Politics & Government
Trustees: Three Oaks Reciprocal Agreement Won't Work
Reaction from Crystal Lake officials and residents is a factor in dropping the idea of offering resident rates at Three Oaks for Lake in the Hills residents and at Woods Creek Lake for Crystal Lake residents.
A proposal by one Lake in the Hills Village Board trustee to allow LITH residents into Crystal Lake's Three Oaks Recreation Area has been squashed—for now.
During a village board meeting Tuesday night, trustees decided not to move forward with the proposed reciprocal agreement that would give residents of LITH access to Three Oaks and Crystal Lake access to Woods Creek Lake in LITH at resident rates.
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Huckins had his eye on Three Oaks Recreation Area, a former gravel mine that opened as a fisherman’s paradise with boat rentals, a beach with a raft to swim out to, splash park and hiking trails.
. A resident pays a $2-a-day fee to use Woods Creek Lake in Lake in the Hills while Crystal Lake residents get to use Three Oaks at no charge.
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“People are looking at us and saying, ‘You’re crazy,’” said Trustee Stephen Harlfinger, commenting on the proposal.
Village President Ed Plaza said he met with Aaron Shepley, mayor of Crystal Lake, and the feedback he got from Shepley didn’t bode well for a reciprocal agreement.
Trustee Denise Barreto said the village ought to drop the idea.
“I don’t think it’s fair for the staff to spend time on this,” Barreto said. “Leave it alone.”
Trustees agreed that Three Oaks is still too new and still too precious to the city of Crystal Lake.
Huckins said the village could try again in a few months. Plaza said it would take longer than that.
“Several years from now, things may change,” Plaza said.
