Cook County panel reviews proposed road removals, flags Skyport Lane for separate legal review

The Cook County Committee of the Whole discussed a review of minor county roads on May 1, 2025, as staff laid out which narrow, often seasonal roads might be removed from the county system and which could remain public. The review included site visits, historical records and preliminary cost estimates for maintenance and potential abandonment.

Staff member Robbie said the county had contacted the U.S. Forest Service about adding forest roads to the county system but that the agency had indicated that process would likely take “a 6 to 12 month process” because of a NEPA review, historical review and centerline surveys. "They thought it would be like a 6 month to a 6 to 12 month process," Robbie said. The Forest Service response, Robbie said, “doesn’t finalize anything. That just gets us the next step.”

The staff presentation listed multiple candidate roads for removal, several of which staff classified as narrow, overgrown or effectively private driveways. Matt (staff member) and others had conducted field visits; notes attached to the meeting packet summarized road condition, ownership history and approximate numbers of parcels served. Robbie told the committee that some routes look like “driveways” and that many segments have grass growing in the middle of the traveled way.

Zoning staff member Neva Maxwell reviewed the zoning consequences of removing roads from the county system and warned that local setback rules depend on whether a road is a county road or a private/“other” road. Maxwell said the county’s zoning language is not always clear about whether narrow routes should be treated as private driveways or as other public/private roads, and that the difference affects required setbacks. "Our zoning is very not clear about that," Maxwell said, adding that the distinction is “the big zoning question” that must be resolved before final decisions.

Committee members emphasized process and community impacts. Commissioner Gamble said the staff analysis reflects considerations of cost, workload and land-use factors and described the packet as a recommendation framed by those criteria. Commissioner Mills and others asked for attorney input on what legally happens to a roadway after abandonment and whether the county could later reintroduce a road without statutory hurdles; staff said a legal opinion was needed.

Skyport Lane was singled out as a separate issue. Commissioner Sullivan noted that part of Skyport Lane crosses airport property and is involved in a pending airport master plan; she asked that legal counsel and the airport master-plan team review the status and consequences of removing Skyport Lane from county maintenance. "If it does not become a county road, if it is dropped from plowing and things of that nature, it puts the airport at risk," Sullivan said. The committee removed Skyport Lane from the current removals list so staff could get the legal and master-plan review.

Several committee members expressed sympathy for affected residents and said any reduction in services should be handled “knowingly and empathetically.” Staff framed the candidate removals as a first-phase review to reduce long-term maintenance liability on marginal roads while preserving options where there is clear resident dependency or potential development.

Next steps identified by staff and the committee included: (1) obtain legal counsel guidance on the legal effect of vacation/abandonment of county roads and on options to reintroduce roads later; (2) confirm zoning/setback consequences with land-use staff; (3) when appropriate, open public outreach or petitions if a neighborhood wants the county to adopt or discontinue maintenance; and (4) continue the Forest Service conversations for roads that cross federal land. No formal motions or votes were recorded during the committee discussion.

The committee did not adopt any abandonment decisions at the meeting. County staff said they will follow up with the Forest Service, consult counsel on Skyport Lane and refine the maps and cost estimates for the board’s future consideration.