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Presenter urges safeguards in BUILD Act to protect Orland Park schools and infrastructure
Summary
A presenter addressing Orland Park residents warned the BUILD Act, a state bill encouraging housing development, could strain stormwater systems, school capacity and local services unless it includes specific safeguards; the presenter said they have lobbied Springfield and will continue to press for changes.
Presenter told Orland Park residents that the BUILD Act now moving through Springfield aims to spur residential development across Illinois but warned the bill needs specific safeguards to protect local communities.
"There is legislation currently moving through Springfield called the BUILD Act," the Presenter said, adding that the goal is to address housing affordability and increase supply. The Presenter urged that good intentions in law require concrete protections at the local level.
The Presenter highlighted physical impacts, saying increased density without infrastructure upgrades "isn't just an inconvenience. It's a burden that lands directly on homeowners." He also warned of education costs tied to growth: expanding schools to serve more students carries "a significant cost," and "if that cost isn't planned for within the framework of this legislation, it will eventually show up on your tax bill."
Addressing remedies, the Presenter described personal advocacy in Springfield: "I've personally traveled to Springfield. I sat down with our state legislators directly, and I delivered our concerns clearly and constructively." He said he had "met with all 9 of our state legislators" and alerted local lobbyists to monitor the bill as it moves through the process. The Presenter said organizations such as the Illinois Municipal League have proposed changes that could make the bill more responsive to local needs.
The Presenter framed the issue as one of planning rather than opposition to growth: "This is not about being for or against growth. This is about making sure that when growth comes... it comes with a plan that protects the community we've all worked very hard to be part of." He closed by pledging continued engagement: "We will keep showing up in Springfield, and we will not stop when the concerns of Orland Park residents are heard by the governor and our legislators."
The remarks were a call for state lawmakers to build explicit provisions into the BUILD Act for stormwater infrastructure, school-capacity planning and fiscal protections for municipalities. The transcript does not record any formal vote or municipal action taken at this meeting; the Presenter said the city would continue to press for legislative revisions in Springfield.
