Lake in the Hills Offers Small-Town Feeling

By Neal Lorenzi Daily Herald Correspondent

By the numbers

Year founded: 1952

Population: 29,195

Miles from Chicago: 45

Medium Household Income: $73,313

Number of Households: 9,837

Housing Starts: 77 permits issued in 2006

Mike Thompson and his wife Karen moved to Lake in the Hills eight years ago. At the time, they were living in a two-bedroom apartment in Park Ridge. Their original plan was to buy a home, build up some equity then move back to the city. Now, the couple and their four children can’t imagine living anywhere else. They love the small- town atmosphere and vitality of Lake in the Hills.

“It’s nice being part of such a rapidly growing community yet still being able to experience the feeling of community that is common in small-town America,” Mike said.

“When we first moved here, there were only a handful of options for dining and shopping. Now, there really isn’t any reason to travel far from home.”

The excellent schools and boundless opportunities to enjoy the outdoors are other benefits that the Thompsons enjoy.

“The dedication of the teachers and staff of District 158 is one of the factors that helped us in our decision to move here,” Mike said. “We are lucky to have access to these schools and programs. Also, we are an active family and having access to the dozens of parks and trails is something we all enjoy.” They also like the village services. “Everybody, from the administrative staff to the police department, is helpful and friendly. You rarely experience that in big city living.”

History

The retreat of the glaciers provided the hills. The settlers who first arrived in this area turned the prairies into farmland. A prominent Chicagoan built the first lake and his failed dream led to housing for WWII veterans. This is a snapshot of village creation provided by the Chamber of Commerce.

The first lake was actually formed in 1923 by Walter LaBuy, a Chicago attorney who later became a Federal district court judge. LaBuy envisioned building a series of three-acre estates for those seeking respite from their hectic Chicago lives. That dream died, however, during the economic collapse of the late 1920s.

In 1946, the Lake-in-the-Hills Development Corp. purchased LaBuy’s land, aiming to provide affordable homes for WWII veterans. After years of growing pains, the village was incorporated in 1952. A property owners association, established in 1950, took on beautification projects such as lake dredging, de-weeding, dam repair, landscaping and building bus shelters for school children. The first elections for village president, trustees, clerk and police magistrate took place in 1953.

Claim to fame

Lake in the Hills is known for the quantity and quality of its parks, lakes and bike paths. The village maintains 31 parks, two boat launches, two public beaches, 15 baseball fields, 14 soccer fields, three football fields, four tennis courts, seven basketball courts, seven sand volleyball courts, 19 playgrounds, two skate parks and one dog park.

The village hosts a number of events throughout the year, including an annual air show in June and Summer Sunset Fest over Labor Day weekend. Another highlight is the Fen Nature Preserve, a 260-acre treasure that boasts 400 species of native plants and wildflowers. Also, the Lake in the Hills Airport is a designated FAA reliever airport for Chicago O’Hare. With one paved runway, 139 aircraft and 60,000 annual operations, the airport and related businesses employ 82 people and generate $17 million annually.

Growth factors

Value of commercial construction exceeded $13.25 million from Dec 2003 through November 2004 -the highest 12-month total in village history. Residential construction hit its peak when the population nearly doubled from 8,927 in 1993 to 15,770 in 1996. During the following 10 years, the population again doubled, placing it at 29,195 in 2006. This growth can be attributed to the wealth of amenities in the area, reasonably priced housing and the commitment of the community to maintain green space, said Ed Plaza, village president.

“Although the population continues to grow, there is a steady decline in the number of dwelling units being constructed,” Plaza said. “Although a number of projects are currently underway, the available space for residential development is very limited.”

Meeting the needs

Motor Fuel Tax funds, which are regulated by state statute, are used for street repair and maintenance. In 2006, the Streets Division of Public Works implemented a pavement maintenance program for all village roads, which becomes even more important as the infrastructure gets old.

Lake in the Hills is also in the ninth year of a program to replace obsolete water mains, hydrants and isolation valves. This will ensure increased fire-protection capacity throughout the village, reduce repair expenditures and enhance system reliability.

Meeting the needs

As available space for development projects is on the decline, the village is looking toward future development along the Route 47 corridor. This represents approximately 300 acres of commercial land.

(c) 2007 Daily Herald; Arlington Heights, Ill.. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.