Palos Park wants to take 1,400 acres of undeveloped land located in the middle of the Village of Lemont for commercial and residential development. The open space and farm land in question is a focus area highlighted in the 2012 acquisitions strategy of the Cook County Forest Preserve for the Southwest Zone. To make it happen, Palos Park is using the Cook County Forest Preserve Board as a pawn and requesting the annexation of Cook County Forest Preserve property that they have absolutely no interest in. Annexation of the Forest Preserve land would enable Palos Park to exponentially expand the village by installing water and sanitation utilities to the sites. Thus facilitating the sale of the property surrounding existing forest preserves to be sold off to wealthy developers for high density housing and commercial development.