[BCNnet] Wetlands threatened in Bridgeview

[Rbdoeker@aol.com]

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FYI - Randi Doeker
Chicago


Wetlands may be price of parking 
Sunday, April 25, 2004
By Stephanie Gehring
Staff writer - Daily Southtown
 
Bridgeview may pave over some wetlands to provide parking for its planned 
soccer stadium, Mayor Steve Landek said. 

"The definition of wetlands has changed," he said. "We hope to work that out 
with the Environmental Protection Agency." 

The 11 acres of wetlands stretch from Harlem Avenue to Sayre Avenue, and 
roughly 77th to 75th streets. 
Cranes, hawks and other migratory birds often are seen nearby, residents say. 


Amber Korpal, who lives near the wetlands in unincorporated Nottingham Park, 
said it would be unfortunate if Bridgeview converted some of the acreage into 
parking. 
"I will be so upset it wouldn't even be funny," Korpal said. "I hope they 
won't let them pave over it. Before you know it, everywhere we look is going to 
be all pavement." 
The wetlands are owned by the Bridgeview Park District. 

Ironically, the parcel was donated to the park district when Landek served as 
the park district's director. His brother, Tom Landek, who could not be 
reached for comment, is now the director. 
The donation to the park district was part of a 1996 federal settlement 
between a developer and the EPA. 
In 1994, the EPA cited the shopping center's developer, Melvin Simon and 
Associates Inc. of Indianapolis, for building Bridgeview Court at 77th Street and 
Harlem Avenue on wetlands without obtaining necessary federal permits. 

Under the stadium plan, Bridgeview intends to redevelop most of the shopping 
center into a $70 million professional stadium project on 60 acres near 79th 
Street and Harlem Avenue. 
The 20,000-seat stadium, which will be owned by the village, will be home to 
the Chicago Fire. Anschutz Entertainment Group, the stadium's manager, will 
offer concerts there, too. 
To accommodate soccer fans and concertgoers, the village needs about 6,000 
parking spaces for the stadium, which is expected to open in spring 2006. 
While some off-site parking is likely, Landek said he is eyeing a portion of 
the wetlands. 
"We're looking at all options, but I think we need to talk to the EPA," 
Landek said. 
In fact, officials say the village would have to seek out recommendations and 
permission from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the EPA, the Illinois 
Department of Natural Resources and the Cook County Storm Water Management Agency. 

Landek is banking on a change in the definition of wetlands that resulted 
from a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 2001. 
The court said those wetlands which are not connected to a body of water 
under the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' jurisdiction are considered isolated 
wetlands. 
The high court then ruled isolated wetlands do not fall under the corps 
jurisdiction, said Bruce Yurdin, manager of the watershed management section bureau 
of water for the IEPA. 
The EPA is involved in a joint-permitting process with the corps for projects 
proposed for wetlands. 

Jack Darin, director of the Illinois Chapter of the Sierra Club, said that as 
a result of the Supreme Court ruling, the responsibility to protect isolated 
wetlands falls on local governments. 
"It is up to the state and local government to protect them," Darin said. 
A bill to do just that is pending in the state Legislature, but it exempts 
Cook County, Darin said. An ordinance recently was introduced by Cook County 
Commissioner Larry Suffredin, but it has yet to be debated, Darin said. 

The ordinance basically calls for regulation of the isolated wetlands at the 
county level. 
"It is unfortunate that the park district would be so willing to give up a 
piece of the community's natural heritage when there is very little left to 
begin with," Darin said. 
He said about 90 percent of Illinois original wetlands have been lost, but 
Yurdin said 900,000 acres of wetlands still exist in the state. 
Additionally, the loss of wetlands, which act like sponges, could mean 
flooding in the community, Darin said. 
"Every remaining parcel has some value if only absorbing flood waters. A 
wetland of 11 acres is likely to have some habitat value," Darin said. 

Mitch Isoe, regulatory branch chief of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, says 
that once Bridgeview submits a permit, the corps will have to determine what 
kind of wetlands are in Bridgeview. 
But the corps doesn't get involved before a community or developer files a 
permit. 
"Once they apply to build a project, then we look at what it is they are 
proposing and where they're proposing it," Isoe said. 

Carol Knowles, spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, 
said her agency would also review the project. 
"We review it for impacts on natural areas, endangered and threatened species 
and wetlands," Knowles said. 
While the IDNR makes recommendations, they are not binding unless endangered 
species are involved, Knowles said. 
Darin said his organization might try to help find a "win-win solution" for 
the project. 

Chris Slattery, director of the Chicago office for the Trust for Public Land, 
said organizations like hers also try to work with communities. 
"Giving up wetlands is something that shouldn't happen for private purposes. 
When there's a competing public project, we'd like to see both," Slattery 
said. "In an ideal world, you'd find a way to do both - protect the wetlands and 
build the soccer stadium." 
Landek says the village wants to preserve a portion of the acreage. 
"We want to make sure there's a wetland component to the stadium and make it 
an interesting feature for people who come to the stadium," he said. 
"We want to improve the quality of wetlands and we have an idea how we can do 
that with the stadium." 
Stephanie Gehring may be reached at sgehring@dailysouthtown.com or (708) 
633-5971. 

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<HTML><FONT FACE=3Darial,helvetica><HTML><FONT  SIZE=3D2 PTSIZE=3D10 FAMILY=
=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0">FYI - Randi Doeker<BR>
Chicago<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
</FONT><FONT  COLOR=3D"#000000" BACK=3D"#ffffff" style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR:=20=
#ffffff" SIZE=3D2 PTSIZE=3D10 FAMILY=3D"SERIF" FACE=3D"Bookman Old Style" LA=
NG=3D"0">Wetlands may be price of parking <BR>
Sunday, April 25, 2004<BR>
By Stephanie Gehring<BR>
Staff writer - Daily Southtown<BR>
 <BR>
Bridgeview may pave over some wetlands to provide parking for its planned so=
ccer stadium, Mayor Steve Landek said. <BR>
<BR>
"The definition of wetlands has changed," he said. "We hope to work that out=
 with the Environmental Protection Agency." <BR>
<BR>
The 11 acres of wetlands stretch from Harlem Avenue to Sayre Avenue, and rou=
ghly 77th to 75th streets. <BR>
Cranes, hawks and other migratory birds often are seen nearby, residents say=
. <BR>
<BR>
Amber Korpal, who lives near the wetlands in unincorporated Nottingham Park,=
 said it would be unfortunate if Bridgeview converted some of the acreage in=
to parking. <BR>
"I will be so upset it wouldn't even be funny," Korpal said. "I hope they wo=
n't let them pave over it. Before you know it, everywhere we look is going t=
o be all pavement." <BR>
The wetlands are owned by the Bridgeview Park District. <BR>
<BR>
Ironically, the parcel was donated to the park district when Landek served a=
s the park district's director. His brother, Tom Landek, who could not be re=
ached for comment, is now the director. <BR>
The donation to the park district was part of a 1996 federal settlement betw=
een a developer and the EPA. <BR>
In 1994, the EPA cited the shopping center's developer, Melvin Simon and Ass=
ociates Inc. of Indianapolis, for building Bridgeview Court at 77th Street a=
nd Harlem Avenue on wetlands without obtaining necessary federal permits. <B=
R>
<BR>
Under the stadium plan, Bridgeview intends to redevelop most of the shopping=
 center into a $70 million professional stadium project on 60 acres near 79t=
h Street and Harlem Avenue. <BR>
The 20,000-seat stadium, which will be owned by the village, will be home to=
 the Chicago Fire. Anschutz Entertainment Group, the stadium's manager, will=
 offer concerts there, too. <BR>
To accommodate soccer fans and concertgoers, the village needs about 6,000 p=
arking spaces for the stadium, which is expected to open in spring 2006. <BR=
>
While some off-site parking is likely, Landek said he is eyeing a portion of=
 the wetlands. <BR>
"We're looking at all options, but I think we need to talk to the EPA," Land=
ek said. <BR>
In fact, officials say the village would have to seek out recommendations an=
d permission from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the EPA, the Illinois De=
partment of Natural Resources and the Cook County Storm Water Management Age=
ncy. <BR>
<BR>
Landek is banking on a change in the definition of wetlands that resulted fr=
om a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 2001. <BR>
The court said those wetlands which are not connected to a body of water und=
er the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' jurisdiction are considered isolated we=
tlands. <BR>
The high court then ruled isolated wetlands do not fall under the corps juri=
sdiction, said Bruce Yurdin, manager of the watershed management section bur=
eau of water for the IEPA. <BR>
The EPA is involved in a joint-permitting process with the corps for project=
s proposed for wetlands. <BR>
<BR>
Jack Darin, director of the Illinois Chapter of the Sierra Club, said that a=
s a result of the Supreme Court ruling, the responsibility to protect isolat=
ed wetlands falls on local governments. <BR>
"It is up to the state and local government to protect them," Darin said. <B=
R>
A bill to do just that is pending in the state Legislature, but it exempts C=
ook County, Darin said. An ordinance recently was introduced by Cook County=20=
Commissioner Larry Suffredin, but it has yet to be debated, Darin said. <BR>
<BR>
The ordinance basically calls for regulation of the isolated wetlands at the=
 county level. <BR>
"It is unfortunate that the park district would be so willing to give up a p=
iece of the community's natural heritage when there is very little left to b=
egin with," Darin said. <BR>
He said about 90 percent of Illinois original wetlands have been lost, but Y=
urdin said 900,000 acres of wetlands still exist in the state. <BR>
Additionally, the loss of wetlands, which act like sponges, could mean flood=
ing in the community, Darin said. <BR>
"Every remaining parcel has some value if only absorbing flood waters. A wet=
land of 11 acres is likely to have some habitat value," Darin said. <BR>
<BR>
Mitch Isoe, regulatory branch chief of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, say=
s that once Bridgeview submits a permit, the corps will have to determine wh=
at kind of wetlands are in Bridgeview. <BR>
But the corps doesn't get involved before a community or developer files a p=
ermit. <BR>
"Once they apply to build a project, then we look at what it is they are pro=
posing and where they're proposing it," Isoe said. <BR>
<BR>
Carol Knowles, spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources,=
 said her agency would also review the project. <BR>
"We review it for impacts on natural areas, endangered and threatened specie=
s and wetlands," Knowles said. <BR>
While the IDNR makes recommendations, they are not binding unless endangered=
 species are involved, Knowles said. <BR>
Darin said his organization might try to help find a "win-win solution" for=20=
the project. <BR>
<BR>
Chris Slattery, director of the Chicago office for the Trust for Public Land=
, said organizations like hers also try to work with communities. <BR>
"Giving up wetlands is something that shouldn't happen for private purposes.=
 When there's a competing public project, we'd like to see both," Slattery s=
aid. "In an ideal world, you'd find a way to do both - protect the wetlands=20=
and build the soccer stadium." <BR>
Landek says the village wants to preserve a portion of the acreage. <BR>
"We want to make sure there's a wetland component to the stadium and make it=
 an interesting feature for people who come to the stadium," he said. <BR>
"We want to improve the quality of wetlands and we have an idea how we can d=
o that with the stadium." <BR>
Stephanie Gehring may be reached at sgehring@dailysouthtown.com or (708) 633=
-5971. <BR>
</FONT></HTML>
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