OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Real Estate Committee of Forest Preserve of Cook County - April 14, 2026

Board of Commissioners — Tuesday, April 14, 2026
BodyCook County, Illinois
SessionBoard of Commissioners
DateTuesday, April 14, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

Having reached the hour of 940, I'd like to call a meeting of the real estate committee of forest preserve to order.

0:07

Madam Secretary, can we please call the roll?

0:09

Thank you, ma'am.

0:09

Commissioner Aguilar.

0:12

Commissioner Britton.

0:13

Commissioner Daly.

0:14

Commissioner Degnan.

0:16

Commissioner Gaynor is excused.

0:18

Commissioner Laurie.

0:19

Present.

0:20

Commissioner McCaskill.

0:21

Commissioner Miller.

0:23

Vice Chair Moore.

0:26

Is present.

0:27

Thank you.

0:27

Commissioner Marita is present.

0:30

Thank you.

0:30

Commissioner Kevin Morrison.

0:32

Thank you.

0:32

Commissioner Shon Morrison.

0:34

Present.

0:34

Commissioner Scott.

0:35

Present.

0:36

Commissioner Stamps is excused.

0:38

Commissioner Trevor.

0:39

Here.

0:40

And Commissioner Vasquez.

0:42

Madam Chair is also present.

0:43

You do have a quorum, ma'am.

0:45

All members present with the exception of two excused absences for Commissioner Gaynor and Commissioner Stamps.

0:50

And no remote participation is needed for this committee.

0:53

So we'll um begin with public testimony.

0:55

Are there any public uh registered speakers?

0:58

No speakers for this meeting either.

0:59

Okay, no changes to the agenda.

1:01

I see.

1:02

Um so we'll begin with uh the approval of the committee minutes um how uh from our previous meeting held on March 10, 2026.

1:09

This is moved by Vice Chair Moore, second by Commissioner Sean Morrison for approval.

1:13

All those in favor signify by saying aye.

1:15

Aye, all those opposed, nays, ayes have it.

1:18

Uh our following items um is item 26-0167.

1:24

This is a proposed license request uh for comed um to locate and operate and maintain a thousand um eight hundred and six feet of new um cables in 95th Street and Archer Avenue.

1:39

Um this has been moved by Vice Chair Moore, second by Commissioner Sean Morrison.

1:45

Are there any questions?

1:48

Seeing none, all those in favor signify by saying aye.

1:52

Aye.

1:53

Um I I apologize, superintendent.

1:55

Did you were there any additional comments on that one?

1:58

Um thank you.

1:58

Just to note that um this line is with 100% within the road right-of-way, uh, no trees impacted.

2:05

So um this will be a 10-year term with uh with commed for this line.

2:10

I was in the 17th district, correct?

2:12

Correct.

2:13

Okay, wonderful.

2:14

Um our next item is item 26-0168.

2:18

This is a proposed license request, also with comed.

2:21

Um this is for 482 feet, and this is in the Dundee Road in Palatine.

2:28

Um, so this is also for 10 years uh in the 14th district.

2:33

So this is moved by Vice Chair Moore, seconded by Commissioner Britton.

2:37

Um Superintendent, any additional comments on this?

2:40

Yeah, this um this project here is actually an IDOT project that we reconstructing the road, excuse me, and uh therefore command needs to move its it's move its line.

2:50

So it will be eight trees impacted um through this work as well.

2:55

But um, you know that this uh this work will also help us to continue to maintain connectivity there with our our sidewalks.

3:02

Perfect, madam chair.

3:03

Thank you.

3:04

Yes, uh Commissioner Brennan.

3:06

This this is in my district, and uh of course I'm very supportive of uh cooperating with both uh comed and the uh Illinois Department of Transportation.

3:14

But when's the last time we looked at our license fees?

3:17

Have we done that recently?

3:23

Hey, this is Lisa Lee, Chief Attorney for the Forest Preserve.

3:27

I will say that there is a we do have a license fee section in our code of ordinances with a built-in escalator.

3:34

Um we have not went back to our license fee structure to see if that escalator is appropriate, um, but we can do so.

3:41

I I would recommend that I'm just looking for any way to get some cash in.

3:45

So yeah, just take a look at that.

3:47

No rush.

3:47

Thank you, Lisa.

3:48

Thank you.

3:49

Any other questions?

3:50

Seeing none, all those in favor signify by saying aye.

3:53

Those opposed, nays, eyes have it.

3:55

Motion is approved.

3:57

Our final item for this committee is item 26-0169.

4:01

This is an easement request.

4:03

Um, requesting authorization of the forest preserve of Cook County to grant a permanent uh permanent and temporary easement of the also to IDOD.

4:12

This is in uh the 9th district for five years.

4:17

The temporary is for five years.

4:20

Um so this is moved by Vice Chair Moore, seconded by Commissioner Trevor.

4:24

Superintendent, any additional comments or background on this item?

4:27

Yeah, so this is again another IDOT um project to address some safety um issues with the potential collapse of the display's river along the display's river, and uh this will improve the pedestrian safety there by um retaining uh working on the retaining wall and adding some riprap and a new sidewalk and some other improvements.

4:45

There'll be roughly 16 trees that will be sort of impacted through that that I not has agreed to pay for those tree mitigation fees.

4:53

Thank you.

4:53

Any questions?

4:54

Yes, Commissioner Trevor.

4:56

Thank you, Chair.

4:57

Um just a quick question.

5:00

Will this uh help further um the uh displains river trail project in any way?

5:06

No, I do not believe so.

5:09

Thank you.

5:12

Um any other questions?

5:13

Seeing none, all those in favor signify by saying aye.

5:17

All those opposed and nays, the ayes have it.

5:19

The motion passes.

5:20

Without without any further business with uh in front of this committee, we'll um entertain a motion to adjourn.

5:26

This is moved by Commissioner uh Rice Chair Moore, second by Commissioner Marita.

5:32

All those in favor signify by saying aye.

5:34

All those opposed, nays, the ayes have it.

5:36

We're adjourned.

5:38

Thank you, ma'am.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural█████████████████████████████████████████████59%
Engineering And Infrastructure███████████████████████████████41%
Summary of Proceedings

Real Estate Committee of the Forest Preserve of Cook County - April 14, 2026

Meeting called to order at 9:40 AM. All members present except Commissioners Gaynor and Stamps (excused). No remote participation. No public testimony was registered.

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of Committee Minutes (March 10, 2026): Moved by Vice Chair Moore, seconded by Commissioner Sean Morrison. Approved by voice vote (all ayes).

Discussion Items

  • Item 26-0167 – ComEd License (95th Street & Archer Avenue, 17th District): Proposed license for ComEd to locate, operate, and maintain 1,806 feet of new cables. Term: 10 years. Superintendent noted the line is 100% within the road right-of-way, with no trees impacted. Moved by Vice Chair Moore, seconded by Commissioner Sean Morrison. Approved by voice vote.
  • Item 26-0168 – ComEd License (Dundee Road, Palatine, 14th District): Proposed license for 482 feet of cable, term 10 years. This is an IDOT road reconstruction project; ComEd must relocate its line. Eight trees will be impacted. The work will help maintain sidewalk connectivity. Commissioner Brennan (in whose district the project lies) expressed support and asked when the Forest Preserve last reviewed its license fee structure. Lisa Lee, Chief Attorney, responded that the Code of Ordinances includes a built-in escalator but that the board has not recently assessed whether the escalator is still appropriate. Commissioner Brennan asked that the fee structure be reviewed, without urgency. Moved by Vice Chair Moore, seconded by Commissioner Britton. Approved by voice vote.
  • Item 26-0169 – IDOT Easement (9th District): Request to grant a permanent easement and a temporary easement (5 years) to IDOT. Superintendent described the project as addressing safety issues related to potential collapse of the Des Plaines River retaining wall, including riprap, a new sidewalk, and other improvements. Approximately 16 trees will be impacted; IDOT has agreed to pay mitigation fees. Commissioner Trevor asked whether the easement would further the Des Plaines River Trail project; the superintendent responded that it would not. Moved by Vice Chair Moore, seconded by Commissioner Trevor. Approved by voice vote.

Key Outcomes

  • All three items (license requests and easement) were approved unanimously by voice vote.
  • The committee directed staff to review the license fee structure (though no specific timeline was set).
  • Meeting adjourned following a motion by Vice Chair Moore, seconded by Commissioner Marita, with all in favor.

Meeting Transcript

Having reached the hour of 940, I'd like to call a meeting of the real estate committee of forest preserve to order. Madam Secretary, can we please call the roll? Thank you, ma'am. Commissioner Aguilar. Commissioner Britton. Commissioner Daly. Commissioner Degnan. Commissioner Gaynor is excused. Commissioner Laurie. Present. Commissioner McCaskill. Commissioner Miller. Vice Chair Moore. Is present. Thank you. Commissioner Marita is present. Thank you. Commissioner Kevin Morrison. Thank you. Commissioner Shon Morrison. Present. Commissioner Scott. Present. Commissioner Stamps is excused. Commissioner Trevor. Here. And Commissioner Vasquez. Madam Chair is also present. You do have a quorum, ma'am. All members present with the exception of two excused absences for Commissioner Gaynor and Commissioner Stamps. And no remote participation is needed for this committee. So we'll um begin with public testimony. Are there any public uh registered speakers? No speakers for this meeting either. Okay, no changes to the agenda. I see. Um so we'll begin with uh the approval of the committee minutes um how uh from our previous meeting held on March 10, 2026. This is moved by Vice Chair Moore, second by Commissioner Sean Morrison for approval. All those in favor signify by saying aye. Aye, all those opposed, nays, ayes have it. Uh our following items um is item 26-0167. This is a proposed license request uh for comed um to locate and operate and maintain a thousand um eight hundred and six feet of new um cables in 95th Street and Archer Avenue. Um this has been moved by Vice Chair Moore, second by Commissioner Sean Morrison. Are there any questions? Seeing none, all those in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Um I I apologize, superintendent. Did you were there any additional comments on that one? Um thank you. Just to note that um this line is with 100% within the road right-of-way, uh, no trees impacted.

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