Homer Township residents upset at ‘open house’ being put up for bid

HOMER TOWNSHIP, Illinois (CBS) – They voted to protect their land by means of an “open space” program greater than 20 years in the past.

Now, residents in a single southwest suburban space stated their elected officers are altering the sport. CBS 2’s Lauren Victory went to Homer Township to analyze.

At Trantina Farm, simply off 151st Street, there is a strolling path, a playground, a number of historic constructions. Overall, there’s not a lot there, and that is how some residents need it to remain.

Chopper 2 gave viewers a way of what it is like in Homer Township. There’s plenty of farmland and never plenty of growth.

In 1999, residents voted to maintain it that means by creating an “open space” program. About 240 acres are preserved from builders, or so that they thought.

Less than a month in the past, greater than half of the “open space” land was put up on the market by elected officers.

We requested the township supervisor stated he desires to make use of proceeds to construct a spot that each one residents can use.

“I look at it like this: Do you want to have a farm to look at?” stated Supervisor Steve Balich. “You can’t go play in the farm. You don’t own the crops. Or [would you rather] have a community center that everybody can use?”

“When residents voted to get this land and put it in an open space preserved status, as anybody would with a forest preserve, you never expect that the land is gonna be sold,” stated Gail Snyder, with the “Stop the Sale” marketing campaign.

Snyder’s group is elevating cash to rent a lawyer to struggle any modifications to Homer Township’s open areas.

Balich stated attorneys instructed him he is in a position to promote open house if it is utilized in a approach to develop the world to raised profit residents. As he defined, he desires to construct a group heart at Trantina Farm.

People can bid on the open house on the market till Oct. 17.