Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Forest Preserve District of Cook County Highlights from the 4th Quarter 2014 Board Meetings

[This report reinstates LWVCC coverage of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County (FPDCC) Board of Commissioners meetings. It provides an excellent summary of current issues at the District and recent actions of the Board to get us up to speed.]


The FPDCC will be celebrating its 100th birthday in 2015.  Today, approximately 11% of the county footprint (about 69,000 acres), is in forest preserve. A description of the 2014 accomplishments of FPDCC can be found at the October 8, 2014 special board meeting introducing the proposed 2015 budget.

The financial status of FPDCC is sound.  The corporate fund analysis discussed at the December 2014 meeting (reflecting the financial picture as of October 31) showed year-to-date revenue of $50.8 million and year-to-date expenditures at $41.9 million.  Revenues are $5.6 million ahead of last year.

The district is in year 3 of the 5-year capital improvement plan.  Examples of improvements include the construction of additional trails, trail connections, and campgrounds, and infrastructure improvements including those related to life-safety and accessibility.  Yet more tasks remain than the resources to pay for them.  

The district is still actively purchasing property where and when it makes sense to do so. Possible future acquisitions could include farmland or brownfields.  For example, at the December board meeting, members approved acquisition of lands near Lake Calumet that will connect to the Illinois Department of Natural Resource managed areas. (See December meeting notes.)  The district is also partnering with other units of government, e.g. the City of Chicago, on a rails to trails project for Bunker Hill/North Branch Division in Niles.

The FPDCC's ability to fulfill its mission is enhanced by two organizations: the Forest Preserve Foundation and the FPDCC Conservation and Policy Council. The Forest Preserve Foundation, an independent 501(c)(3) charitable foundation created in October 2012, has become an important partner for FPDCC management by raising private "funds and in-kind resources to support initiatives in the forest preserves that are new, innovative and not able to be supported through current tax revenues." More than $160,000 in grants have been made to train more than 250 students through its citizen scientist program and conservation corps programs.  For more information on these programs see  http://fpdcc.com/volunteer-spotlight-feb/.

Appointed members to the newly created (November 2014) Conservation and Policy Council advise FPDCC Commissioners, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and FPDCC General Superintendent Arnold Randall on implementation of the Next Century Conservation Plan (the guiding document for the future forest preserve district), annual budget recommendations, conservation policies & practices, and long-term strategic issues. The 10-person council is comprised of individuals whose background, experience, and volunteer activities are in conservation and habitat restoration, outdoor recreation, health & wellness, sustainable design & energy management, landscape architecture, education, environmental law, among other specialties.

The following actions, addressed by the commissioners during the 4th quarter, are particularly relevant to League positions and interests of its members:

October 7, 2014 Meeting
#14-0473/14-0472:  Resolution approving use of funds for supervision and construction funds of the 2.96 mile Southern Extension of the North Branch Bicycle Trail (from Devon & Caldwell to Foster & Kostner). This cost-sharing project (with Federal funds awarded through IDOT, to support efforts that contribute to air quality improvement and provide congestion relief), obligates FPDCC to cover 20% of the cost.

#14-0417:  The Real Estate Committee recommended approval of a license request by Waste Management of Illinois to locate, operate, and maintain two groundwater monitoring wells in Beaubien Woods Forest Preserve near the CID landfill and recycling facility on Lake Calumet.

#14-0400:  Requires a special event permit to hold rallies, pickets, protests, speeches, and demonstrations of 25 or more people in the forest preserves

#14-0475:  Disbursement of $200,000 for the Chicago Conservation Leadership Corps summer 2014 internship program

#14-0405:  Consistent with the FPDCC Next Century Conservation Plan to open up the forest preserve to non-traditional activities that will appeal to more people, a contract was awarded to Go Ape for design and construction of an aerial adventure and zipline course.  The company will pay FPDCC a $20,000 annual fee plus a tiered percentage of the gross revenue generated.  This project was opposed by the non-profit Friends of the Forest Preserves.  Commissioner Suffredin was the sole dissenting vote as he did not see this use as one that is consistent with the FPDCC mission.

#14-0484:  Contract with Chicago public television station WYCC to create a one-hour documentary focusing on the upcoming FPDCC centennial and the Next Century Conservation Plan.  Content will also be used in interactive kiosks.     

Contracts were awarded for invasive species removal at Swallow Cliffs in the Palos Preserve (#14-0464), and at various locations for: replacement tree planting due to the Emerald Ash Borer (#14-0465);  tree removal/topping/pruning (#14-0466, 14-0467);  habitat restoration & education through a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant (14-0482, 14-0483)

November 18, 2014 Meeting

#14-0391:  The Rules committee recommended full Board approval of an amendment to Title 1, Chapter 5, Section 1-5-2 of the FPDCC Code of Ordinances to require any proposed new ordinance or proposed amendment to existing ordinances be referred to a committee or subcommittee (and only one committee or subcommittee) upon introduction to the Board.  Upon referral, the committee shall hold a hearing after which the item shall be reported to the Board which may vote for immediate consideration of the item by a majority vote.

#14-0170:  Commissioner Suffredin introduced a proposed resolution opposing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers proposed use of the Fullerton Woods and Harry Semrow Golf Driving Range for stormwater management.  A 2013 report by the U.S. Corps of Engineers created a comprehensive plan for addressing flooding and stormwater along the Des Plaines River.  Recommended remediation measures included creation of a reservoir within the Aptakisic Creek watershed (Lake County) near the Village of Buffalo Grove.  The Village of Buffalo Grove passed a resolution opposing the siting of the reservoir and the Corps of Engineers modified their report to, instead, propose creation of the two FPDCC reservoirs.  However, the Corps did not present their proposal to the FPDCC Board nor has the Board acted upon the proposal, which is contrary to the mission and land use policies of FPDCC.  Furthermore, the resolution calls for the Real Estate Committee to convene a public hearing to discuss the proposed reservoirs.

#14-0419:  Authorizes the Village of Niles to locate, operate, and maintain a 72-inch storm sewer and outfall structure to the North Branch of the Chicago River.  This storm sewer will replace a 60" combined sewer that currently discharges to the North Branch in times of flooding.

#14-0537:  Disbursement of $150,666.77 to the University of Illinois' Prairie Research Institute for developing the Natural and Cultural Resources Master Plan to be produced as part of the FPDCC centennial celebration.

#14-0510:  $50,000 contract to Friends of the Forest Preserves to establish the Forest Preserve Leadership Corps which will provide advanced conservation and leadership skill training for young adults (ages 18-20) who have graduate from the Chicago Conservation Leadership Corps. This next level of training will provide year-round opportunities in prescribed fire, herbicide application, stewardship, chainsaw operation and community engagement experiences.

#14-0513:  A $43,000 grant award through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service) to manage invasive species at Wentworth Woods in Calumet City.

#14-0556:  Additional funding for architectural and engineering design & construction services at the Oak Forest Heritage Preserve.  Superintendent Randall gave a complete timeline and report on the historic and current creation of trails & trail connections at this site where the recent discovery of human remains was the subject of incorrect media reporting.

December 16, 2014 Meeting

#14-1016:  Acquisition of 1.87 acres near the Powderhorn Prairie Preserve (4000 W. 134th St., Chicago).
#14-1020:  Acquisition of 1.696 acres near Powderhorn Prairie Preserve (12201-12257 South Avenue K, Chicago)
#14-1022/#14-1023:  Creation of a forest preserve near Powderhorn Lake and Nature Preserve.

#14-1027:  Amendment of intergovernmental agreement with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources authorizing $1.6 million to the FPDCC for tasks related to the removal of the Chick Evans Golf Course and Winnetka Road dams on the North Branch, and the Dempster Dam on the Des Plaines River.  Dam removal has been in the works for 12 (!) years, and will improve recreational use of these waterways.

Submitted by Sheri Latash

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