Arlington Heights neighborhood complain creek has become a river

Buffalo Creek is eroding its banks as much as 3 feet a year, complain residents of the Creekside neighborhood in Arlington Heights. And they don't feel they are getting enough help from the village.

It was a peaceful little stream and a major reason people bought those homes, the owners of six houses on Weston Drive east of Schaefer Road said in a letter to Mayor Arlene Mulder and city staff members. And they insist changes are accelerating at an alarming rate.

"The creek you could literally step across is now a river 10 feet wide or better in many places," said the letter from owners whose backyards slope toward the creek.

The Arlington Heights Park District owns land on both sides of the creek, including a strip behind the homes of the complaining neighbors, and it seems that so far only park district land has eroded.

It is hoped a meeting can be held soon between village and park district staff members that will include discussion of this issue, said Scott Shirley, director of public works for the village.

"I don't know if we plan to take any action when I am not up to speed on what the issues are and how real the threat is to private property," he said in a recent interview.

In a letter to residents, Shirley also said the village does not have financial resources for creek stabilization. And he has said the village has problems that are higher priorities, such as streets that flood so much they are impassable and homes are threatened.

In 2007, the park district contacted an engineering firm and received a preliminary report about the possibilities of stabilizing the banks. That firm, Christopher B. Burke Engineering Ltd., looked at 1,800 feet on both sides of the creek, and concluded that 50 percent had minor erosion, 40 percent moderate and 10 percent severe. It offered to help find grant money for stabilization.

"It's changed a fair amount - the view and property values," said Gregg Small, who bought his home with his wife, Judi, seven years ago. "We've seen it run dirty and increase in flow and flooding."

The homeowners would like to see a comprehensive plan to control deterioration and repair the banks.

They insist the erosion is accelerating and have asked for copies of any engineering studies involving Buffalo Creek in the past five years. For example, they think that projects like removal of topsoil at a commercial property upstream has affected the water flow.

When the Smalls bought their home, it was their understanding that the creek would flood into the park opposite the homes, said Small. That's what happened for the first few years they lived there.

The village has done some work cleaning out culverts and the channel, which was expected to reduce the velocity of the creek, lower water elevation and reduce erosion, Shirley said in a letter.

But Judi Small said silt has resettled in the creek.

And of course when the rain is heavy like it was Friday, the creek overruns its banks and is muddy, she said.

Aerial photos exist that should be able to show how the creek has changed in the area, said Jim Masserelli, director of engineering for the village.