Indian Ridge neighbors cry foul at Minooka Village Board

Residents from the Indian Ridge subdivision came to the Minooka Village Board last week with concerns over construction in their subdivision.

Vacant lots currently are under construction by Lennar Homes, the third builder to take over the site since it was first platted more than a decade ago.

One Indian Ridge resident, who asked to remain anonymous, said she was sick and tired of the village ignoring the concerns of neighbors in the subdivision surrounding the ongoing work.

The woman approached the board members with complaints over road damage and debris during the construction process, and asked if there were bonds the village could cash in to take care of potential damage done to the neighborhood during the construction process.

Village Administrator Dan Duffy said the builder has general liability insurance to cover any damage that might occur during the construction, an answer that didn’t satisfy the homeowner

“We’ve got these concrete trucks going up and down the street every day, they’re running these front loaders up and down every day, scraping. Our roads were not built to accommodate this weight,” she said.

But when asked about how the village will hold the builder responsible for the roads, officials noted the streets are under the village’s jurisdiction.

“It’s a public street now,” Duffy said. “It’s no different than when you or anybody else built there. It became a public street. Any subdivision that has infill, it’s a public street. We watch them, we definitely watch them to make sure they’re not bringing in anything that’s illegal that’s scraping our streets. But a concrete truck coming in for a construction project, that’s legal.”

The resident said she felt the roads aren’t built to withstand the daily construction traffic, and is worried about the longterm maintenance.

“I’m concerned. Who’s going to repair these roads when they’re finished? Is it going to be the taxpayers? If I were sitting behind that desk, I would definitely make sure that ... you would have some kind of bond that you could go after them, so they can fix what they broke or what they damaged.”

That same resident got angry with board members over what she said was a lack of movement on complaints when residents call, such as clogged storm sewer drains. She said the village has not shown the residents the respect they deserve.

“Is this the way you treat the residents who have been here all this time?” she asked. “They [the builder] leave their garbage dumpsters full, so full they’re overflowing. It’s like I live in slums over there. I have to pick up garbage every day. I’m just thoroughly disgusted.”

Another resident, who also asked to remain anonymous, said some construction sites have standing water, and the new homes don’t fit in aesthetically with homes already built. Village officials said the builder has been notified of their responsibility when it comes to keeping debris clear of storm sewers. No further action or discussion was taken on the issue.

A Lennar homes representative issued the following statement to the Morris Herald-News:

“Lennar works hard to be a good neighbor and strives to keep our homesites as clean as possible during construction. We encourage residents to share concerns at our Welcome Home Centers so we can address them quickly.”