Homeowner moves retaining wall to allow trail extension; council approves encroachment agreement

The Villa Park City Council approved an encroachment agreement for the property at 18352 East Sarah Villa Drive after staff reported the property owner relocated a retaining wall and assisted with utility work to allow a contiguous trail segment.

Staff said the retaining wall and a drainage outlet were constructed before the current owner; after the city identified the encroachment, the owner agreed at his expense to move the retaining wall back, grade the ground and place existing cables under the new alignment so the city did not need to relocate a telephone pole. The city will finish the trail with decomposed granite and wooden fence posts; staff estimated the owner's work reduced the city's expense to "far less than half" of what it otherwise would have been.

The encroachment agreement is standard: future owners will be bound by the same terms and will be responsible for removal or repair at their expense if the city needs to perform work on the underlying city property. Council voted to approve the agreement 5-0.

Community acknowledgement Mayor Jones personally thanked the homeowners and presented a City of Villa Park pin to the property owner for the contribution to the trail.

Ending: The council thanked the homeowners for the donation of time and resources that reduced city costs and extended a public trail segment.