12the members of the board.
13    The determination of the board that the nature and extent
14of the public use or public interest to be subserved is such as
15to warrant the vacation of any street, roadway, or driveway, or
16part thereof, is conclusive, and the passage of such an
17ordinance is sufficient evidence of that determination,
18whether so recited in the ordinance or not. The relief to the
19public from further burden and responsibility of maintaining
20any street, roadway or driveway, or part thereof, constitutes a
21public use or public interest authorizing the vacation.
22    Nothing contained in this Section shall be construed to
23authorize the board to vacate any street, roadway, or driveway,
24or part thereof, that is part of any State or county highway.
25    When property is damaged by the vacation or closing of any
26street, roadway, or driveway, or part thereof, damage shall be

 

 

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1ascertained and paid as provided by law.
2    Except in cases where the deed, or other instrument
3dedicating a street, roadway, or driveway, or part thereof, has
4expressly provided for a specific devolution of the title
5thereto upon the abandonment or vacation thereof, whenever any
6street, roadway, or driveway, or part thereof is vacated under
7or by virtue of any ordinance of any forest preserve district,
8the title to the land in fee simple included within the street,
9roadway, or driveway, or part thereof, so vacated vests in the
10forest preserve district.
11    The board of any forest preserve district is authorized to
12sell at fair market price, gravel, sand, earth and any other
13material obtained from the lands and waters owned by the
14district.
15(Source: P.A. 83-388.)
 
16    (70 ILCS 810/8.1)  (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 6411.1)
17    Sec. 8.1. Property owned by a forest preserve district and
18property in which a forest preserve district is the grantee of
19a conservation easement or grantee of a conservation right as
20defined in Section (1)(a) of the Real Property Conservation
21Rights Act shall not be subject to eminent domain or
22condemnation proceedings.
23(Source: P.A. 80-1443.)
 
24    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
25becoming law.