EAST MOLINE, Ill. — In a 5-2 vote on Monday night, Dec. 20, the East Moline City Council chose to sell about 180 acres of land near Interstate 80 and Illinois 92 to the Rock Island County Forest Preserve District to be developed into a park with the help of a million-dollar grant.
However, a surprise 'veto' attempt from Mayor Reggie Freeman is holding the project in limbo for the moment.
At Monday's council meeting, the mayor announced his plans to stop the sale, despite concern from state lawyers that such a move wasn't legal. It is currently unclear what the next steps for the city will be.
However, Forest Preserve President, Kai Swanson, told News 8 he was staying optimistic and is confident the 5-2 vote will be upheld. If so, the sale would be the first of its size for the preserve since 1944.
"This would be the largest forest preserve acquisition in 77 years," Forest Preserve President Kai Swanson said. "That's quite literally a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
The park would mark the Forest Preserve District's seventh park and advanced conservation efforts in the area, with the potential of preserving endangered species like the Rusty Patched Bumblebee, America Bumblebee, Indiana Bat and Northern Long-eared Bat.
For years, the chunk of land has been touted as prime property for development but simultaneously sat empty.
Opponents to the park argue that the space could still be transformed into a housing development, with early data sent to the city council indicating such a move could generate $2,093,773 annually for all taxing districts, including $454,000 for East Moline, using 2020 tax rates.
Swanson argues those economic benefits could be found through a park as well, alongside additional recreational and environmental opportunities.
"You're gonna ride a mountain bike around a beautiful hilly park in Rock Island County, when you're done, you're going to be hungry and you're going to be tired," Swanson said. "And you're going to need a place to eat at and a place to stay."
He also argued that East Moline's hotel and motel taxes, as well as sales taxes from the city's restaurants, would also stand to see an increase in revenue from potential visitors.
"Even if there were a developer that we haven't heard from in the last decade, to suddenly show up on a white horse and offer something like this, I don't think it's realistic for the citizens of East Moline to expect any economic benefit for the better part of a generation," said Swanson.
And the money to pay for the sale would be immediately available.
The county's forest preserve received a $1,033,200 grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation to buy the land. Additionally, a $75,000 grant from the Conservation Fund and an endowment from the Quad City Community Foundation, round out the roughly $1.2 million purchase.
"I've been on the Forest Reserve Commission for six years and we've never seen a grant like this," said Swanson, warning that if the council didn't vote to pass the sale, it was unlikely "we can expect to see this again in the future."
But not everyone on the council was on-board. Some, including Alderman Gary Almblade, thought the land would serve as a great location for housing development.
"When the '88 corridor' was annexed by the city, it was the hope for future development," he said in a statement to News 8. "Recent rulings on the floodplain status of the corridor have left only a few areas that I consider viable for growth. This hill area is such an area."
Almblade argued that anything could be sold if the price is right, adding that the land was also split into two sections, which he believes limits the 'grandeur' of the area.
"East Moline has moved water and sewer to the I-5 route, and I have no doubts that East Moline will grow in that direction," he said. "It is with these points of view that I will likely withhold approval for releasing (the) land to (the) county."
Swanson argued, if the land was such a prime location for development, it would have happened already during its years of vacancy.
"Rather than hope for a development, which hasn't materialized in a decade and won't for a decade," Swanson said. "You might as well start doing things that are what they call the highest and best use of a property."
Alderman Larry Topper was in favor of the land being developed into a park.
"It's such a beautiful piece of property up there that, had it been buildable, I think it would have happened by now," Topper said.
He told News 8 he envisioned a park that could be used by his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, also echoing concerns that another million dollar sale might not come anytime soon.
"Should we dismember the property for the benefit of a few? Or should we maintain it as a whole and benefit the entire community? I'm into the community aspect of the whole thing," Topper said.
When asked about housing developments, the alderman said it 'weighed heavy' on him that East Moline already has 53 properties categorized as surplus.
"Why aren't we spending our time developing the 53 properties that are surplus here in the city, instead of going out there and trying to pick on a beautiful piece of property that should be maintained for the benefit of the entire community," Topper said.
Forest Preserve Director Jeff Carver said he hopes the park project emphasizes the importance of wildlife preservation for the Quad Cities community.