Resident urges village to investigate cleared lot near Well No. 2, citing water and safety concerns

Thomas Byn, a 21-year resident of Hampton Hills and president of the Wasco Sanitary District, urged the Campton Hills Village Board on Tuesday to investigate and seek public disclosure of plans for a parcel of land adjacent to village property and near the district's Well No. 2.

Byn said the lot, long used as a trucking parking area before village incorporation, has been cleared of trees and is now “unsightly” and littered with construction debris, old culverts and tires. He said large trucks are being parked on the site and that a storm drain on the property “appears to be partially covered.”

Why it matters: Byn said the property sits across from Waskow Elementary School, next to village administrative offices and the radium plant, and upstream of Well No. 2, raising concerns about possible contamination or flooding impacts to about 1,200 households the Wasco Sanitary District serves.

“I suspect that could be, cause flooding for the surrounding properties and potentially wash unwanted cultural agriculture, waste into our storm system,” Byn told the board during public comment. He added, “Trucks could be leaking gas and oil.”

Byn asked the board to ensure the public knows the owners’ plans for the lot; to set a time limit for property improvements; and to have the village zoning officer and township investigate environmental and drainage issues. He said he has spoken to “Mark” (Administrator Rooney) and was told the property would be improved by May 1; Byn said he has seen no improvement and instead has observed additional dumping.

Discussion vs. decision: The board did not take a formal action on the complaint during the meeting. Byn’s remarks were made during the public-comment period; the transcript shows no motion directing staff to open an enforcement investigation or to notify the public of the owner’s plans.

Clarifying details from the meeting: Byn said the Wasco Sanitary District serves roughly 1,200 households (about 3,600 people by his estimate). He said Well No. 2 sits about 600 feet below the surface. He reported the cleared lot contains “mounds of cinder blocks and bricks,” old stumps and large culverts “almost 6 feet,” a partially torn-down house, and tires; he said trucks were actively parking on the site at the time he arrived at the meeting.

What’s next: Byn asked for follow-up from the zoning officer and township and for public information about the owners’ plans; no staff report or vote addressing his request was recorded at the meeting.