Marengo Transfers 153 Acres to the Conservation District

The city council voted unanimously on March 9 to sell four parcels totaling 153 acres to the McHenry County Conservation District. The land sits west of Deerpass Road, adjacent to the Deerpass Greens subdivision. ¹

The sale price was set at 80 percent of appraised value. Illinois municipalities commonly offer that discount when transferring surplus property to another government entity for public use. The city commissioned a formal appraisal before setting the price. ¹

The four parcels range from 24 to 58 acres. All had been classified as surplus real estate with no planned municipal use. ²

The conservation district already holds more than 1,200 acres of protected land surrounding this area, including portions of the Marengo Ridge Conservation Area to the north. The four parcels fill gaps in that corridor, connecting existing holdings into a more continuous stretch of open space.

Countywide, the district manages over 25,000 acres. Its Marengo holdings include Marengo Ridge on the east side of town (1,439 acres) and Coral Woods to the southeast (1,433 acres). The district acquires land for habitat preservation, trails, and floodplain protection. ²

The parcels generated no property tax revenue while city-owned, since government land is exempt. They carried maintenance costs but no development plan. The sale converts a carrying liability into a one-time payment while preserving green space next to an existing neighborhood.

The vote was 8-0. In a budget year where the General Fund surplus is $3,196, even modest revenue from surplus property sales matters. ¹