State of Illinois
91st General Assembly
Legislation

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91_SB1087eng

 
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 1        AN  ACT  concerning  Illinois'  open  spaces  and natural
 2    lands.

 3        Be it enacted by the People of  the  State  of  Illinois,
 4    represented in the General Assembly:

 5        Section  1.  Short  title.   This Act may be cited as the
 6    Illinois Open Land Trust Act.

 7        Section 5.  Policy.
 8        (a) The  provision  of  lands  for  the  conservation  of
 9    natural  resources  and  public recreation promote the public
10    health,  prosperity,  and  general  welfare  and  are  proper
11    responsibilities of State government.
12        (b)  Lands  now  dedicated  to  these  purposes  are  not
13    adequate to protect the quality of life and meet the needs of
14    an expanding population.
15        (c) Natural  areas,  wetlands,  forests,  prairies,  open
16    spaces,  and  greenways provide critical habitat for fish and
17    wildlife and are in need of protection.
18        (d) The opportunity to acquire lands that  are  available
19    and  appropriate  for these purposes will gradually disappear
20    as their cost correspondingly increases.
21        (e) It  is  desirable  to  encourage  partnerships  among
22    federal,  State,  and  local  governments  and not-for-profit
23    corporations for the acquisition of land for conservation and
24    recreation purposes.
25        (f) It is necessary and desirable to  provide  assistance
26    in  the form of grants and loans to units of local government
27    to acquire  lands  that  have  significant  conservation  and
28    recreation attributes.

29        Section 10.  Definitions. As used in this Act:
30        "Conservation  and  recreation purposes" means activities
 
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 1    that are consistent with the protection and  preservation  of
 2    open  lands,  natural  areas,  wetlands,  prairies,  forests,
 3    watersheds,  resource-rich  areas,  greenways,  and  fish and
 4    wildlife habitats, including multiple use  such  as  hunting,
 5    fishing, trapping, and other recreational uses.
 6        "Conservation easement" means a nonpossessory interest in
 7    real property imposing limitations or affirmative obligations
 8    the   purposes  of  which  include  retaining  or  protecting
 9    natural, scenic,  or  open-space  values  of  real  property,
10    assuring   its  availability  for  forest,  recreational,  or
11    open-space use, protecting natural resources, maintaining  or
12    enhancing  air  or  water quality, or preserving the natural,
13    historical,  architectural,   archacological,   or   cultural
14    aspects  of  real  property.   A conservation easement may be
15    released at any time by mutual consent of the parties.
16        "Department" means the Department of Natural Resources.
17        "Natural area" means an area of land that either  retains
18    or has recovered to a substantial degree its original natural
19    or  primeval  character,  though  it  need  not be completely
20    undisturbed, or has floral, faunal,  ecological,  geological,
21    or   archaeological   features  of  scientific,  educational,
22    scenic, or esthetic interest.
23        "Open  space"  means  those  undeveloped   or   minimally
24    developed  lands  that  conserve and protect valuable natural
25    features or processes.
26        "Real  property"  means  land,   including   improvements
27    existing on the land.
28        "Units  of  local  government" means counties, townships,
29    municipalities,  park  districts,   conservation   districts,
30    forest  preserve  districts, river conservancy districts, and
31    any other units  of  local  government  empowered  to  expend
32    public  funds for the acquisition and development of land for
33    public outdoor park, recreation, or conservation purposes.
 
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 1        Section  15.   Powers  and  duties.   The  Department  of
 2    Natural Resources has the following powers and duties:
 3        (a) To develop and  administer  the  Illinois  Open  Land
 4    Trust program.
 5        (b)  To acquire real property, including, but not limited
 6    to,  open  space  and  natural  areas  for  conservation  and
 7    recreation purposes.  The lands shall  be  held  in  (i)  fee
 8    simple  title  or  (ii)  conservation  easements  for natural
 9    areas, provided that these mechanisms are  all  voluntary  on
10    the  part  of  the  landowners  and do not involve the use of
11    eminent domain.
12        (c) To make grants to units  of  local  government  under
13    Section  25  of  this  Act  in  consultation with the Natural
14    Resources Advisory Board.
15        (d) To make loans to  units  of  local  government  under
16    Section  30  of  this  Act  in  consultation with the Natural
17    Resources Advisory Board.
18        (e) To promulgate any rules, regulations, guidelines, and
19    directives necessary to implement the purposes of this Act.
20        (f) To  execute  contracts,  grant  or  loan  agreements,
21    memoranda  of  understanding,  intergovernmental  cooperation
22    agreements,   and  any  other  agreements  with  other  State
23    agencies and units of local government that are necessary  to
24    implement this Act.
25        (g)  To  execute  contracts,  memoranda of understanding,
26    and any other  agreements  with  not-for-profit  corporations
27    that are consistent with the purpose of this Act.
28        (h)  To  accept grants, loans, or appropriations from the
29    federal  government  or  the  State,   or   any   agency   or
30    instrumentality  thereof,  for the purposes of the Department
31    under this Act, including to make loans of any funds  and  to
32    enter  into  any agreement with the federal government or the
33    State,  or  any  agency  or   instrumentality   thereof,   in
34    relationship to the grants, loans, or appropriations.
 
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 1        (i)  To establish any interest rates, terms of repayment,
 2    and other terms and conditions regarding loans made  pursuant
 3    to   this   Act   that  the  Department  deems  necessary  or
 4    appropriate to protect the public interest and carry out  the
 5    purposes of this Act.
 6        (j)  To  establish  application,  eligibility, selection,
 7    notification,  contract,  and  other  procedures,  rules,  or
 8    regulations deemed necessary and appropriate to carry out the
 9    provisions of this Act.
10        (k) To fix, determine, charge, and collect any  premiums,
11    fees,   charges,  costs,  and  expenses,  including,  without
12    limitation, any application fees,  commitment  fees,  program
13    fees, or financing charges from any person in connection with
14    its activities under this Act.
15        (l)  To  report  annually to the Governor and the General
16    Assembly on the progress made in implementing this Act and on
17    the status of all real property acquired pursuant to the Act.

18        Section 20.   Illinois  Open  Land  Trust  Program.   The
19    Department  of Natural Resources shall develop and administer
20    the Illinois Open Land Trust Program.   The  purpose  of  the
21    program   is   to  acquire  real  property,  or  conservation
22    easements  for  natural  areas,  from  willing  sellers   for
23    conservation  and  recreation  purposes.   The  land shall be
24    chosen because it will preserve and enhance Illinois' natural
25    environment, create a  system  of  open  spaces  and  natural
26    lands, and improve the quality of life and provide recreation
27    opportunities  for  citizens  of  this  State  now and in the
28    future.

29        Section 25.   Grant  program.   From  appropriations  for
30    these  purposes,  the  Department may make grants to units of
31    local government as financial assistance for the  acquisition
32    of  open space and natural lands if the Department determines
 
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 1    that the property interests are sufficient to carry  out  the
 2    purposes of this Act.
 3        The Department shall adopt rules concerning the selection
 4    or  grant recipients, amount of grant awards, and eligibility
 5    requirements.   The  rules   must   include   the   following
 6    additional requirements:
 7             (1)  No  more  than $2,000,000 may be awarded to any
 8        grantee for a single project for any fiscal year.
 9             (2) Any grant under this  Act  must  be  conditioned
10        upon the grantee providing a required match as defined by
11        rule.
12             (3)  Funds may be used only to purchase interests in
13        land  from willing sellers and may not involve the use of
14        eminent domain.
15             (4)  The  Department  shall  provide  for  a  public
16        meeting to be conducted by the Natural Resources Advisory
17        Board prior to grant approval.
18             (5) All real property acquired with grant funds must
19        be  accessible  to  the  public  for   conservation   and
20        recreation  purposes,  unless  the  Department determines
21        that public accessibility would  be  detrimental  to  the
22        real property or any associated natural resources.
23             (6)  No  real property acquired with grant funds may
24        be sold,  leased,  exchanged,  or  otherwise  encumbered,
25        unless  it  is  used to qualify for a federal program or,
26        subject  to  Department  approval,  transferred  to   the
27        federal  government,  the  State,  or  a  unit  of  local
28        government   for  conservation  and  recreation  purposes
29        consistent with this Act.
30             (7) All grantees must agree to convey to  the  State
31        at  no  charge a conservation easement on the lands to be
32        acquired using the grant funds.
33             (8)  Grantees  must  agree  to   manage   lands   in
34        accordance  with  the  terms of the grant. Any changes in
 
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 1        management must be  approved  by  the  Department  before
 2        implementation.
 3             (9)  The  Department is authorized to promulgate, by
 4        rule,  any  other  reasonable   requirements   determined
 5        necessary to effectively implement this Act.

 6        Section  30.    Open  Lands Loan Program.  The Department
 7    may establish an Open Lands Loan Program  to  make  loans  to
 8    units of local government for the purpose of assisting in the
 9    purchase  of  real  property to protect open spaces and lands
10    with significant natural resource attributes.   For  purposes
11    of  the  program,  and  not by way of limitation on any other
12    purposes or programs provided  for  in  this  Act,  there  is
13    hereby  established  the Open Lands Loan Fund, a special fund
14    in the State treasury. The Department has the  power  to  use
15    any appropriations from the State made for the purposes under
16    this  Act  and to enter into any intergovernmental agreements
17    with  the  federal  government   or   the   State,   or   any
18    instrumentality  thereof,  for  purposes  of capitalizing the
19    Open Lands Loan Fund.  Moneys in the Open Lands Loan Fund may
20    be used for any purpose under the  Open  Lands  Loan  Program
21    including,  without limitation, the making of loans permitted
22    under this Act.
23        The Department may establish and  collect  any  fees  and
24    charges,  determine and enforce any terms and conditions, and
25    charge any interest rates that it determines to be  necessary
26    and  appropriate to the successful administration of the Open
27    Lands Loan Program.  All principal and interest repayments on
28    loans made using funds withdrawn from  the  Open  Lands  Loan
29    Fund  shall  be deposited into the Open Lands Loan Fund to be
30    used for the purposes of the Open Lands Loan program  or  for
31    any  other purpose under this Act that the Department, in its
32    discretion, finds appropriate.  Investment earnings on moneys
33    held in the Open Lands Loan Fund or in any  reserve  fund  or
 
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 1    pledged fund created with funds withdrawn from the Open Lands
 2    Loan Fund must be treated in the same way as loan repayments.
 3    The  Department  shall  promulgate rules concerning selection
 4    and eligibility requirements. The  rules  shall  include  the
 5    following additional requirements:
 6             (1)  Units of local government receiving loans under
 7        this Act to acquire real property must:
 8                  (A) agree to make and keep the lands accessible
 9             to  the  public  for  conservation  and  recreation,
10             unless  the  Department   determines   that   public
11             accessibility  would  be detrimental to the lands or
12             any natural resources associated with the land;
13                  (B) agree that all real property acquired  with
14             loan  proceeds shall not be sold, leased, exchanged,
15             or otherwise encumbered unless it is used to qualify
16             for a federal  program  or,  subject  to  Department
17             approval, transferred to the federal government, the
18             State,   or   a   unit   of   local  government  for
19             conservation and recreation purposes consistent with
20             this Act;
21                  (C)  agree to execute and donate to  the  State
22             at no charge a conservation easement on the lands to
23             be acquired; and
24                  (D)  agree  to  manage lands in accordance with
25             the terms of the loan.  Any  changes  in  management
26             must   be   approved   by   the   Department  before
27             implementation.
28             (2) Loans made by the Department to units  of  local
29        government must be secured by interests in collateral and
30        guarantees  that  the Department determines are necessary
31        to protect the Department's interest in the repayment  of
32        the  principal  and  interest,  if any, of each loan made
33        under this Section.
34             (3)  Loans made by the Department may be  used  only
 
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 1        to  purchase  interests  in land from willing sellers and
 2        may not involve the use of eminent domain.
 3             (4) Borrowers may not use the  proceeds  from  other
 4        Department  grant programs to repay loans made under this
 5        program.
 6             (5)  Borrowers  must  agree  to  manage   lands   in
 7        accordance  with  the terms of the loan.   Any changes in
 8        management must be  approved  by  the  Department  before
 9        implementation.
10             (6)  The  Department is authorized to promulgate, by
11        rule,  other   reasonable   requirements   necessary   to
12        effectively implement this Act.

13        Section 35. Community Planning Allowance.  As provided in
14    this  Section, the Department is authorized to make grants to
15    units of local government for the  acquisition,  development,
16    construction,    reconstruction,    improvement,   financing,
17    architectural   planning,   and   installation   of   capital
18    facilities.  The grants shall be available only in connection
19    with lands acquired under this Act by the Department  in  fee
20    simple  title.   The grants may be made to the units of local
21    government in which the lands are located in an amount  equal
22    to  7%  of the purchase price of the open space land acquired
23    for qualified projects.
24        This Section does  not  apply  to  (i)  counties  with  a
25    population greater than 3,000,000 or (ii) counties contiguous
26    to counties with a population greater than 3,000,000.

27        Section  810.  The State Finance Act is amended by adding
28    Section 5.490 as follows:

29        (30 ILCS 105/5.490 new)
30        Sec. 5.490. The Open Lands Loan Fund.
 
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 1        Section 999.   Effective date.   This  Act  takes  effect
 2    upon becoming law.

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