Illinois Statutes Chapter 70. Special Districts § 2105/10a. Power to acquire property; eminent domain; venue; payment of damages

§ 10a. Such conservancy district may acquire by purchase, condemnation or otherwise any and all real and personal property, right of way and privileges whether within or without its corporate limits that may be required for its corporate purposes; and in case any district formed hereunder shall be unable to agree with any person or party upon the terms and amounts for which it may desire to acquire or purchase any such property, it may proceed to acquire the same in accordance with the terms and provisions of this Act.

Whenever the board of trustees of any conservancy district shall pass an ordinance for the making of any improvement which such district is authorized to make, the making of which will require that private property should be taken or damaged, such district may cause compensation therefor to be ascertained, and may condemn and acquire possession thereof in the same manner as nearly as may be as is provided for the exercise of the right of eminent domain under the Eminent Domain Act:  1 Provided, however, that proceedings to ascertain the compensation to be paid for taking or damaging private property shall in all cases be instituted in the county where the property sought to be taken or damaged is situated; and, provided, that all damages to property whether determined by agreement or by final judgment of court shall be paid, prior to the payment of any other debt or obligation.

When in making any improvements which any district is authorized by this Act to make, it shall be necessary to enter upon and take possession of any public property or properties held for public use, the board of trustees of such district shall have the power to and may acquire the necessary right of way over any other property held for public use in the same manner as is herein provided for acquiring private property, and may enter upon and use the same for the purposes aforesaid: Provided, the public use thereof shall not be unnecessarily interrupted or interfered with, and that the same shall be restored to its former usefulness as soon as possible.