The construction of a large basin to collect stormwater and prevent flooding in Flossmoor has drawn opposition from those concerned about its proximity to Heather Hill Elementary School and its removal of community green space.
The organization 10 X 10 To Win is representing a group of Flossmoor residents in a lawsuit, but faced a setback Wednesday when the court failed to grant an injunction to halt construction of the basin, about halfway complete. The basin, 700-feet long, 250-fee wide and 15- to 20-feet deep, is being constructed where there were once tennis courts near Heather Hill School in District 161.
The group cited what it called a growing wave of discontent in Flossmoor and said residents are “calling out their local government for a lack of transparency and failure to listen to community concerns,” in a news release that also referenced the village firing of police Chief Jerel Jones in March.
In the lawsuit, residents expressed concerns over safety as the basin is being constructed near the elementary school’s playground.
“Such a large and deep structure poses significant safety hazards, especially for young children who may inadvertently come into contact with it,” the lawsuit said.
Flossmoor Mayor Michelle Nelson said Thursday the basin will be surrounded by a 6-foot tall fence to prevent children from getting too close, and said the village moved the location from the original plan of 30 feet away from the playground to 55 feet.
The village also plans to line the bottom with native plants that will bring color to what was previously marshland, Nelson said. While the basin will fill with water after heavy storms to alleviate flooding she said caused “massive amounts of damage” to streets and houses in recent years, it will be empty the majority of the time water will gradually drain into Butterfield Creek.
Half the funding for the $8 million project came from grants, Nelson said, noting the village hosted multiple meetings to discuss and answer questions about the basin.
“Lawsuits like this are costly to the village,” Nelson said. “We all got our tax bills recently, and a lot of us are dealing with sticker shock, and actions like this taken against the village are in spite of an incredible amount of due diligence.”
Nelson said the village will ask the judge to dismiss the lawsuit to prevent it from going to trial.
ostevens@chicagotribune.com