(35 ILCS 200/10-169)

Sec. 10-169. Land no longer registered or encumbered by conservation rights.

(a) In the event the registration agreement or conservation right by which a portion of land has been valued under Section 10-166 is released or amended and for purposes of a conservation right has the effect of substantially diminishing the public benefit, the person liable for taxes on the land shall notify the chief county assessment officer in writing by certified mail within 30 days after the release or amendment. The person liable for taxes on the land that is no longer registered or encumbered by the conservation right shall pay the county collector, by the following September 1, the difference between the taxes paid in the 10 preceding years or, in the event the reduced valuation has been in effect for less than 10 preceding years, the difference between the taxes for the years the reduced valuation has been in effect as based on a valuation under Section 10-166 and what the taxes for those years would have been when based on the valuation as otherwise permitted by this Code, by ordinance adopted under Section 4 of Article IX of the Illinois Constitution, or both, as the case may be, together with 10% interest. If the difference is not paid by the following September 1, the amount of that difference shall be considered as delinquent taxes. In the event the person liable for taxes on the land fails to notify the chief county assessment officer in writing by certified mail within 30 days after the release or amendment of the conservation rights, the property shall be treated as omitted property under the provisions of this Code.

(b) Subsection (a) shall not apply if:

(1) the registration agreement or conservation right is released, terminated, or extinguished pursuant to an acquisition by eminent domain of the land registered or encumbered by the conservation right, provided that for purposes of a conservation right the compensation for the conservation right is paid to the grantee of the conservation right; or

(2) the registration agreement or conservation right is released, terminated, or extinguished in an involuntary judicial proceeding, provided that for purposes of a conservation right all of the proceeds from a sale, exchange, or involuntary conversion of the conservation right are paid to the grantee of the conservation right; or

(3) the conservation right is released, terminated, or extinguished by the grantee of the conservation right without the consent of the owner of the property encumbered by the conservation right, provided that the owner of the encumbered property subsequently conveys or, in good faith and in cooperation with the Department of Natural Resources, attempts to convey a new conservation right that encumbers the same property and qualifies for valuation under Section 10-166 within 12 months of the release, termination, or extinguishment of the prior conservation right.

(Source: P.A. 88-657, eff. 1-1-95; 89-445, eff. 2-7-96.)