Five years later, Stony Ridge will at least have sidewalks

When the plan received approval five years ago, a developer was supposed to bring high style to Grayslake's far north side with custom homes fetching $500,000 to $1 million.

Although 38 homes were planned for the Stony Ridge subdivision, just one has been built. Stakes with lot numbers dot roughly 44 acres, with an unfinished road providing access.

Stony Ridge near Rollins Road and Sheldon Drive also lacks sidewalks, street lamps and other public improvements that Kathcon Development Corp. of Antioch promised to build.

About all village officials and Kathcon agree on is it would be desirable for the homes to be built.

Saying they are fed up with the lack of progress on the public improvements, Grayslake officials say they will use $400,000 of Kathcon money posted with the village as a bond of sorts to get the job done.

Mayor Timothy Perry said Stony Ridge's appearance is far from what he envisioned when the village board approved the project in 2002.

"We expected the development to be close to completion after five years," Perry said. "At the very least, all the infrastructure should have been done by now."

But Kathcon development director Greg Miller said village government has been a source of his problems. He contends development was slowed by at least two years when he was forced to find a water main to tap into after being led to believe some homes could start on wells.

"I'm going to produce the best houses in the area, despite what these guys are doing," Miller said.

Grayslake will use Kathcon's $400,000 for completion of the lights, sidewalks, final street paving and street signs. Miller said that move hurts Kathcon because he likely would have had the work done for less money.

Zoning Officer Kirk Smith said Kathcon should have completed the work within two years. Under local ordinance, he said, Kathcon's bond, also known as a letter of credit, would have been reduced from $400,000 if the public improvements were under way and satisfied the village.

"Frankly, we wanted to see some progress out there and (Kathcon) wasn't making it," Smith said.

Assistant Village Manager Matt Formica said Grayslake will start by hiring a contractor and using $152,000 for the sidewalks. He said Grayslake will eat its way through the rest of Kathcon's $400,000 for the lights and street paving.

Formica said this is only the second time in 25 years Grayslake has drawn on a developer's letter of credit to complete work that's supposed to benefit the public.

Towns typically are reluctant to use money posted in a letter of credit, Formica said, because governments don't want to be in the construction business.

Miller said it doesn't make sense for the village to spend his money on sidewalks and final street paving because 80 to 90 construction vehicles will cause damage when work begins on the other 37 homes. He said street signs and lights likely will be targets of vandals in an area that has just one house.

"In 30 years we've been operating, we've never been treated as Grayslake has treated us," Miller said. "We were warned about Grayslake."

Greg and Madhana Gulliver are the lone Stony Ridge residents. The Gullivers said they agree with Grayslake's action to use Kathcon's $400,000 for the public improvements.

Madhana Gulliver said she just wants what's supposed to be an exclusive subdivision completed.

"The bottom line is we want neighbors," Madhana Gulliver said. "I never would have built if we knew we were the only ones here."