Barrington Hills Homeowner Cites Septic Problem from Summer Flooding

This is from Pauline Boyle, a resident of Barrington Hills:

Flooding and Contamination of my property (315 Ridge) on the north end.

As unbelievable as it seems I flood on both the north and south ends of my property and both issues can be attributed to Village of Barrington Hills refusing to follow and enforce there own codes.

Toilet paper flowing.

I am alleging this is done intentionally by past and present administration.

Above link is a video of the man-made trench dug from St. Marks Church to the neighboring property (335 Ridge Road) and the pond located there.

I will provide aerial photos that also indicate another property at 344 Ridge Road (directly east of St. Marks) has also dug a trench that directs stormwater into the pond at 335 Ridge Road.

Aerial photo of the property depicts trenching (left side) to pond.

This additional stormwater then contributes greatly to the overflow of the pond at 335 – which then backs up onto my property.

St Marks church should not have a special use permit legally since according to village code – they must first have 5 acres of land.

Per Lake County – St Marks Church sits on 4.78 acres.

This is important because they are allowed to continue to operate a school and church in violation of codes.

The FAR (floor area ratio) is over what is allowed by code.

The existence of a rectory, church and school on this land as well as the large amount of parking lot (non permeable surface) is the largest contributing factor dealing with nearby drainage issues.

Fecal matter in water.

Village committee members and trustees as well as elected official refuse to accurately address this issue.

Lake County maps also indicate at one time there was a ‘waterbody’ on that parcel.

Obviously it has been filled in adding to the problem.

St Marks has – or should have – two separate septic systems – one for the church/school and one for the rectory.

These septic systems are inadequate and illegal in that maintenance is an issue for the congregation – the source of the high fecal count in the standing water on my property.

Lab report on fecal coliform content and toliet paper residue.

I will attach the findings to this email as well – at 200 beaches are closed.

Results are as high as 9700.

Contrary to what the village tries to state – geese and ducks cannot create that high a count.

I will also include a photo of the residue after the water resided – it was toilet paper.

These issues and others are the source of the flooding and contamination of my property.

Mrs. Boyle also provides the following additional information:

Barrington Hills, Il – Lake County, but as you will see McHenry County is involved.

I am a GOLD STAR widow my husband being killed in Kandahar Afghanistan June 19, 2012.  While Tom was technically a civilian military contractor – the military views his death as service related.

My property is located at the corner of Ridge Road and Merri Oaks Road.  Half of Ridge Road is in Lake County and the other half is in McHenry County.

Presently, our property floods with contaminated water on both the north and south ends.

This property floods via man-made issues which I am alleging are sanctioned/constructed by the Village of Barrington Hills – the result of a public works project on the south end and refusal to enforce village codes on the north end.

At one time the property at 374 Ridge Road in McHenry County was pumping their stormwater under Ridge Road which added greatly to the flooding and contamination I was experiencing  – to my knowledge this may have been resolved but their pump is still visible from Ridge Road.

Important in that this village has often redirected stormwater in violation of Illinois Drainage law and from one watershed to another, from one county to another – all without public meeting and required permits and mostly to benefit benefactors and supporters of village elected officials.

The south end flooding

The water is intentionally redirected via piping and a $150,000 public works project that pipes contaminated stormwater from 45 Ridge Road – under Ridge Road east and running parallel to my property on Merri Oaks.

The piping along Merri Oaks road is directly across from my property and divided by the road itself.

This piping is set above grade and is perforated – which means it directs the stormwater from 45 Ridge Road and overflows onto my property, as it ends in a ‘dead manhole’ exactly ending where my property line ends.

When I complained to Lake County – it seems that this piping was closed off or disconnected as I do not flood because of this public works project – but please remember that over $150,00 of tax money was spent to do this.

45 Ridge Road has a series of catch basins running along Ridge Road which collect and stormwater and septic runoff.

This water collects at the SW corner of Ridge Road and Merri Oaks Road, often overflowing onto my property during rain events.

This water presently crossed Ridge Road from McHenry County to Lake County.

Once again a different watershed.

Attached is video that was posted on The Rebranding Barrington Hills Facebook page – since the village is responsible for that portion of my land flooding I titled this – Government Sponsored Vandalism.

The company who did this construction is called Copenhaver.

GOVERNMENT SPONSORED VANDALISM

Recording of storm water catch basin overflow at 45 Ridge Road – water then flows onto my property on the south end where it previously did not collect.

A phenomena that developed after the catch basins were installed.

Water directed from one watershed to another watershed.

From McHenry county to Lake county.

Both in violation of EPA standards and Illinois Drainage Law.

From there it is directed onto my land [from a friend of village official]. No favoritism going on here. (Sarcasm)

Catch basins are useless.

When they are needed most they fail.

She questions the judgment of the village engineer and continues,

The numerous other road closures in our village confirm this.

Why do we not have a comprehensive drainage program in place?

Heck we could hire a knowledgeable farmer to initiate one. And save HUNDREDS of thousands of taxpayer money.

Let us not forget that the $150,000+ public works project was closed off because of my complaint.

BUT they still used $150,000 of taxpayer money to construct it.

At the November 14th Board of Health meeting, Pauline Boyle reports the following happened:

At the Board of Health meeting of Barrington Hills, the board voted that it was their opinion that St Marks church/school/rectory septic systems were not leaking.

The septic dye test conducted by our Village engineer and not a licensed certified septic service is of concern to me and the reason for this email.

Frankly, I am not satisfied with the testing.

In the past 7 years, I can document three instances of septic failure on that same property.

These failures were never acknowledged nor identified by Village or county inspection/engineers.

It is my thought that the septic needs to be tested by an outside company as from past history I have learned that the village of Barrington Hills has been far from honest about this issue.

To their credit the BOH referred the illegal redirecting of water, permit violations and code violations to the village zoning board and building departments for further investigation and enforcement – this after years of complaining.

The arriows point to two trenches on two properties that redirect stormwater to the pond next door to me – 335 Ridge. The pond overflows then backs up onto my property flooding it. The ponding water has a high fecal count.

I have attached a video and aerial documenting the redirecting of stormwater for your review.

As you know Lake County refuses enforcement with Nerheim’s inspector telling me their office would defend Lake County Stormwater not prosecute them.

So my tax money is used for what?

As a side note the grounds keeper Rick Cavenaugh for St Marks after the meeting proceeded to call me a troublemaker and other names.

Can I have some resolution to this matter?

The Village attorney insists this is a private matter between residents.

I say if state, county and local codes were enforced this issue would not have continued to this extreme.


Comments

Barrington Hills Homeowner Cites Septic Problem from Summer Flooding — 6 Comments

  1. He needs to file his complaint with the Illinois EPA.

    I used to live in a community in Lake County.

    Had a similar problem with one of the cities.

    Called the Illinois EPA and the problem was rectified quickly.

  2. Get an attorney and take Barrington Hills to court if they refuse to remediate said situation.

  3. I heard Jack D. Franks is a very good attorney…tic, tock, tic, tock…

  4. Angel, shouldn’t you be on the D155 tax hike story defending $100k pensions for part time teaching work?

    Don’t mess with the Barrington folks. You will need the wealthy areas to pay the golden parachutes.

    unfortunately they are experiencing home value declines even greater than the tax bill to pay the golden pensions.

    The teachers will need them to stay put in Illinois to pay the bill due.

    From all the for sale signs i see driving through there and the states on producers leaving an inevitable BK of state is coming which will lead to pension cuts.

    My recommendation is retire now to lock in the rate

  5. Here are my comments;

    To Mark – I have presented all of these to village and village attorney

    To Out of Towner – EPA in Illinois sends it to IEPA – which is notoriously corrupt. If you have a contact federally please let me know or forward this article – FYI I am female my husband being killed in Afghanistan.

    To Honest Abe – no attorney will take this case as the collusion of Lake County and their states attorney is evident in protecting the ‘chosen ones’.

    There is no such thing as justice within the court system of Illinois.

    But thank you all for responding – there is a part two to all of this and involved the exposure of intentional flooding and contamination on the south end of my property.

    Yes I am being flooded on both sides – with the blessing of the board of trustees.

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