This information is from Bill B
Proposal 3 – Authorizing the Use of Forest Preserve Land for Specified Purposes
The proposed amendment will create a land account with up to 250 acres of forest preserve land eligible for use by towns, villages, and counties that have no viable alternative to using forest preserve land to address specific public health and safety concerns; as a substitute for the land removed from the forest preserve, another 250 acres of land, subject to legislative approval, will be added to the forest preserve. The proposed amendment also will allow bicycle trails and certain public utility lines to be located within the width of highways that traverse the forest preserve while minimizing removal of trees and vegetation. Shall the proposed amendment be approved?
The land bank would be referred to in law as the Health and Safety Land Account. Municipalities would request to use acres in the land bank to address bridge and road hazards, water wells to meet drinking water standards, and stabilizing public utility lines. Before local governments could begin requesting acres in the land bank, the state would purchase acquire 250 new acres to include in the Forest Preserve. The measure would also allow bike paths, sewer lines, and electric, telephone, and broadband lines within the width of highways (49.5 feet or the width of the easement in existence on July 1, 2015) cutting through the Forest Preserve.
Governments would need to demonstrate that no viable alternatives exist to using state Forest Preserve land for the projects. They would also be required to restore pre-project environmental conditions as much as is practicable.
The proposal will also help reduce project costs without jeopardizing or threatening the environmental concerns of the people of the state.
Our upstate communities continue to wage an uphill battle to improve their economies. This is but one small step to provide them with some relief, while at the same time allowing small infrastructure projects to move forward while continuing to protect the lands that the sporting community holds dear; the very lands we use to hunt, fish and trap and otherwise use to celebrate our great outdoors.
We strongly advise that you vote YES on Proposition 3
Bill B, thank you for letting me share it