News
on Virgil DevelopmentNews
on Virgil DevelopmentDaily Herald
July 29, 2006
By Susan Sarkauskas
Daily Herald Staff Writer
The Kane County Forest Preserve District this week closed on its biggest land purchase.
In a statement
released Friday, the forest preserve said it bought 1,117 acres in
Virgil Township to form Virgil Forest Preserve. It will be the
district’s second-largest property and the first in the township.
The district
negotiated with seven landowners with adjoining properties. Forest
preserve President John Hoscheit said the district paid nearly $30
million for the farms.
The land is
located near Sauber and Lee roads, mostly northwest of Virgil. Three of
the farms were owned by members of the Sauber family.
Much of the land had been proposed for a 2,600-home development by B&B Enterprises of St. Charles.
The money came from a tax increase voters approved in 2005 to generate $75 million for preserving open space.
Hoscheit
credited the efforts of the Preserve Virgil group with focusing the
district on preserving open space in the township. The village of
Virgil later agreed with the effort, which was necessary for the
district to buy the properties.
“I’m excited about it. We worked hard to get that done,” Hoscheit said.