(60 ILCS 1/Art. 120 heading)
(60 ILCS 1/120-5)
Sec. 120-5. Power to acquire park land; inapplicable to church.
(a) A township, acting through the township board, may acquire lands (not exceeding for any one park 25 acres in extent, unless received as a gift) to be set apart and forever held and maintained and improved as public parks for the free use of the public.
(b) This Section does not apply to property owned by a church or any organization owned, operated, or controlled by or affiliated with a church, regardless of whether the property is subject to a lease, occupancy agreement, or other contract, agreement, or arrangement with a person or entity other than a church.
(Source: P.A. 86-282; 88-62.)
(60 ILCS 1/120-10)
Sec. 120-10. Method of acquiring land. A township desiring to procure lands for park purposes under this Article may purchase the lands from the owner or owners or, in the discretion of the township board, may acquire the lands by the exercise of the power of eminent domain in the manner provided by the laws of this State for taking or damaging private property for public purposes. A township may not utilize eminent domain powers with respect to lands located within the boundaries of a municipality that is served by a municipal recreation department, or a park district.
(Source: P.A. 94-622, eff. 8-18-05.)
(60 ILCS 1/120-15)
Sec. 120-15. Townships in certain counties; golf courses and fees.
(a) A township in a county having a population between 300,000 and 1,000,000 may, by purchase only and not by condemnation, acquire lands not exceeding 50 acres for park purposes or golf courses. A township in a county having a population between 100,000 and 300,000 may, by purchase only and not by condemnation, acquire lands not exceeding 100 acres for park purposes or golf courses.
(b) If the lands are developed as a golf course, the township board shall charge a fee of those using the golf course and its facilities. The fee shall be at a rate sufficient to pay for the maintenance, depreciation, and operating costs relating to the golf course.
(Source: P.A. 85-1209; 88-62.)
(60 ILCS 1/120-20)
Sec. 120-20. Park maintenance tax.
(a) To provide a fund for the maintenance of parks, the township board may levy annual taxes not exceeding 0.02% (or the rate limit in effect on July 1, 1967, whichever is greater) of the value of the property in the township in any one year, as equalized or assessed by the Department of Revenue. The tax shall be levied and collected at the time and in the manner that other township taxes are required to be levied and collected.
(b) The limitations upon tax rates in subsection (a) may be increased or decreased under the referendum provisions of the General Revenue Law of Illinois.
(c) The maintenance tax, when levied and collected, shall be kept separate and distinct from all other township funds and shall be applied exclusively to the expense of maintenance and upkeep, adornment, and development of parks acquired by the township or to the acquisition of other lands to be used for public park purposes. In any township in a county having a population between 100,000 and 1,000,000, the moneys provided by the taxes authorized by this Section may be used for the acquisition and development of lands for park and golf course purposes under Section 120-15, subject to the requirements of that Section concerning the establishment of fees for the use of golf courses.
(Source: P.A. 82-783; 88-62.)