Cement barriers could return to 12 Oaks complex

Rolling Meadows City Manager Tom Melena on Thursday said the city stands by the cement barriers that it recently removed at the 12 Oaks apartment complex, saying the city will fight a permanent injunction against its crime fighting tactics, which invited a lawsuit from the property owners last week.

The city began taking down the barricades on Tuesday -- a day before a hearing on a temporary injunction against the barriers was held.

Melena said the city did not lose its court battle Wednesday because it took down the barriers on its own volition, so the judge did not have to consider it.

He said the city's intent was to show a police presence at the complex for about three weeks -- not the whole summer, as attorneys for the opposition had stated.

More Coverage Links Apartments' attorneys still want injunction against barricades [06/26/08] Rolling Meadows takes down controversial barriers [06/24/08] Lawsuit filed against Rolling Meadows over barricades [06/17/08] Rolling Meadows apartment checkpoints could last the summer [06/11/08] Police set up checkpoint at Rolling Meadows apartment complex [06/10/08]

The barriers were up 2#189; weeks, so the city decided to take them down a few days earlier, per the advice of the city's attorney, Melena said.

"Our attorney said, 'If it's not a big issue for you and you only have a few more days, why not take them out?' " Melena said.

The city will fight a legal motion to prevent police from putting the barriers up ever again, Melena said. The city found the police checkpoints were an effective way of preventing crime at the complex and will likely do it again, he said.

"We were asking the residents if they needed help and letting them know we are in the area," Melena said. "We have gotten a positive response (from apartment residents) to police there and residents are glad to see their presence."

The complex filed a lawsuit last week against the barricades, and a hearing was held Wednesday afternoon on its request for a court order to remove them.

The city had sealed off 13 of the 14 entrances to the complex and used the remaining entrance to conduct police checkpoints, stopping every car that entered the complex just southwest of Route 53 and Algonquin Road.

City officials said the move was done to reduce crime and increase police visibility at the complex.

The complex owners said the police were devaluing their property, making it hard to rent and harassing residents.

With the barricades down, or in the process of being removed, by 1 p.m. Wednesday, the apartment complex's motion for a temporary restraining order mandating their removal became moot and was not ruled on by U.S. District Judge Blanche Manning.

Instead, she set a timetable for filing briefs on the still-pending motion for a permanent injunction.