Water retention

[Michelle Mueth]

Please help!! Developer needed to provide for water run-off from his new development. He dug a "pond" with a run-off ditch, but the water does not run off! The area has standing water which is stagnated and the area is overgrown with weeds. City officials will not help. This area is directly adjacent to my property. Does anyone know if Illinois law protects a property owner from damage to property values because of the actions of a developer?

 

[mike gurnee]

You got caught in the jargon of city engineers. The developer was required to "provide" for run-off all right, but the standards probably state that digging a retention or detention (more jargon) pond is an acceptable method for this. The concept is to not permit any more rain water to leave the property than did before it was developed.

There should be a city follow-up to all this. The property owner should be required to maintain the drainage drainage "features" so as to not become a nuisance to the neighborhood. While this may not have been done, most communities have separate ordinances against weeds and stagnant water. Check those out.