[BCNnet] Palos Park meeting Aug 21 on St. Coletta/Shadow Ridge subdivision

Thu, 21 Aug 2003 08:06:49 -0500

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Here is an update on the St. Coletta's/Shadow Ridge subdivision, which =
could affect Bergman Slough and the nesting ospreys. I have included a =
bit of background info from John Sheerin and Gail and Emil Biedron. I =
believe that Wes Serafin, Chris Williamson and Dale Bowman have all =
written about this issue before also, but I can't find the information =
in my old e-mails, so if anyone else has pertinent info, please post it.

Thanks,

Alan Anderson, casresearch@comcast.net, Des Plaines

Chicago Audubon Society

---------------------------------------

At the Palos Park Plan Commission meeting to be held on Thurs., Aug. 21
at 7:30pm, Donald Jeanes will be submitting his final (?) plans for his
St. Coletta's/ Shadow Ridge subdivision. It ( the agenda) is not on the
web site yet, but one of the commissioners told us about it. Jeanes has
supposedly moved the Ford Rd. entrance further east on Ford Rd. and
there are some changes in the lot configurations. Perhaps, you already
know about these items.

On Monday, Aug. 25 at 7:30 pm the Palos Park Village Council will meet
and the plans for the water and sewer for Shadow Ridge will be presented
by Jeanes. This also was not on the website.

Please pass this info along to other interested parties.
--=20
Gail & Emil Biedron
11357 McCarthy Rd.
Palos Park IL 60464
(708) 448-3607
ebiedron@mindspring.com mailto:ebiedron@mindspring.com

---------------------------------

background information

-----1) October 14, 2002, from John Sheerin:

The St. Coletta's property, formerly the Kennedy School, is a large site =
strategically located south and east of Cap Sauers Holdings, west of the =
Bergman Slough parcel and north of 123rd street. It is adjacent to =
forest preserves on 3 sides and parts of the site are woods. Parts of =
teh site have been developed in the past institutionally, and parts of =
the site are open grassy field. It would be a great woods and it is for =
sale by the order that owns the site. A former Mayor (Don Jeans) is =
trying to develop the site into single family homes and the FPD has no =
money to buy the site, although it would be a great forest preserve =
land. It is identified as an opportunity area in the FPD Land =
Acquisition Plan.=20

Some local citizens are opposing the development but things don't look =
good for them. Does anyone have a suggestion what they can do here? The =
FPD has been no help.

---2) Jan. 10, 2003, from Gail J. & Emil J Biedron:
Just a few notes on the St. Coletta's (123rd and Ford Road) property.

1. At the Dec.17 reception, we asked Joe Nevius, if it would be
acceptable for us to contact large corporations and ask them to give
the forest preserve financial assistance in order that they could=20
purchase the 54 acre St. Coletta's property. His reply was yes.

2. On Jan. 4th, we mailed out letters to 123 of the largest corporations
with a strong presence in the Chicago Metropolitan area. The mailing
included the letter of request and a three page information packet. If
the response is poor, we are prepared to send out more to other selected
firms.

3. We have talked to Kathy Oskandy, Chief of Staff to commissioner
Maldonado and she is setting up a meeting for us with him as soon as
possible. The next Real Estate committee meeting has not been=20
scheduled yet.

4. The Palos Park Plan Commission has scheduled a special meeting on
Monday, Feb. 3, 2003 at 7:30 pm for the purpose of reviewing the
preliminary subdivision plan in accordance with chapter 1244 of the=20
village code regarding St. Coletta's R-1-A subdivision.

5. Last night( Jan. 9) we attended the DuPage Birding Club meeting and
talked with Ruth Najacht (DBC and Sierra Club member) about the St.
Coletta's property and the Ospreys. Christine, Ruth said she will see
you on Sat. Jan. 18 at the BCN meeting and that you would probably
discuss it at that time. That same day (Sat. Jan. 18) we are attending
an all day grassroots training session for clean water advocates given
by Prairie Rivers Network. It will be held in Hinsdale. Thought we
might get some tips for Bergman Slough as well as other future
projects.

6. We also talked to DBC president, Joy Zamirowsky, and informed her
about St. Coletta's. She suggested we call Jim Phillips, from the
fisheries department of CCFPD. He lives at or near Tampier Slough in=20
forest preserve housing and is very interested in the ospreys. He was
a former DBC member.=20

7. Today, Jan. 10, we called Joe Nevius. His secretary said he was at a
meeting and would return our call. She said, he received our letter
which we sent to him this week. In it, we told him about the letters
we sent to the corporations and provided him with a list of them.

8. We are anxious to learn if any additional information has been
uncovered about the sale of the property by the forest preserve to the
nuns, for creating Kennedy School/St. Coletta's about 50 years ago.=20
There is a possibility that details in that contract might shed a whole
new light on the topic.

9. We still plan to contact more IDNR and U.S. Fish & Wildlife people.

10. The 'St. Coletta's School' sign is still on the property, suggesting
that the sale has NOT reached the final steps.

11. We would certainly appreciate any suggestions you might have in
fighting the pending subdivision. Or at least, some methods for
putting some stumbling blocks in the way, in order for the forest
preserve to have some extra needed time.

--=20
Gail J. & Emil J Biedron
11357 McCarthy Rd.
Palos Park IL 60464
(708) 448-3607
ebiedron@mindspring.com <mailto:ebiedron@mindspring.com>

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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>
<P>Here is an update on the St. Coletta's/Shadow Ridge subdivision, =
which could=20
affect Bergman Slough and the nesting ospreys. I have included a bit of=20
background info from John Sheerin and Gail and Emil Biedron. I believe =
that Wes=20
Serafin, Chris Williamson and Dale Bowman have all written about this =
issue=20
before also, but I can't find the information in my old e-mails, so if =
anyone=20
else has pertinent info, please post it.</P>
<P>&nbsp;</P>
<P>Thanks,</P>
<P>Alan Anderson, casresearch@comcast.net, Des Plaines</P>
<P>Chicago Audubon Society</P>
<P>---------------------------------------</P>
<P>At the Palos Park Plan Commission meeting to be held on Thurs., Aug. =
21<BR>at=20
7:30pm, Donald Jeanes will be submitting his final (?) plans for =
his<BR>St.=20
Coletta's/ Shadow Ridge subdivision. It ( the agenda) is not on =
the<BR>web site=20
yet, but one of the commissioners told us about it. Jeanes =
has<BR>supposedly=20
moved the Ford Rd. entrance further east on Ford Rd. and<BR>there are =
some=20
changes in the lot configurations. Perhaps, you already<BR>know about =
these=20
items.<BR><BR>On Monday, Aug. 25 at 7:30 pm the Palos Park Village =
Council will=20
meet<BR>and the plans for the water and sewer for Shadow Ridge will be=20
presented<BR>by Jeanes. This also was not on the website.<BR><BR>Please =
pass=20
this info along to other interested parties.<BR>-- <BR>Gail &amp; Emil=20
Biedron<BR>11357 McCarthy Rd.<BR>Palos Park IL 60464<BR>(708)=20
448-3607<BR><U><FONT color=3D#0000ff>ebiedron@mindspring.com <A=20
href=3D"mailto:ebiedron@mindspring.com">mailto:ebiedron@mindspring.com</A=
></U></FONT><BR><BR>---------------------------------</P>
<P>background information</P>
<P>-----1) October 14, 2002, from John Sheerin:</P>
<P>The St. Coletta's property, formerly the Kennedy School, is a large =
site=20
strategically located south and east of Cap Sauers Holdings, west of the =
Bergman=20
Slough parcel and north of 123rd street. It is adjacent to forest =
preserves on 3=20
sides and parts of the site are woods. Parts of teh site have been =
developed in=20
the past institutionally, and parts of the site are open grassy field. =
It would=20
be a great woods and it is for sale by the order that owns the site. A =
former=20
Mayor (Don Jeans) is trying to develop the site into single family homes =
and the=20
FPD has no money to buy the site, although it would be a great forest =
preserve=20
land. It is identified as an opportunity area in the FPD Land =
Acquisition Plan.=20
<BR><BR>Some local citizens are opposing the development but things =
don't look=20
good for them. Does anyone have a suggestion what they can do here? The =
FPD has=20
been no help.<BR></P>
<P>---2) Jan. 10, 2003, from Gail J. &amp; Emil J Biedron:<BR>Just a few =
notes=20
on the St. Coletta's (123rd and Ford Road) property.<BR><BR>1. At the =
Dec.17=20
reception, we asked Joe Nevius, if it would be<BR>acceptable for us to =
contact=20
large corporations and ask them to give<BR>the forest preserve financial =

assistance in order that they could purchase the 54 acre St. =
Coletta's=20
property. His reply was yes. 2. On Jan. 4th, we mailed out =
letters to 123=20
of the largest corporations with a strong presence in the Chicago=20
Metropolitan area. The mailing included the letter of request and a =
three=20
page information packet. If the response is poor, we are prepared to =
send out=20
more to other selected firms. 3. We have talked to Kathy =
Oskandy,=20
Chief of Staff to commissioner Maldonado and she is setting up a =
meeting for=20
us with him as soon as possible. The next Real Estate committee =
meeting has=20
not been scheduled yet. 4. The Palos Park Plan Commission has =

scheduled a special meeting on Monday, Feb. 3, 2003 at 7:30 pm for =
the=20
purpose of reviewing the preliminary subdivision plan in accordance =
with=20
chapter 1244 of the village code regarding St. Coletta's R-1-A=20
subdivision. 5. Last night( Jan. 9) we attended the DuPage =
Birding Club=20
meeting and talked with Ruth Najacht (DBC and Sierra Club member) =
about the=20
St. Coletta's property and the Ospreys. Christine, Ruth said she will =

see you on Sat. Jan. 18 at the BCN meeting and that you would=20
probably discuss it at that time. That same day (Sat. Jan. 18) we are =

attending an all day grassroots training session for clean water =
advocates=20
given by Prairie Rivers Network. It will be held in Hinsdale. Thought =

we might get some tips for Bergman Slough as well as other=20
future projects. 6. We also talked to DBC president, Joy =
Zamirowsky,=20
and informed her about St. Coletta's. She suggested we call Jim =
Phillips,=20
from the fisheries department of CCFPD. He lives at or near Tampier =
Slough in=20
 forest preserve housing and is very interested in the ospreys. He =
was a=20
former DBC member. 7. Today, Jan. 10, we called Joe Nevius. His=20
secretary said he was at a meeting and would return our call. She =
said, he=20
received our letter which we sent to him this week. In it, we told =
him about=20
the letters we sent to the corporations and provided him with a list =
of=20
them. 8. We are anxious to learn if any additional information =
has=20
been uncovered about the sale of the property by the forest preserve =
to=20
the nuns, for creating Kennedy School/St. Coletta's about 50 years =
ago.=20
 There is a possibility that details in that contract might shed a=20
whole new light on the topic. 9. We still plan to contact more =
IDNR=20
and U.S. Fish &amp; Wildlife people. 10. The 'St. Coletta's =
School' sign=20
is still on the property, suggesting that the sale has NOT reached =
the final=20
steps. 11. We would certainly appreciate any suggestions you =
might have=20
in fighting the pending subdivision. Or at least, some methods =
for putting=20
some stumbling blocks in the way, in order for the forest preserve to =
have=20
some extra needed time. -- Gail J. &amp; Emil J =
Biedron 11357=20
McCarthy Rd. Palos Park IL 60464 (708) 448-3607 ebiedron@mindspring.com=20
&lt;mailto:ebiedron@mindspring.com&gt;<FONT=20
size=3D2> </DIV></BODY></HTML>

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