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The Village of Tower Lakes is a residential community of over 1,100 persons in 1976, nestled among the rolling hills of the Fox River Valley in the County of Lake, Illinois. A man-made lake and 60-foot high beacon light, key features of a religious campground proposed in 1923, provided the inspiration for its name.

In the spring of 1926 the property was purchased by Nazareth Barsumian, whose love of nature and outdoor living was responsible for the attractive and enduring marriage of the 1.1 square mile community and its lakes of 75 acres.

In its formative years governance of the community was the responsibility of the Tower Lakes Improvement Association, chartered in 1931, to which Mr. Barsumian deeded the lakes and most community lands in 1959 and 1960.

In the fall of 1966 the residents of Tower Lakes voted to incorporate as a Village governed by an elected municipal Board of Trustees. The Board is responsible for the affairs of village government under Illinois Revised Statutes, Chapter 24.

Water supply is provided through agreements with residents by the privately owned and operated Tower Lakes Water Company under a franchise ordinance approved by the Village. Ownership and responsibility for the lakes and most open space lands remains with the Tower Lakes Improvement Association.

In 1970 the Village of Tower Lakes became a charter member of the Barrington Area Council of Governments,¹ commonly known as BACOG. The purposes of BACOG are (1) maintaining a continuing land-use information system, (2) promoting intergovernmental cooperation, (3) formulating area-wide goals, and (4) undertaking area-wide comprehensive planning.

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6"Comprehensive Plan for Lake County Year 2000," Lake County Regional Planning Commission, 1975.

7Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission, Comprehensive General Plan. May, 1976.

The Comprehensive Plan of Tower Lakes reflects four broad community goals:

1. Ecology. The goal is to achieve a healthful and spiritual relationship between human activity and all physical and living attributes of the natural environment, especially Tower Lake and North Lake.

2. Character. The goal is to maintain the unique qualities which are characteristic of a recreation oriented residential community.

3. Services. The goal is to provide in the most effective manner those services which are required by the residents of the Village and the Tower Lakes Improvement Association.

4. Finances. The goal is to guide development and local government in accordance with sound fiscal responsibility.

The following community planning policies are recommended to complement each of the four broad community goals:

1. Protect lakes, rivers and streams, wetlands, and underground water aquifers from pollution and other forms of degradation.

2. Maintain adequate storm water capacities of drainage basins, waterways, and floodplains.

3. Respect the natural topography, soils and geology.

4. Conserve and enhance trees and other compatible vegetation.

5. Preserve wildlife and aquatic habitats, and the balance of fish species in the lakes.

6. Control objectionable impacts of air pollutants, pesticides and fertilizers, odors, sounds, artificial lights, etc.

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1. The predominant scale and arrangement of development should be characteristic of a semi-rural, countryside environment.

2. Lakeside development should enhance the overall appearance of the lakes and shorelines,

3. Peripheral areas of the Village should establish a compatible relationship with adjacent communities.

4. The internal roadway system should, by its design and appearance, encourage local, slow-moving traffic only.

5. Walking and biking should be encouraged by a system of safe and attractive pathways.

6. The desired quality of the community should be reflected in the design, maintenance and use of all community owned property.

7. Special attention should be given to the design of all peripheral roads and highways consistent with the desired countryside environment.

1. The Village should annex only those additional unincorporated lands which can be developed in a manner consistent with ecological and financial policies, and with desired community character.

2. Coordination between the Village of Tower Lakes and the Tower Lakes Improvement Association should be enhanced and maintained, and the possibility of membership in the Association should be considered for residents of each area annexed to the Village.

3. The Village should work closely with the County of Lake, the Barrington Area Council of Governments, and the Villages of Lake Barrington, North Barrington, and Wauconda for purposes of area-wide planning and coordinated local services.

4. Year-round recreational programs should be emphasized throughout the Village, and open spaces should provide a wide variety of passive and active recreational environments which do not adversely affect nearby residences.

5. A village hall and community center should be developed when it is financially feasible to provide a focal point for community services.

6. Water supply and wastewater systems should be closely monitored and should be modernized when needed to maintain adequate and healthful service.

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7. Improved health services, mobile intensive care units, and a new hospital should be provided in the BACOG area to serve residents of the Village and surrounding areas.

8. The Village should provide for law enforcement of high quality, and should maintain liaison with the Fire Protection District serving the community.

1. Growth within the Village and expansion of its corporate limits should be coordinated with the level of public services it can provide at reasonable cost.

2. Sound standards and procedures of fiscal management should be maintained.

3. Sharing of costs and revenues should be considered with other BACOG communities through intergovernmental agreements.

These community goals and policies are purposefully similar to those recommended for the Barrington area as a whole, and they have been amended to suit the specific characteristics of Tower Lakes

The foregoing policies for Tower Lakes can best be achieved through an overall strategy to protect and enhance the lakes, waterways, and wetlands as the unifying element in community life and development, and to conserve the surrounding countryside character of the area.

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The land-use plan for Tower Lakes covers a geographic area including the Village and virtually all contiguous unincorporated land within one and one-half miles from the corporate limits of the municipality, as provided for in Illinois Statutes, Chapter 24. For practical reasons the land-use plan excludes certain lands within this legal jurisdiction, namely all lands north and east of U.S. Highway 12 and all lands west of the Fox River.

Article XI of the 1970 Illinois Constitution⁸ states: Section 1: "The public policy of the State and the duty of each person is to provide and maintain a healthful environment for the benefit of this and future generations." Section 2. "Each person has the right to a healthful environment."

In addition, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, created by State Statute,⁹ has adopted strict rules and regulations regarding the quality of lakes, rivers and streams and other elements of the natural environment.⁹ These recent events are indicative of stronger governmental policies which are emerging to conserve and enhance our environmental resources. In Lake County substantial effort has been devoted recently to planning with nature, and to interpreting the suitability of soils for various types of urban development.

Technical support for these analyses have been provided by the United States Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service, in cooperation with the Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station,¹⁰ the Lake County Planning Department,¹¹ the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Federal Insurance Administration,¹² and the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with

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8"Consitution of the State of Illinois," approved by the electorate on December 15, 1970.

9"The Environmental Protection Act," effective July 1, 1970, Illinois Revised Statutes, Chapter 111 1/2, Section 1001-1051 as amended.

10"Soil Survey, Lake County, Illinois," United States Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service in cooperation with the Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station, September, 1970.

11"Barrington Area National Resources," Lake County Regional Planning Commission, August, 1971.

12"Flood Hazard Boundary Map," U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Federal Insurance Administration, March 5, 1976.

the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission.¹³ They substantiate the sensitivity of environmental resources in the Fox River Valley of western Lake County.

The Village of Tower Lakes is located in this valley and in the smaller drainage basin including Timber Lake, Lake Barrington, and connecting streams. Areas adjacent to the Village contain floodplains and marshes of substantial size; their protection is of considerable importance to the countryside ecology and to the control of storm water runoff, especially as it relates to the level and quality of water in Tower Lake and North Lake.

Also of importance to the Village is the capacity of soils and geology to receive and purify wastewater from septic filter systems common to the area, without endangering the domestic water supply or the Village's two lakes.

The original subdivision of Tower Lakes occurred well before adequate soil information was available. Since receiving the composite interpretation of soils for septic filter fields prepared by the Lake County Regional Planning Commission, the Village of Tower Lakes has amended its zoning and subdivision regulations in accordance with model codes prepared by the Barrington Area Council of Governments. These amendments provide for larger lots to accommodate the proper location and design of septic filter systems (including duplicate filter fields) based on the suitability of various soil types.¹⁴ The Zoning Ordinance identifies permitted land uses throughout the Village's jurisdiction based on Soil Overlay Districts.¹⁵

In summary, the suitability of land for development is graphically portrayed on the Land-use Plan Map. Designated floodplains are illustrated (where development is regulated), as are soils designated as "non-critical" in the Village's Zoning Ordinance (where developments dependent on septic systems are permitted). In all other areas development may be permitted subject to special conditions related to soil suitability.

Domestic water is supplied to virtually all properties within the Village by the Tower Lakes Water Company, a privately owned corporation licensed by the Illinois Commerce Commission. Properties within newly annexed areas are encouraged to connect with the Water Company System if feasible. By contrast, most properties in contiguous unincorporated areas are served by individual on-site wells.

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13"Floods in the Barrington Quadrangle" Hydrological Investigations Atlas, U.S. Department of the Interior, Geological Survey, in cooperation with NIPC, 1965.

14"An Ordinance Amending the Health and Sanitation Ordinance of the Village of Tower Lakes," Ordinance No. 74-99.

15"An Ordinance Amending the Zoning Ordinance of the Village of, Tower Lakes," Ordinance No. 74-95.

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Wastewater disposal throughout the Village and contiguous unincorporated areas is provided entirely by on-site septic filter Systems. However, the Village of Tower Lakes' septic system standards are significantly higher than those of Lake County. Currently, the Barrington Area Council of Governments is engaged in a local wastewater treatment study funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission is engaged in a regional wastewater management program. It is anticipated both agencies will recommend that public sewer service not be extended to Tower Lakes and contiguous unincorporated areas in the foreseeable future.

Solid waste disposal is handled by an independent scavenger service under contract with the Village.

Law enforcement is provided by the Village Police Department, and fire protection is provided by the Wauconda Fire Protection District, which through contract utilizes the services of the Wauconda Volunteer Fire Department.

The Village of Tower Lakes and all contiguous unincorporated areas south of the north Village limits extended easterly and westerly are included in Barrington Unit District 220. Areas north of this line are included in the Wauconda School Districts.

Access to land has significant influence on its use. The Village Subdivision Control Ordinance¹⁶ specifies the desired function of all roads within and adjacent to the Village. These are classified as: (1) residential access streets, (2) secondary thoroughfares, (3) collector highways, and (4) area service highways. Consistent with the Village's roadway system, but covering a larger area, is the BACOG transportation system. Both systems designate Route 59 as an Area Service Road, carrying a relatively high volume of traffic, but minimizing the widening or altering of the existing character of the roadway, except for safety features.

Collector highways and roads designated by the Village and the BACOG include:

Roberts Road, Kelsey Road, Indian Trail Road, Oakwood Drive, Cuba Road, Miller Road, and River Road. Such roads provide for local circulation within the Barrington area.

Other categories of higher-speed, higher-capacity highways provided for in the BACOG Comprehensive Plan are not represented in the vicinity of Tower Lakes, except Highway 12, which is designated by the State of Illinois as a future freeway.

This system of roads serving Tower Lakes, and the absence of public transit, establishes a relatively low level of accessibility for the Village and suggests that land be utilized accordingly.

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16"Subdivision Control Ordinance for the Village of Tower Lakes," Ordinance No. 68-24.

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The following land-use recommendations cover the "area of influence" which lies within the legal jurisdiction of the Village of Tower Lakes. Adjacent incorporated areas are excluded.

The generalized concept is to retain, essentially unchanged, the developed portions of the community and to extend the predominantly residential character of Tower Lakes and vicinity into undeveloped areas. Special emphasis is to be placed on retaining Tower Lake and North Lake as the unifying focal points of the Village and its community life, and on preserving nearby marshes and floodplains as open spaces enhancing the countryside character of the surrounding environment.

Annexation is not contemplated, except where it is essential to achieving Village goals and policies. Continued close cooperation with the Barrington Area Council of Governments, and enhanced intergovernmental relationships with Lake County, the Village of North Barrington, the Village of Lake Barrington, and the Village of Wauconda are strongly endorsed with respect to municipal boundaries and unincorporated areas.

Specific land-use recommendations are discussed area by area in the following sections.

This unincorporated area lies west of Tower Lakes, bounded generally by River Road and the Fox River. The area is characterized by scenic topography and extensive wetlands, wooded areas and farms. Adjacent to the river, and south of Roberts Road, are two large areas occupied by marina and related private recreational facilities. These marina areas are zoned by Lake County for "Commercial Recreation," whereas other land south of Roberts Road is zoned "Suburban Estates" (lots of 80,000 sq. ft. or larger).

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Land north of Roberts Road is utilized predominantly for agriculture, except for a small subdivision along Roberts Road in the vicinity of the Slocum Drainage Canal. This area is zoned "Agricultural" by the County. In the immediate vicinity of Slocum Lake an existing subdivision is zoned "Urban Residential 3" (minimum lot size 8,500 sq. ft.).

Consistent with the Comprehensive Plan of Lake County and the BACOG Comprehensive Plan, it is recommended that the majority of the area south of Roberts Road and west of River Road be designated as public open space for conservation and recreation, preferably to be acquired by the Lake County Forest Preserve District. Close cooperation should be established with the Village of Lake Barrington so as to designate contiguous wetlands within that Village south of Roberts Road as public open space and to provide for drainage from Tower Lakes.

Land north of Roberts Road should be reserved for agriculture and for residences at a density of 1 unit per 5 or more acres, excepting the existing subdivision adjacent to Slocum Lake.

The area north of Tower Lakes to Routes 12 and 176 is largely rural, with the exception of existing Lakeland Estates which abuts the Village. This subdivision currently contains approximately 53 homes on lots of two to five acres. A lesser number of homesites remain to be developed.

The area immediately north and northwest of Tower Lakes is zoned by the County as "Agricultural" (Lakeland Estates is preexisting non-conforming), and the area adjacent to Routes 12 and 176 is zones "Suburban Estates." An existing service station on Route 59 in the vicinity of Route 12 is zoned "Highway Commercial."

It is recommended that this area be designated primarily for agriculture and for residences at a density of one unit per five or more acres. Lakeland Estates and areas nearer Wauconda should remain at a density of one unit per two to five acres.

This area encompasses all unincorporated lands west of Route 59 to Route 12. Much of the area north of Indian Trail Road, including Timber Lake and Fairview Acres, is developed or is being developed for residences on lots averaging approximately one acre. In Timber Lake many property owners have assembled more than one lot for each homesite. These subdivisions were platted prior to the County's zoning amendment designating the area "Suburban Estate," and they are legally nonconforming. Currently under development is the Graft Subdivision east of Tower Lakes. This subdivision conforms to County zoning, which requires minimum lot sizes of 80,000 sq. ft.

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Between the Graft Subdivision and Tower Lakes are rural areas, including substantial floodplains and wetlands that are generally unsuitable for development.

It is recommended that all future development in this area be residential at a density of one unit per two to five acres. Development of floodplains and wetlands should be prohibited and these areas should remain as private or public conservation areas.

East and south of Timber Lake, County zoning currently provides for two districts:

Suburban Estate" and "Estate" (five acre minimum lots). Portions of the area north of Indian Trail Road are wetlands and woodlands of extraordinary scenic value. They have been designated in the Lake County and BACOG Comprehensive Plan for public open space, possibly an extension of the County's Lakewood Forest Preserve which exists north and east of Route 12. It is recommended that this designation be endorsed. Other portions of this area are recommended for residences at a density of one unit per two to five acres.

South of Indian Trail Road in the vicinity of Route 59 are three parcels of land contiguous to the Village. The first is a three-acre parcel fronting on Indian Trail, the second is a 21-acre parcel fronting on Route 59. Both parcels are currently zoned "Suburban Estate" in the County. It is recommended that they be annexed and retained in residential use at a density of one unit per one to two acres. The southerly parcel adjacent to Route 59, currently zoned "Estate" by the County and virtually surrounded by the Village of Lake Barrington, should be designated for residential use at a density of one unit per two to five acres.

South of Kelsey Road is a parcel of unincorporated land contiguous to the Village of Tower Lakes and the Village of Lake Barrington. This land is recommended for residential use at a density of one unit per two to five acres.

This area encompasses all land within the existing boundaries of the Village. It includes the original subdivision surrounding Tower Lake, the North lake subdivision and other recently annexed areas. The area is substantially developed with the exception of properties in the extreme northeast, southeast, and southwest corners of the Village,

The original plats of subdivision surrounding the two lakes provided for single-family residences on minimum lots sizes of 20,000 sq. ft. No change is envisioned in the established use or density of this area.

Wastewater treatment is handled by individual septic systems on each lot. Some septic systems are now aging and may have an increasing tendency to malfunction.

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It is recommended that the Village, with technical assistance from the Lake County Health Department, continue to enhance its present program of inspections and recertification for all septic systems. Obsolescence and malfunctions should be anticipated early whenever possible so that technical and financial planning can proceed in an orderly manner to avoid the mandates and burdens caused by surprise failures and complaints. Because the field of wastewater management is advancing rapidly in the 1970s the Village should explore possibilities for governmental financial assistance for septic system modernization as an alternative to even more expensive public treatment facilities.

Numerous parks and open spaces enhance the attractiveness of this area. Most are owned and maintained by the Tower Lakes Improvement Association, as are the lakes and islands. A special feature of the original open space system designed by Mr. Barsumian was a continuous strip of community property surrounding both lakes and providing a visual and physical link between homesites and recreational facilities. Due to shoreline erosion this strip of community property is now discontinuous; in fact, in some areas the lakes may have encroached on private property. It is recommended that the principle of the community shoreline strip be reconfirmed.

All other newly developing and undeveloped areas within the Village should be generally designated for residences at a density of one unit per one to two acres, depending on soil conditions and the ability of each site to accommodate septic systems and wells where necessary. Recently annexed property north of Kelsey Road should be designated for residences at a density of one unit per two to five acres, because of soil conditions and the existing marsh.

All floodplains and wetlands should be withheld from development and maintained in as natural a condition as is reasonable. This is especially important in the southwest corner of the Village where certain lands have already been designated as "Conservancy Area."

Special consideration should be given to the design and improvement of private properties and public rights-of-way along Route 59, Kelsey Road, Roberts Road, and Indian Trail Road. This is particularly true at intersections of those roads where safety and amenity are prime factors. In this regard it is recommended that Old Paddock Lane be closed to public traffic, and that new Barsumian Drive be improved as a principal entrance to the Village. It is also recommended that Terrace Drive and Devonshire Road be terminated by cul-de-sacs south of Roberts Road. Further safety could be achieved by making North Lake Shore Drive one way eastbound, thereby eliminating left-turn, inbound access from Roberts Road.

It is further recommended that the Village prepare detailed design objectives for all roadway corridors, negotiate agreements with state and county highway departments where necessary, and monitor the desired improvements. Such improvements should reduce hazards, maintain the countryside character of roadways, and protect residential properties from the impact of light, noise, air pollution, and possible damage generated by increasing vehicular traffic.

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A Village Hall and Community Center is recommended for the five acre parcel on Roberts Road, overlooking the Fox River Valley. The topography of and view from this site offer unique opportunities and constraints. Although no specific construction date is scheduled, preliminary studies of building and parking needs, site conditions, access, landscape design, and cost should be undertaken.

A community-wide forestation program should receive high priority. Village financed tree maintenance and planting of compatible species should focus on public properties and right-of-way, whereas technical assistance and shared financial participation might be considered for private properties. In addition, the Village or the Improvement Association should sponsor an educational program on forestation and landscaping, including instruction on the ecological compatibility of certain practices, plant material, and chemical agents.

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The properties and activities of the Tower Lakes Improvement Association are indigenous to the community. The Comprehensive Plan offers an opportunity to agree on the use of these properties and to enhance the desired relationship between TLIA and the Village.

Maintaining the quality of the lakes for recreation is paramount. Problems to be dealt with include pollutants from domestic waste systems and storm water runoff, siltation, undesirable species of fish, erosion, and demand for water oriented sports. Recent activities to curtail shoreline erosion are an example of the concern and capability of TLIA for solving these problems.

Many causes of such problems extend beyond the limits of Association properties, some extend beyond the limits of the Village. Solutions are equally complex, and some may exceed the Association's resources.

It is recommended that the Association prepare, with the possible assistance of an independent limnologist, a thorough analysis of lake quality and a commensurate program for maintaining the desired quality. The analysis should consider costs and alternate sources of funding the program.

The shoreline of both lakes also deserves attention. Property ownership should be clarified, and the community shoreline should be reestablished wherever feasible. If it is economically feasible, it would be desirable to conduct an official land survey to determine property lines accurately, and to reconfirm or amend accordingly the legal rights and responsibilities of the Association and individual property owners.

Parklands are a major community asset, but they can also create adverse impacts on nearby residential properties. Mutual agreement over their development and use can alleviate many issues. Recommended uses of TLIA recreation properties are:

1. Lakeshores - passive recreation, pathways, water-oriented activities in selected locations, landscaping and erosion protection.

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2. Melrose Drive property - informal active recreation such as baseball, football, and similar games and minor playground activities.

3. Oxford Road properties - reserved for tennis courts.

4. Bridge Lane property - passive park and minor playgound activities.

5. Scenic Drive property - passive recreation and gardens (Barsumian Memorial Park)

6. Barsumian Drive property - wooded conservation area, passive recreation, pathways, council ring and minor playground activities.

7. Circle Drive property - passive recreation and minor playground activities.

8. Oriole Road property - nature conservancy area, marsh.

9. Kelsey Road property - lake conservancy area and village utility area.

10. Gateway Drive property - entrance landscaping and passive recreation.

11. Roberts Road property - entrance landscaping and passive recreation.

As newly annexed land is subdivided, procedures should be executed to reserve additional open space for designated recreational uses compatible with the needs of the community.

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The following documents establishing policies and standards for development within the Village's jurisdiction are hereby made a part of this Comprehensive Plan in conformance with Illinois Revised Statutes, Chapter 24 (Cities and Villages), Municipal Code 11-12-5 (1):

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