Posted in Agendas, Audio recordings, Barrington Hills Park District, Big Red, Conflict of interest, Deception, Entertainment, Equestrian Commission, Ethics, Fox River Valley Hunt, FPDCC, FRVPC, Horizon Farm, Horse Boarding, Land Use, Lighting Ordinance, Massbach Hounds, Organizations, Politics, Property Taxes, Real Estate, Riding Center Advisory Committee, Riding Club of Barrington Hills, Save 5 Acres, Topics Of Interest, Unions, Village Director of Administration on September 12, 2023| Leave a Comment »
The Equestrian Commission will hold a meeting this evening at 6:30 PM. Though scheduled to meet quarterly, this will be their first meeting in a year.
Topics on this evening’s agenda are:
A copy of the agenda can be viewed here.
Posted in Agendas, Algonquin Rd, Animal Welfare, Barrington Hills Park District, Barrington Hills Polo Club, Countryside Elementary School, Don't Change Barrington Hills, Ethics, Fox River Valley Hunt, FPDCC, FRVPC, Goat Rodeo, HARPS, Horizon Farm, Horse Boarding, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Land Use, Lighting Ordinance, Mad Cow, Massbach Hounds, Politics, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Real Estate, Riding Center Advisory Committee, Riding Club of Barrington Hills, Taxes, The Other Half, Transparency, Unions, Well Water Quality on September 4, 2023| Leave a Comment »
The Barrington Hills Park District Advisory Committee meets tomorrow evening at 7 PM. Some of the topics on their agenda include:
A copy of their agenda can be viewed here.
Posted in Algonquin Rd, Animal Welfare, Audubon Society, BACT, Barrington Hills Polo Club, BH Polo Club, Citizens for Conservation, Commercial Horse Boarding, Cook, County, Crabtree Nature Center, Deception, Equestrian Commission, Ethics, FPDCC, Friends of Forest Preserves, FRVPC, Goat Rodeo, Going green, HARPS, Horizon Farm, Horse Boarding, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Land Use, Mad Cow, Massbach Hounds, Organizations, Politics, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Real Estate, Riding Club Commission, Riding Club of Barrington Hills, Taxes, The Other Half, Traffic, Unions on August 19, 2023| Leave a Comment »
Front to back: Robert McGinley, Dan Lobbes, Renae Frigo and David Holman head back after checking the status of a former dam on Goose Lake in Horizon Farm preserve on Aug. 18, 2023, in Barrington Hills. Members of the Barrington Area Conservation Trust and The Conservation Foundation were out surveying Horizon Farm as part of an annual effort to track changes on the property. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)
On a group tour of Horizon Farm Forest Preserve and its rolling pastures, a visitor joked that it would make a great par 3 golf course. Nature lovers shuddered at the thought, though such a use is prohibited on the site.
But the comment illustrates the tension the Forest Preserve District of Cook County faces balancing preservation and recreation. The district’s main mission is to preserve open space, and provide “nature-compatible” recreation.
In the case of Horizon Farm in northwest suburban Barrington Hills, the issue boils down to whether to save a half-mile horse racing track. The nearly 400-acre preserve used to be a horse breeding and training ground. The track was used to train thoroughbreds for racing at the now-closed Arlington International Racecourse.
When the forest preserve district bought Horizon Farm out of foreclosure for $14.5 million in 2013, officials expressed openness to keeping equestrian uses of the site. But 10 years later, the racetrack sits filled with wild plants, unused, its railing falling apart. A big chunk of the preserve remains closed, and some trails are overgrown. Horse lovers and other preserve users are wondering whether the district will save the track.
“It’s really a prize,” Barrington Hills Park District President Dennis Kelly said. “There’s been a lot of interest in the equestrian community, but we have not gotten a response.”
Not everyone is married to the idea of a horse track. Friends of the Forest Preserves, an independent nonprofit, takes the general position that recreation in the forest preserves — from boating to fishing to camping — should facilitate enjoyment of nature.
“As soon as recreation becomes about the activity, that is not in line with what should be done with the forest preserves,” Friends President Benjamin Cox said.
The group supports horse trails since anyone can use them, but has not taken a position specifically on the horse track. Exclusive sites such as a golf course or baseball diamond are only for those uses, so Friends would prefer not to build those in the preserves.
Read more here.
Posted in Agendas, Agendas, Animal Welfare, Barrington Hills Park District, Countryside Elementary School, Fox River Valley Hunt, FPDCC, FRVPC, Goat Rodeo, Horizon Farm, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Land Use, LeCompte/Anderson Commercial Horse boarding amendment, Massbach Hounds, Politics, Property Taxes, Riding Center Advisory Committee, Transparency, Unions, Well Water Quality on August 9, 2023| Leave a Comment »
Posted in Agendas, Algonquin Rd, Animal Welfare, Barrington Hills Farm, Barrington Hills Park District, Barrington Hills Polo Club, Big Red, Cook, Countryside Elementary School, County, Deception, Equestrian Commission, Ethics, Fox River Valley Hunt, FPDCC, FRVPC, Goat Rodeo, HARPS, Horizon Farm, Horse Boarding, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Land Use, Massbach Hounds, Politics, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Real Estate, Riding Club of Barrington Hills, Transparency, Unions, Well Water Quality on July 12, 2023| Leave a Comment »
The Barrington Hills Park District Board will be meeting this evening in person and via webcast at 7:00 PM when the Board has two agendas to cover.
The first agenda is for the regular monthly District meeting, and a copy can be viewed and downloaded here.
The second is for the, “Decennial Committee Meeting,” and topics include:
A copy of that agenda can be viewed and downloaded here.
Instructions for accessing the meeting remotely can be found here.
Posted in Agendas, Algonquin Rd, Animal Welfare, Barrington Hills Park District, Barrington Hills Polo Club, Commercial Horse Boarding, Countryside Elementary School, Ethics, Financial Statements, Fox River Valley Hunt, FPDCC, FRVPC, FUBAR, Horizon Farm, Horse Boarding, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Land Use, LeCompte/Anderson Commercial Horse boarding amendment, Massbach Hounds, Politics, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Real Estate, Riding Center Advisory Committee, Riding Club of Barrington Hills, Transparency, Unions, Well Water Quality on June 14, 2023| Leave a Comment »
The Barrington Hills Park District Board will hold a, “Decennial Committee on Local Government Efficiency,” meeting this evening in person and via Zoom at 7:00 PM. A copy of the meeting notice can be viewed and downloaded here.
Additionally, the District web page reads, “June 14, 2023 Board Meeting Agenda (posted on June 12),” indicating the Board may have intended to have a regular monthly meeting tonight as well. However, no agenda is posted, and per state law, “Public bodies that have a website must post the agenda of any regular meetings of the governing body (i.e. County Board, Board of Trustees, Board of Commissioners, School Board, etc.) at least 48 hours prior to said meeting.”
Instructions for accessing tonight’s meeting(s) remotely can be found here.
Posted in Agendas, Algonquin Rd, Animal Welfare, Barrington Hills Farm, Barrington Hills Park District, Barrington Hills Polo Club, Bicyclists, ComEd Four, Commercial Horse Boarding, Countryside Elementary School, Deception, Ethics, Fox River Valley Hunt, FPDCC, FRVPC, Horizon Farm, Horse Boarding, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Land Use, Lighting Ordinance, Longmeadow Parkway, Mad Cow, Massbach Hounds, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Riding Club of Barrington Hills, Transparency, Unions, WTF on May 10, 2023| Leave a Comment »
The Barrington Hills Park District Board will hold a, “Park Board & Decennial Committee on Local Government Efficiency,” meeting this evening in person and via Zoom at 7:00 PM. Topics on their agenda include:
A copy of their agenda can be viewed here. Instructions for accessing the meeting remotely can be found here.
Posted in Agendas, Animal Welfare, Barrington Hills Park District, Barrington Hills Polo Club, Countryside Elementary School, Deception, Elections, Fox River Valley Hunt, FPDCC, FRVPC, Horizon Farm, Illinois State Board of Elections, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Land Use, Lighting Ordinance, Mad Cow, Massbach Hounds, Politics, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Riding Center Advisory Committee, Riding Club of Barrington Hills, The Other Half, Traffic, Transparency, Unions, Well Water Quality on April 13, 2023| 1 Comment »
The Barrington Hills Park District Board will hold a special meeting this evening in person and via Zoom at 7:00 PM. Topics on their agenda include:
A copy of their agenda can be viewed here. Instructions for accessing the meeting remotely can be found here.
Posted in Animal Welfare, Barrington Hills Park District, Barrington Hills Polo Club, Commercial Horse Boarding, Equestrian Commission, Fox River Valley Hunt, FPDCC, FRVPC, Horizon Farm, Horse Boarding, Land Use, Mane in Heaven, Massbach Hounds, Real Estate, Riding Center Advisory Committee, Riding Club of Barrington Hills, Save 5 Acres, SOUL Harbour Ranch, Springfield, The Other Half, TMI, Unions on March 5, 2023| 1 Comment »
On August 22, 2018, the Illinois State Commemorative Dates Act was amended to include:
Sec. 195. Day of the Horse. The fifth day of March of each year shall be designated as the Day of the Horse, to be observed throughout the State as a day to encourage citizens to honor and celebrate the role of equines in the history and character of Illinois, and to recognize the benefits of the equine industry to the economy, agriculture, tourism, and quality of life in Illinois.
For the benefit of those who may be new to our Village, we’d like to provide a list of a few Village Codes applicable to the keeping of horses in Barrington Hills. In no particular order, they are:
Questions, comments or concerns can be directed to the Village Equestrian Commission here, or to the Trustee Liaison to the Commission, Laura S. Ekstrom, here.
HAPPY TRAILS to you and yours!
Posted in Agendas, Algonquin Rd, Animal Welfare, Barrington Hills Park District, Barrington Hills Polo Club, Bicyclists, Big Brother, Cellular Service, Commercial Horse Boarding, Countryside Elementary School, Elections, Ethics, Fox River Valley Hunt, FPDCC, Friends of Forest Preserves, FRVPC, Horizon Farm, Horse Boarding, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Land Use, Lighting Ordinance, Massbach Hounds, Politics, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Real Estate, Riding Center Advisory Committee, Riding Club of Barrington Hills, Traffic, Transparency, Unions, Well Water Quality on February 8, 2023| Leave a Comment »
The Barrington Hills Park District will be hosting a special meeting tonight with the Cook County Forest Preserve District to discuss the Master Plan for the Horizon Farm property. The meeting begins at 7:00 PM at the Riding Center located at 361 Bateman Rd, and will also be available for participation via Webex remotely.
The meeting agenda for the Forest Preserve District portion of the discussion includes:
Then, the 2023 Horizon Farm master planning priorities follows including:
Conspicuously absent from the agenda are topics such as hiking and walking, bicycling, cross-country skiing and birding.
After this portion of the meeting, Park District Commissioners will vote on the proposed (and clearly confidential), “Combined Budget & Appropriations Ordinance 2-08-2023-01.”
A copy of the agenda can be viewed here, and instructions for accessing the meeting remotely can be found here.
Related: “Park District hosting February 8th Cook County Forest Preserve District discussion,” “Grazing livestock can provide habitats for disappearing grassland birds”
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