When Andrew Ho began looking for places to build a home for his growing family, a plot in a planned subdivision in an unincorporated area near Glen Ellyn seemed to hold much promise.
The plans called for a five-home subdivision that would abut a gorgeous wooded area owned by the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. Ho, in particular, liked the draw of the landscape as well as the feeling of privacy that would come with living off of a cul-de-sac.
What he didn’t expect was just how private it would become.
“They are all telling me it is a private road,” said Ho, whose home so far is the only one that has been built in the subdivision.
Since moving into the home on Blue Ridge Court two years ago, Ho has been involved in a battle to have his street plowed when it snows.
He believes that Milton Township should take care of it. Milton Township points to the developer, the developer points back to the township, the bank won’t comment, and Ho is left holding the shovel.
The continued circle of finger-pointing has grown tiresome for the businessman who has had to either pay a private snow-hauler to clear the road or do the work himself.
Now, with the winter snowstorms returning, he wants a clear answer as to who is responsible for maintaining the road that leads to the home he purchased for $775,000 in 2008.
“It’s hard spending a couple thousand dollars of your own money to plow your own street on top of the $16,000 to $17,000 in property taxes I pay each year,” Ho said.
One of the main issues around Blue Ridge Court is the fact that Ho’s home is the only one in the subdivision.
Milton Township Attorney Mary Dickson explained that until 80 percent of the development is built, Blue Ridge Court will remain a private roadway. That means it is the responsibility of the developer to maintain his street, she said.
Developer Tim Wilson of Ten Talents Inc. argues the township should be more understanding about the strain today’s economy has put on developers and voluntarily plow the road.
“(Ho) has a legitimate complaint, and I think the complaint is against the township,” said Wilson, who challenges the designation of Blue Ridge Court as a private road.
“It is in a publicly dedicated subdivision,” Wilson said.
Ho isn’t the only one wondering who is responsible for the streets in an unfinished subdivision.
Mike Clancy lives in a subdivision off of Chapel Hill Court that was also started by Wilson’s company. It sits about a block away from Blue Ridge Court and also remains partially undeveloped — only five of the 11 planned homes were built.
Clancy said some homeowners have pooled their own money to hire a private hauler. He said Ho could join that pool to ensure he can get in and out of his one-home subdivision when the storms blow through. But Ho believes plowing the street should not be his responsibility.
He even reached out to Itasca Bank and Trust Co., which he believes has been paying someone to mow grass on the undeveloped lots in his subdivision to avoid fines from the township.
Due to pending litigation involving foreclosure proceedings against the developer, a representative from the bank would not comment on the matter.
“It’s frustrating, because who do you call?” Ho asked.
