A. Intent. It is the intent of the Village to promote open space in order to preserve natural features and the Village's natural heritage, as well as to provide for flood control, to provide residents with views of natural areas, to provide residents the opportunity to interact with nature in their own neighborhoods, to increase property values, to provide wildlife habitat corridors, and to generally improve the quality of life. The Board of Trustees shall consider the use of conservation easements as an alternative way of preserving open space in developments.
B. Requirements.
1. Conservation easements shall be required when critical and sensitive environmental areas, as identified in the Comprehensive Plan, are located in a proposed development and are not protected through public land acquisition.
2. Developers shall be required to provide legal descriptions of the conservation easement, to enter into a grant of conservation easement, and to record the easement on a Plat of Subdivision with the County.
3. Developers shall transfer the conservation easement only to an agency of the State of Illinois, to a unit of local government or to a not-for-profit corporation or trust whose primary purposes include the conservation of land, natural areas, open space or water areas, or the preservation of native plants or animals, or biotic communities.
4. The conservation easement grantee shall preserve and maintain said property in its natural state and maintain all trails and nature signs located within said property.
5. The grantee shall have the right to view the easement in its scenic condition at ground level from adjacent roadways and property. (Ord.2746 - 6/5/95)