Terrance Wallace wants to relocate his InZone Project from Wauconda to this 12,000-square-foot mansion on roughly 28 acres in Barrington Hills so he can provide better opportunities for 25 children who are under his legal guardianship. Wallace said the boys from the inner city would attend Barrington Area Unit District 220 schools and live in a nurturing environment with support.
Terrance Wallace wants his InZone Project in the 12,000-square-foot home on roughly 28 acres so the inner-city Chicago children of color, who are under his legal guardianship, can live in a nurturing residential environment with support. The plan is to relocate InZone from Wauconda to Barrington Hills, with the boys there before school starts in August.
Wallace, who hosted the online forum that drew about 200 visitors, said he first contacted Barrington Hills in April 2018 to make village officials aware of his plan and did not receive a response for several months. He said officials have continued to ignore his recent emails, and he has questioned whether discrimination is behind Barrington Hills’ inaction.
In a statement before the forum, Barrington Hills officials reiterated that few details were provided when the InZone proposal arrived in 2018. Wallace was directed to consult the village’s codes to ensure compliance with use of the residentially zoned land.
Village Attorney Patrick Bond told the Daily Herald that the issue solely is about how Barrington Hills’ zoning code applies to the plan.
During a question-and-answer portion of Thursday’s town hall over Zoom, Wallace eventually bristled at text queries on who would own the property and pay taxes on the six-bedroom, six-bathroom mansion that includes an indoor basketball court, a library and an outdoor pool. He said he’ll be the owner and that no one needs to know how the deal was worked out.
“Someone is asking questions about property taxes,” Wallace said. “Again, I don’t feel I need to disclose to you, me paying. As a homeowner, do you pay your property taxes? I don’t think you would be asking me this question, No. 1, if I was not Black and if I didn’t have all my boys.
Read more from the Daily Herald here.
Related: “Fact checking”