My new perspective aired this morning on WNIJ. Check it out!
http://northernpublicradio.org/post/what-will-happen-our-farmland
Is DeKalb County destined for the same fate as DuPage county and much of Kane county? Will our leaders be lured by additional tax revenue resulting in suburban sprawl consuming our land and way of life?
We need to view the top soil left by the glaciers in the same way people view the great lakes. A natural resource worthy of legal protection. Only a few other patches of earth match the fertile ground that covers DeKalb county.
If we act now we can ensure the farm land will be here for future generations. I’m not saying all development should be discouraged. Goodness knows we could use investment coming to DeKalb county providing well-paying jobs and revenue. But, why in the world would we let the county be stripped down to the clay and paved over? Now is a time to create an intergovernmental agreement between the municipalities and the county of what we want DeKalb county to be. What ratios should we have between agriculture, industry, retail, and residential land uses that will provide us thriving communities while still protecting our uniquely fertile top soil? DeKalb county collectively needs to take control of its own destiny.
The Illinois Local Land Resources Management Planning Act of 1985 created the vehicle to adopt enforceable intergovernmental agreements pertaining to land use. I ask our county board and city government members to take up this task while we have time to negotiate an agreement that takes into account the concerns of all stake holders.