Willow Springs Property Update (January 18, 2024)
On Friday, January 12, 2024, Lyons Township High School District 204 received an unsolicited inquiry and letters of intent from Pulte Homes to purchase the District’s Willow Springs property. Our community can access the inquiry and letters of intent.
As communicated to Pulte Homes in a letter sent on Thursday, January 18, 2024, it is not legally permissible for the District 204 Board to enter into a contract or agreement based on the letters of intent received from Pulte Homes. Rather, any potential sale of the Willow Springs property to a private party would need to be conducted by public sale in accordance with the provisions of Section 5-22 of the Illinois School Code (105 ILCS 5/5-22).
At its next regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, January 22, the District 204 Board of Education will further discuss the Willow Springs property. We are committed to a transparent and intentional approach to our communications and decision-making on this matter, and we have reached out to the Village of Willow Springs, Pleasantdale Park District and Pleasantdale School District 107 to invite them to attend our January 22 meeting. Likewise, we invite and encourage our LT community to attend this meeting as well.
For more than 60 years, District 204 has owned undeveloped land within this site, which is currently zoned as the North Willow Springs Road Corridor - Planned Development District with permitted uses including retail and all other uses allowed in the B-1 Community Shopping District, unless otherwise restricted, such as certain single family residential housing and senior residential housing. This land was purchased by the District in anticipation of potentially needing a third campus. Due to shifting demographic and population trends, and with information received during the most recent enrollment study, we have not and do not anticipate the need to build an additional campus.
District 204 remains committed to balancing our obligations of being both a good neighbor and a responsible steward of public taxpayer resources. We understand that some residential neighbors and municipal partners nearby have concerns about the development of this property. At the same time, we have heard from others that we must consider the potential for this vacant and unutilized asset to support the District’s ability to maintain and enhance our schools and deliver the excellent education our community and students deserve and expect from District 204.