Lake County Forest Preserve District v. Larsen

Plaintiff, Lake County Forest Preserve District, filed a petition on November 3, 1973, to condemn and acquire certain land owned by defendants. The jury returned a verdict of $106,000 as just compensation for the land; however, the trial court thereafter granted defendants’ post-trial motion for a new trial and we have granted leave to plaintiff to appeal from that order.

The property in question is a 38.4-acre tract of vacant land located in the southeast comer of the intersection of Illinois Route 173 and the Des Plaines River in the unincorporated territory of Newport Township, Lake County,…