The Village of Orland Park Board of Trustees voted to adopt an ordinance annexing territory along Wolf Road from 171st Street to 175th Street and directed staff to negotiate memoranda of understanding with affected property owners.

The board opened the item after a presentation by planning staff about the long-term effort to consolidate nearby parcels into the village. Planner Steve described this as the fifth and final phase of annexations in the corridor and said some parcels were brought into the village involuntarily under state statute. Village staff said the county's rules can restrict rebuilding wells or septic systems and that annexation gives residents eventual access to village water and sewer systems if infrastructure is extended.

Residents who spoke during the public comment period urged the board not to proceed without clearer commitments. A resident representing neighbors said the annexation would add costs, regulations and higher property taxes without immediate benefits such as sewer or road improvements. Sean McAvoy told the board he understood the village's concerns about used-car lots and blighted properties but asked how a homeowner would proceed if a septic failed tomorrow.

Village staff and the mayor said annexation did not force immediate changes and that existing "legal nonconforming" uses (including keeping horses where permitted) could continue. Staff described mechanisms such as a Special Service Area (SSA) or phased engineering and easements to extend service lines over time and said memoranda of understanding could preserve certain preexisting uses while establishing timelines for connections and potential financing options.

Trustees debated timing, notice and the fairness of involuntary annexation. Trustee Lawrence moved the ordinance, and the roll call showed the motion passed with a majority; two trustees recorded "no" votes. After the vote, staff said they would reach out to affected residents, begin planning engineering work, and bring memos of understanding back to the board to clarify what residents would and would not be required to do.

Next steps included preliminary engineering to estimate costs and options for an SSA or other funding mechanism to allow residents to connect when appropriate. The board asked staff to collect accurate contact information for affected homeowners and to return with detailed proposals for negotiations and mitigation measures.

The ordinance was adopted and staff said they would protect existing uses in the short term while working on long-term infrastructure plans.