Palatine settles dispute over Maison du Comte amenities

A long-standing dispute between the developer and homeowners of the Maison du Comte subdivision in Palatine came to a resolution Monday night.

Palatine officials approved an agreement that frees the developer of obligations to install certain amenities, including a masonry wall along the property line. In exchange, the developer handed over control of the luxury townhouse community's homeowners association and will provide an undisclosed amount of money for its reserves.

"We spent the better part of last year serving as a mediator, facilitator and listener," Village Manager Reid Ottesen said. "At the end there's been a lot of good dialogue."

Last year, residents became incensed when developer Russell McElwain approached the council with his proposed changes. After paying between $600,000 and $800,000 for their units near Harper College, they demanded the wall, walking path and other features be installed as promised. In the end, both parties compromised.

Councilman Jack Wagner made it clear he didn't want to hear from either party ever again, adding that the council can't mediate every homeowners' dispute.

"If these were health safety issues, that'd be one thing, but these are aesthetic issues," Wagner said. "Once we approve this thing ... we become a third party getting in between a private contract."

The deal was briefly in danger of falling apart because officials wanted to force McElwain to raze the rooftop deck he built. But McElwain said that'd be a deal breaker given the expense, and a representative for the homeowners association said he'd rather McElwain disguise the deck than see the agreement collapse.

McElwain, according to Ottesen, was responsive throughout the process.

"I want to prove this wasn't me trying to get away with something," McElwain said. "We've been building in this town for many years and we're here for the duration."