Vernon Hills home could be razed

Vernon Hills has hired a contractor to demolish a home on Brook Hill Lane in the Stone Fence Farm subdivision that for years has been the source of odor complaints connected to animal hoarding. The village board on Tuesday authorized a contract with Phase 1 Excavation of Elmhurst in an amount not to exceed $21,000. The work includes removing the house and foundation, backfilling with clay and top soil and seeding. It also includes removing the driveway, sidewalks, deck and disconnecting the water and sewer lines. The village last August declared the home unfit for human occupancy after inspectors discovered 18 interior code violations. Estimates to renovate the home and remove the odors averaged about $200,000 and carried no guarantee, according to the village. Last week, a Lake County judge granted an order allowing the village to demolish the home after May 31.