District 211 to discuss plans for vacant 60-acre site in Schaumburg
Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 board members on Thursday will begin discussing the public's ideas for how the district should use a 60-acre site it owns in a Schaumburg neighborhood.
The ideas come from a community survey in which more than 1,400 residents made suggestions across four general categories - leaving the land undeveloped, building a district facility there, selling the site or leasing it to others.
Under a time frame established by District 211's new strategic plan, officials have three years to identify all their options, choose one and implement it.
Board President Mucia Burke said she's not sure that the process will require three years, but the board expects to start with small steps rather than leaping toward a clear-cut decision Thursday.
"I think we would be doing our community a disservice if we did it that way," she said of a quick decision.
The 60 acres lie north of Wise Road between Summit Drive and Plum Grove Road. The site was acquired about 50 years ago for a sixth high school that was never built.
Questionnaire respondents made many specific suggestions for the land. Among them: an athletic field house, stadium, performing arts center, school bus terminal, ice rink and a special education center.
Though the school board will make a final decision, Burke said the public input helps ensure all bases are covered.
"I find it very enlightening," she said. "Could we have come up with all these ideas ourselves? Absolutely not."
Among the suggestions for selling the land are a range of residential uses, from high-end luxury homes to a senior living community. The village of Schaumburg has long identified the site in its comprehensive plan as ideal for residential development.
The suggestions raise the question of whether the district should be specific about whom it sells the land to if that is the decision, Burke said.
Suggestions for leasing the land include users such as the Schaumburg Park District, Schaumburg Athletic Association and Harper College, for uses including a dog park, community center, children's memorial, community garden, veterans memorial and either a solar panel or wind turbine site.
The board will meet at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, at the District 211 administration building, 1750 S. Roselle Road in Palatine.