Due to the condition of the timbers in the flood plain drainage area in our community the Devonshire HOA board has been considering removing and replacing the timbers with landscaping blocks at a cost of $300,000. That cost is to be divided among the one hundred units paying dues in the form of a special assessment ($3000 per unit). This proposal is costly and more than likely have to be replaced in time.
After communicating with the village civil engineer it was determined that there is no requirement for any retaining walls of any sort. We could just let mother nature do her thing and fill those areas in with her own natural beauty for free. The only cost incurred would be the removal of the timbers as they slowly deteriorate.
Please sign the petition to let the Devonshire HOA know that you do NOT support replacing the timbers with landscaping blocks.
Updates
February 23, 2016
I honestly thought this might just be me yelling into the void but looking at the momentum now feels completely surreal and I am genuinely overwhelmed by how many of you feel the exact same way about this ridiculous project. It is such a massive relief knowing that so many neighbors see exactly what I see because three thousand dollars is a lot of money to throw away on something we do not even need.
20 Comments
Let nature take its course. Couple of questions come to play here : 1. Why/How were the timbers allowed in the first place knowing they would fail? 2. Did we get a vote on this when they were first placed in? 3. Why put blocks in if those are going to fail? To pay another assessment again in 15 years? 4. We're we told of this when buying our houses? 5. Shouldn't the HOA, Village, or Kipling be responsible since they knew timbers would fail? Why are we responsible for their mistake? I do like Kenneth's idea of research lawyers etc and would love to help that. That is much cheaper than 3000 that nobody planned for. There should definitely be a meeting on this before we have to pay.
There is no requirement for walls per the village. The timbers were put there by the builder so he could add to the cost of those homes along the drainage area. If grass is allowed to grow there will not be erosion. Look to the east and west of the drainage area ( the beginning and the end where it enters and exists ) no timbers or walls and no erosion.
These
Do not support replacing the timbers with landscaping blocks.
Brick walls will fall in unless they have proper drainage. Also a footing of 3feet is required.
No Walls
I believe that taking no action to repair or replace the timbers is a failure of the HOA to responsibly manage this property. "Mother Nature's course" would be to create a problem of erosion along the creek and a potential for property flooding which doesn't exist now. Of course no one wants to pay for such a big project, but this may be short-sighted. One person who commented suggested perhaps obtaining a loan to cover this project. Is this ideal? No. But doing nothing is definitely not the answer.
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Due to the condition of the timbers in the flood plain drainage area in our community the Devonshire HOA board has been considering removing and replacing the timbers with landscaping blocks at a cost of $300,000. That cost is to be divided among the one hundred units paying dues in the form of a special assessment ($3000 per unit). This proposal is costly and more than likely have to be replaced in time.
After communicating with the village civil engineer it was determined that there is no requirement for any retaining walls of any sort. We could just let mother nature do her thing and fill those areas in with her own natural beauty for free. The only cost incurred would be the removal of the timbers as they slowly deteriorate.
Please sign the petition to let the Devonshire HOA know that you do NOT support replacing the timbers with landscaping blocks.
Updates
February 23, 2016
I honestly thought this might just be me yelling into the void but looking at the momentum now feels completely surreal and I am genuinely overwhelmed by how many of you feel the exact same way about this ridiculous project. It is such a massive relief knowing that so many neighbors see exactly what I see because three thousand dollars is a lot of money to throw away on something we do not even need.
20 Comments
When we bought into Devonshire, we were never told that we would be responsible for maintaining a retaining wall that is nowhere close to our building site. I support challenging the HOA Committee in assessing us this responsibility. I will be going to Will County Building and Zoning to inquire whether Kipling was lawful in building certain houses close to a waterway/drainage ditch. As you know, there are several houses that are teetering on the edge of this waterway......curious to know whether these were legally built.....will keep you informed! I would much rather pay $1,000 to hire a lawyer to fight this imposition than $3,000 for blocks that may need replacing in my lifetime here in Devonshire.
Let nature take its course. Couple of questions come to play here : 1. Why/How were the timbers allowed in the first place knowing they would fail? 2. Did we get a vote on this when they were first placed in? 3. Why put blocks in if those are going to fail? To pay another assessment again in 15 years? 4. We're we told of this when buying our houses? 5. Shouldn't the HOA, Village, or Kipling be responsible since they knew timbers would fail? Why are we responsible for their mistake? I do like Kenneth's idea of research lawyers etc and would love to help that. That is much cheaper than 3000 that nobody planned for. There should definitely be a meeting on this before we have to pay.
There is no requirement for walls per the village. The timbers were put there by the builder so he could add to the cost of those homes along the drainage area. If grass is allowed to grow there will not be erosion. Look to the east and west of the drainage area ( the beginning and the end where it enters and exists ) no timbers or walls and no erosion.
These
Do not support replacing the timbers with landscaping blocks.
Brick walls will fall in unless they have proper drainage. Also a footing of 3feet is required.
No Walls
I believe that taking no action to repair or replace the timbers is a failure of the HOA to responsibly manage this property. "Mother Nature's course" would be to create a problem of erosion along the creek and a potential for property flooding which doesn't exist now. Of course no one wants to pay for such a big project, but this may be short-sighted. One person who commented suggested perhaps obtaining a loan to cover this project. Is this ideal? No. But doing nothing is definitely not the answer.
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When we bought into Devonshire, we were never told that we would be responsible for maintaining a retaining wall that is nowhere close to our building site. I support challenging the HOA Committee in assessing us this responsibility. I will be going to Will County Building and Zoning to inquire whether Kipling was lawful in building certain houses close to a waterway/drainage ditch. As you know, there are several houses that are teetering on the edge of this waterway......curious to know whether these were legally built.....will keep you informed! I would much rather pay $1,000 to hire a lawyer to fight this imposition than $3,000 for blocks that may need replacing in my lifetime here in Devonshire.