Country Club Hills Connector Trail

The Country Club Hills Connector Trail was a planned trail project in the design phase, associated with at least one grant of approximately $9 million (referenced as roughly $9 million in later public comment). As early as January 2025, the Planning Commission noted waning public interest in the trail. At the January 14, 2025 City Council meeting, Councilmember Bates requested that the trail be included in an upcoming work session discussion alongside the George Snyder Trail and Pickett Road Connector Trail. At the March 11, 2025 work session, Councilmember Bates stated support for canceling the trail and noted more staff time was needed before a formal work session could be held. On April 8, 2025, Councilmember Hall moved to cancel the trail outright, with the council also noting the need to clarify financial obligations related to returning grant funds before proceeding. The matter was scheduled for the April 22, 2025 work session, after which the Council voted 6-0 to terminate all actions with respect to the Country Club Hills Connector Trail. A subsequent July 1, 2025 staff presentation confirmed the trail's cancellation and noted that a stream restoration project in the same area is independent of and unaffected by the trail cancellation.

In this wiki

• Meeting history — every action, vote, and update, with links to the moment in the meeting video
• Positions & open questions

2025-03-11 — City Council Meeting

Agenda item 10a: Work Session: Discussion and update on the George Snyder Trail project (watch the moment)

• Outcome: Discussion held during work session. No formal council action taken. Multiple members of the public spoke in opposition during general comment periods. Councilmember Bates stated his support for canceling the Country Club Hills Connector Trail and moving the Pickett Road Connector Trail to the west side; Councilmember Hall also requested more information on those connector trails and Jermantown Road CIP improvements.
• [10a] Councilmember Bates stated his support for canceling the Country Club Hills Connector Trail, noting more staff time is needed before a formal work session can be held.

2025-04-22 — City Council Work Session and Regular Meeting

Agenda item 1e: Work Session: Discussion and update on trail projects (watch the moment)

• Outcome: Discussed in work session. Actions arising from this discussion were taken under agenda item 4a.
• [1e] The Country Club Hills Connector Trail was discussed during the work session, leading to Council action under item 4a. [4a] Council approved 6-0 to terminate all actions with respect to the Country Club Hills Connector Trail.
• Status after: withdrawn

Open questions

No unresolved questions recorded.

Member commentary

• Councilmember Bates — At the March 11, 2025 work session, Bates stated his support for canceling the Country Club Hills Connector Trail, noting more staff time was needed before a formal work session. At the April 8, 2025 meeting, Bates indicated he expected the matter to wait for a work session before a formal motion was made, expressing some surprise at Hall's immediate motion to cancel.
• Councilmember Hall — At the March 11, 2025 work session, Hall requested more information on the connector trails. On April 8, 2025, Hall moved to cancel the Country Club Hills Connector Trail, arguing there appeared to be council support based on prior conversations and noting that Bates himself had raised cancellation as an option even before the current council was elected. Hall also flagged the need to clarify financial obligations — including the implications of returning an approximately $8 million grant — before formally canceling the trail.
• Councilmember Peterson — On April 8, 2025, Peterson seconded Councilmember Hall's motion to cancel the Country Club Hills Connector Trail.