Crane Meadows owner wins board approval to draft settlement over 2024 flooding

Dan, the owner of Crane Meadows Golf Course, told the Village of Weston trustees that unusually heavy rainfall in 2024, combined with road construction and new retention ponds on West Avenue, sent water onto the course and caused prolonged flooding and large business losses.

Dan described steps he took to remove water — renting pumps, running 120 hours on a large pump and buying other equipment — and said the flooding forced the course to close for weeks and created around $50,000 in total impacts. He asked the board to reconsider a denial from the village’s insurer and seek an alternative village payment for part of his loss.

Why it matters: The board must weigh whether to make a one‑time payment from municipal funds for business losses caused by stormwater changes tied to a public project. The village’s insurer had denied the claim, citing governmental immunity; the trustee discussion focused on mitigation already taken by public works and whether the denial left the village exposed to further claims.

Board action: The trustees voted 4–2 to ask the village attorney to draft a contract agreement to reimburse Crane Meadows for a payment the owner requested. The motion as made directed counsel to prepare an agreement for approximately $24,413 to be paid from TIF 1; during the hearing the owner had presented a breakdown of $5,853 in direct costs and $18,005.60 in lost revenue (total $24,004.13). The board instructed staff and counsel to prepare a written agreement clarifying the purpose and closing the matter.

Discussion points: Staff and trustees reviewed steps the village took after the 2024 event — including installation of a temporary dam and pumping that staff said helped mitigate further damage — and noted the insurance denial citing governmental immunity. Trustees discussed whether paying the owner would set a precedent and the possibility of protracted legal and engineering fights if litigation were pursued. Some trustees advocated a negotiated settlement to avoid costly litigation and to resolve a long-running operational issue. One trustee said the storm‑water engineering work would have been more expensive if groundwater recharge had been studied during design.

Next steps: Attorney referral — trustees asked counsel to draft a settlement/agreement that specifies the payment amount, funding source (TIF 1), and closes the matter; staff will bring the draft agreement back to the board for approval.