Project Information

Bid Title

Prairie Green Preserve Farm Lease

Issuing Agency

City of Geneva

Location

Illinois

Published Date

Jan 16, 2026

Closing Date

Feb 9, 2026

Government Level

State & Local

Status

Closed

Original Source

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Bid Documents

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Project Description

Bid Title:	Prairie Green Preserve Farm Lease
Category:	Requests For Bids and Proposals
Status:	Open

Description: The City is leasing 245 acres of City-owned land within Prairie Green Preserve for farming during 2026 and 2027. Please see related documents for complete details. Publication Date/Time: 1/16/2026 4:20 PM Closing Date/Time: 2/9/2026 10:00 AM Contact Person: David DeGroot Community Development Director Ph: 630-232-0814 ddegroot@geneva.il.us Related Documents: Prairie Green Farm Lease RFP

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City of Geneva

Community Development Department

22 South First Street, Geneva, Illinois 60134 (630) 232-0814

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS – 2026 and 2027 FARM LEASE AT

PRAIRIE GREEN PRESERVE

The City of Geneva will receive sealed proposals until Monday, February 9, 2026 - 10:00 a.m. at

Geneva City Hall, 109 James Street Geneva, Illinois, for leasing 245 acres of city-owned land

within Prairie Green Preserve for farming (agricultural purposes only) during the years 2026 and

2027. The land is located in Section 6 of Geneva Township, Section 31 of St. Charles

Township, Section 36 of Campton Township and Section 1 of Blackberry Township and

described as follows:

25 +/- tillable acres (south ½ of the former Lindquist farm property)

62 +/- tillable acres (part of the former Anderson farm property)

15 +/- tillable acres (part of the former Fisher farm property)

11 +/- tillable acres (part of the former Weber farm property)

132 +/- tillable acres (part of lands formerly owned by the State of Illinois Department of

Corrections – comprises certain parcels of land in Section 31 of St. Charles Township,

Section 36 of Campton Township, Section 1 in Blackberry township and Section 6 of

Geneva Township)

The Farm Lease document and a map showing the parcels for lease are available for public

inspection at the Community Development Department offices located in Geneva City Hall.

Proposals must be submitted indicating the farm lease rate per acre. The term of the lease shall

be for two annual growing seasons, and is proposed to start on March 1, 2026 and end on

December 31, 2027. Fifty percent of the 2026 cash rent payment shall be due on or before June

1, 2026, and the remaining fifty percent of the 2026 cash rent payment shall be due on or before

December 1, 2026. Fifty percent of the 2027 cash rent payment shall be due on or before June 1,

2027, and the remaining fifty percent of the 2027 cash rent payment shall be due on or before

December 1, 2027. All crops must be harvested by November 1st each year.

The proposals received will be opened and read publicly on Monday, February 9, 2026 at 10:00

a.m. in the Geneva City Council Chambers, 109 James Street, Geneva, Illinois. For more

information contact David DeGroot, Community Development Director, at 630-232-0814. The

City of Geneva reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, or accept any proposals, which in

its judgment are in the best interest of the public.

FARM LEASE

This instrument was prepared by:

CHARLES A. RADOVICH

CITY ATTORNEY

CITY OF GENEVA

22 SOUTH FIRST STREET

GENEVA, ILLINOIS 60134

By this Farm Lease (“Lease”), entered into March 1, 2026, CITY OF

GENEVA, a municipal corporation, "Lessor," demises and lets to

, “Lessee,”

to occupy and to use for agricultural purposes (including farming) and for no other

purposes, the following real estate located in Section 6 of Geneva Township, Section 31

of St. Charles Township, Section 36 of Campton Township, and Section 1 of Blackberry

Township, Kane County, Illinois, described as follows:

SEE EXHIBITS “A” THROUGH “F” CONSISTING OF LEGAL

DESCRIPTIONS AND A MAP DEPICTING THE FARM LEASE ACREAGE

AND INVASIVE SPECIES CONTROL AREAS, ATTACHED HERETO AND

MADE A PART HEREOF

(commonly known as the south 25 acres of the former Lindquist Farm, 62 acres of

the former Anderson Farm, 132 acres formerly owned by the State of Illinois

Department of Corrections, 15 acres of the former Fisher Farm, and 11 acres of

the former Weber Farm, – 245 total tillable acres)

The term of this Lease is from March 1, 2026 to December 31, 2027. LESSEE

ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT LEASE SHALL NOT CONTINUE

FROM YEAR TO YEAR THEREAFTER AND THAT THIS LEASE

CONSTITUTES WRITTEN NOTICE TO TERMINATE THE LEASE AS OF

DECEMBER 31, 2027. The provisions of this Lease are binding on the heirs, executors,

administrators, and assigns of both Lessor and Lessee in like manner as upon the original

parties, unless modified by mutual agreement.

Section I

Rental Provisions

For the portion of the lease period beginning on March 1, 2026 and ending on

December 31, 2026, the Lessee will pay Lessor, an annual cash rent for the above-

described farm, $

in two installments of $

each. The first installment is to

be paid on or before June 1, 2026, and the final installment is to be paid on or before

December 1, 2026. The final installment may be adjusted to account for the actual acres

planted by the Lessee at the lease rate of $

per acre, as well as by the credited

cost of invasive species control services provided by the Lessee on abutting land owned

by the Lessor and further described in Section V, O. herein. If the entire amount of a

required payment is not paid in full within ten (10) business days after the same is due,

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the Lessee will pay to the Lessor a late fee equal to ten (10) percent of the required

payment.

For the portion of the lease period beginning on January 1, 2027 and ending on

December 31, 2027, the Lessee will pay Lessor, an annual cash rent for the above-

described farm, $

in two installments of $

each. The first installment is

to be paid on June 1, 2027, and the final installment is to be paid on December 1, 2027.

The final installment of rent may be adjusted to account for the actual acres planted by

the Lessee at the lease rate of $

per acre, as well as by the cost of invasive

species control services provided by the Lessee on abutting land owned by the Lessor and

further described in Section V, O. herein. If the entire amount of a required payment is

not paid in full within ten (10) business days after the same is due, the Lessee will pay to

the Lessor a late fee equal to ten (10) percent of the required payment.

Section II

Land Use and Cropping Program

A. The Lessee will not use a moldboard plow, except in special situations

with the City’s written consent.

B. The Lessee will not use a moldboard plow for fall tillage on ground to

be planted the following spring.

C. The Lessee will maintain crop residue at a level equal to or greater

than necessary to comply with state and federal soil conservation laws.

D. The Lessee will not till any permanent pasture, meadow, native prairie,

or forage crops without the permission of the landowner.

E. The Lessee will use methods for the production of row crops where feasible.

F. The Lessee will farm pursuant to a conservation plan developed in

cooperation with the landowner and state and federal soil conservation

officials.

G. During the term of this Lease, Lessor shall be entitled to enter onto the

real estate for the purposes of conducting surveying and such other testing

and monitoring (“Prairie Green testing and monitoring”) as Lessor, in its

sole discretion, deems necessary and advisable in order to plan for the

continuing development of Prairie Green Preserve. In the event that

Lessor, or its agents or employees, cause any damage (which shall be

verified by Lessor) to Lessee’s crop during the course of the Prairie Green

testing and monitoring, Lessor’s liability for damages shall not exceed

$250.00 per acre damaged.

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H. During the term of the Lease, the Lessor shall be permitted to

construct and use haul roads, paths and gravel storage pads on non-crop

producing land.

Section III

Lessor's Investment and Expenses

Lessor will furnish the property, and will pay the real estate taxes on land.

Section IV

Lessee's Investment and Expenses

Lessee will furnish the property and service, and will pay for all the

machinery, equipment, and labor necessary to farm the premises and all seed,

inoculation and disease-treatment materials, and fertilizers.

Section V

Lessee's Duties in Operating Farm

Further, Lessee will:

A. Faithfully cultivate the farm in a timely, thorough, and farmer-like

manner.

B. Take proper care of, and prevent injury to, all trees, vines, and shrubs.

C. Keep open ditches, tile drains, tile outlets, grass waterways, and

terraces in good repair.

D. Prevent all unnecessary waste, or loss, or damage to the lessor's

property.

E. Not assign this lease or sublet any part of the premises without the

Lessor's written consent.

F. Not cut live trees, except by permission of Lessor, but use only dead or

down timber not suitable for saw logs or posts.

G. Not allow noxious weeds to go to seed on the premises, but destroy

them, and to keep trim the weeds and grass on the roads adjoining the

leased premises.

H. Not burn cornstalks, straw or other crop residues grown on the farm,

except by permission of Lessor, but leave or spread all such material upon

the land, and in no case remove from the farm any such material without

the Lessor's consent.

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I. Complete the harvesting of planted crops on the land by no later than

November 1, 2026 and November 1, 2027 each year.

J. Not break up established watercourses or ditches, or undertake any

other operation that will injure the leased premises.

K. Not plow pasture or meadowland without the Lessor's consent.

L. In the event Lessee fails to pay any lease payment when due or

otherwise fails to perform any of the terms and conditions set forth herein,

Lessor shall be entitled to enforce this Lease with any and all remedies

available to Lessor at law or in equity, and in the event of such default in

performance by Lessee, Lessor shall be entitled to be reimbursed for its

reasonable attorney’s fees.

M. Not plow or otherwise disturb Lessor’s prairie seeding upon the land

lying southerly and adjacent the leased premises. In the event that Lessee,

or its agents or employees cause any damage (which shall be verified by

Lessor) to Lessor’s prairie seeding project during the term of this lease,

Lessee shall be responsible for and pay such damages for restoration of

such prairie seeding area caused by Lessee.

N. Lessee takes possession of the leased premises subject to the hazards

of operating equipment and personnel on the land, and assumes all risk of

accidents personally as well as for employees and agents of Lessee in

pursuance of farming operations, or in performing repairs of fences, tiles

or other improvements. Lessee agrees to protect and indemnify and save

Lessor harmless against and from any and all claims by or on behalf of

any person or persons arising out of or from any accident, conduct, work

or other occurrences whatsoever or whomsoever, and due directly or

indirectly to the negligent use of the land by said Lessee, its employees,

agents, contractors, servants, licensees, or agents. Further, prior to the

commencement of this Lease, Lessee agrees to furnish to Lessor a

Certificate of Insurance naming Lessor as an additional insured, with

general liability limits of $1,000,000 for all occurrences; lessee shall

endorsed on the policy and certificate a provision that Lessor shall be

given 15 days prior written notice of cancellation or material change in

insurance coverage.

O. Lessee shall provide invasive plant species control services (weed

control) on portions of the Lessor-owned Prairie Green Preserve abutting

the leased premises. The invasive species control services shall be

conducted over an anticipated acreage of approximately 70 acres, and the

final acreage amount shall be the actual unused land (not farmed and not

hydrated as part of the Prairie Green Preserve Wetland Mitigation Bank

Project). The methods used by the Lessee to control invasive plant species

shall include mowing, herbicide application, and disking, or a combination

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