Timber Trails: What's Going On?

WESTERN SPRINGS, IL — It's been a long history for the Timber Trails development, which takes up the southernmost section of Western Springs. The onetime golf course and pool was auctioned off 16 years ago for a 338-unit housing development. The project went into foreclosure during the recession and started again eight years ago.

This week, the village reported the developer has completed nearly all the agreed-upon public infrastructure, including streets, paths, and sewer and stormwater systems. The exceptions are two cul-de-sacs, which remain incomplete to this day.

About 90 percent of the houses in the subdivision's first phase are done, while 45 percent in the second are finished, according to the village. The development is made up of townhomes and single-family houses.

In 2005, the village annexed the area of the subdivision. Not long after, as part of an agreement with the developer, the village issued $55 million in special assessment bonds for the development to complete the public improvements. The village has approved 84 draws from that fund since 2006, said Jeff Ziegler, the village's engineer. About $1.4 million is left, with the remaining improvements estimated at $300,000 to $400,000.

"The bond issuance carries no risk for the village," Ziegler said at this week's village board meeting. "The developer is solely responsible to pay it back."

If the developer defaulted, he said, the unsold lots would be sold to pay off the bonds.

The village board makes up the board of local improvements, which was created to approve the drawdowns of the bond money. Its work should be done within five years, Ziegler said.

The subdivision is 106 acres, including a 5-acre park. It includes a system of paths and open space behind most of the homes. Once the public improvements meet village standards, Western Springs will take ownership of the streets, stormwater and sewer systems, and ornamental streetlights.

Representatives of the company, Timber Trails of Western Springs Development Co., couldn't be reached for immediate comment.