Western Springs Settles With La Grange Highlands Entity

WESTERN SPRINGS, IL — Western Springs has settled a 4-year-old lawsuit filed by the La Grange Highlands Sanitary District.

The litigation involved the Timber Trails subdivision, which is in the district's service area. The district wanted money from the developer to cover the costs of the design and construction of a water tower tank.

Under the settlement, the district is set to get $500,000. None of that money involves taxpayer dollars, officials said. Rather, the money will come from the Timber Trails developer's security funds that the village holds, they said.

The water tank serves not only Timber Trails, but the rest of the district's service area.

At Monday's Village Board meeting, trustees unanimously approved the settlement.

"This is a positive development for all parties," the village's attorney, Michael Jurusik, told the board.

The Timber Trails subdivision is in the southernmost part of the village. About 200 lots have been completed.

The development was once the site of a golf course and pool, which was auctioned off 17 years ago for the 338-unit housing development. The project went into foreclosure during the recession and started again nine years ago.

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 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 is expected to take ownership of the streets, stormwater and sewer systems, and ornamental streetlights.