Developer loses appeal in Huntley legal fight

Huntley has scored another victory in its long-running legal battle with a suburban developer.

An Illinois appeals court ruled in Huntley's favor last week in a lawsuit Horizon Group Properties filed against the village in 1999, saying it did not violate any agreements with Horizon when it allowed another developer access to water and sewer service.

The appellate court decision affirms a January 2007 lower-court ruling in Huntley's favor.

In June 2007, Horizon dropped the meat of its case, which argued Huntley oversaturated the commercial market in town when it annexed 200 acres west of Route 47 at Kreutzer Road.

After that, all that remained of the 1999 suit was Horizon's claim that Huntley improperly gave water and sewer service that had been reserved for Horizon to Regency Square, the plaza that Joseph Buralli built on the 200 acres.

"The village is very pleased and satisfied that the appellate court ruled in favor of the village," Village Manager Carl Tomaso said.

Tomaso said the lawsuit has not impeded the progress of Regency Square but has put a damper on development elsewhere in the village.

"Anytime you have a lawsuit hanging out there, (and) there's a potential development that could move forward, they know they have to fight their way through a legal battle," Tomaso said.

Horizon did not return calls seeking comment.

Another lawsuit Horizon filed last year against Huntley and the Rubloff development across the street from Regency Square is still pending.

In that case, Horizon argues the 120-acre plaza anchored by The Home Depot owes Horizon money for water and sewer service.

Horizon and the village have been in discussions on the Rubloff case, but there is no settlement agreement on the table, Tomaso said.