Lemont Annexations Challenged in Lawsuit

LEMONT, IL — The Village of Lemont has recently been notified that it is the target of a lawsuit filed by the Cook County State’s Attorney challenging the Village’s annexation of 17 parcels of property.

Some of these parcels were annexed 20 years ago, with the most recent being six years ago.

Properties named in the lawsuit are described as the Equestrian Meadows residential subdivision at
the northwest corner of McCarthy Avenue and Bell Road, the commercially zoned property at the
southwest corner of McCarthy Avenue and Bell Road, the Chicago First Church of the Nazarene,
Westshore Pipeline, Northern Border Pipeline Company, Peoples Gas Light and Coke Company, the
High School Recreational Complex, the Fire District Property, Glens of Connemara and Kettering
Estates.

The lawsuit and map are posted on the Village’s website:www.lemont.il.uswww.lemont.il.us.

The lawsuit alleges that the 17 parcels were not allowed to be annexed as the properties were not contiguous to village land, according to a release from the Village.

"The annexations were purportedly valid at the time they were passed; therefore, the Village and the
property owners acted in good faith when attempting to create a better class of service for these
otherwise subserviced properties," wrote Village Administrator George J. Schafer. "At the time of each annexation, all 17 parcels voluntarily requested to become a part of the Village of Lemont and the Village could effectively serve the parcels."

In a followup release, Mayor Brian Reaves stated his confusion over the lawsuit.

"On behalf of the Village Board, we are perplexed as to why the Cook County State’s Attorney would be — in some cases 20 years later and the last being six years ago — challenging the annexation of owners and tenants who clearly wanted to become part of the Village of Lemont, had nowhere else to go, and have enjoyed Village of Lemont services for years.

“Returning these properties to unincorporated Cook County would be in direct contrast to the Cook County Board President’s mandate to remove as much territory from unincorporated Cook County as possible."

If the lawsuit were to prevail, the properties mentioned would return to unincorporated Cook
County and "be void of the public services and protection the Village of Lemont currently provides," Schafer wrote.

Administrators are currently analyzing the Village's options in fighting this lawsuit. The Village is notifying
the owners, residents and tenants of these properties that are directly affected.

If you would like to further discuss this lawsuit or have questions, please feel free to contact me (630)
257-1590 or email gschafer@lemont.il.us.