Working with the Trust, the family crafted an easement plan that, while allowing for the construction of eight homes sometime in the future, keeps most of Horizon Farms free from development.

“By preserving Horizon Farm’s rural beauty and character, the McGinley family has created a wonderful living legacy for our community,” Bradford-White said. “They (developers) could’ve come in and built some 80 homes on that property, and when it was over, it would’ve looked like just another big suburb.”

Bradford-White said her organization’s goal is to convince others that the sound decisions made by the McGinley’s can be repeated by landowners throughout Barrington Hills and the surrounding communities.

McGinley, who now holds an advisory board member position with the Trust, couldn’t agree with that goal more.

“We wanted to make a statement,” he said. “We wanted to say ‘We’re ready to take a stand against suburban encroachment.’"

“We wanted to provide a legacy to my grandchildren, to give them and everyone else an enclave of open space,” he said. “So that they can experience something that’s becoming more and more rare.” ¦

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