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Johnsburg residents petition village to repair neglected River Terrace Drive
Summary
Homeowners on a short section of River Terrace Drive presented a petition at a Johnsburg village meeting asking the board to accept and repair their road after decades of poor maintenance despite paying full property taxes; they requested village-funded repairs in the 2026 construction season.
Residents of River Terrace Drive pressed the Johnsburg village board to take responsibility for a short, long-neglected section of their street and to pay for repairs during the 2026 construction season, saying households have paid full property taxes for decades while receiving fewer road services than other village streets.
"After 35 years of taxation without proper service, it's time to correct this longstanding inequity," said Sue Dezy, a River Terrace Drive homeowner who introduced a petition signed by neighbors asking the village to bring the road "up to the same standards as other village-maintained roads." Dezy said title policies, purchase contracts and real estate disclosures contained no notice that the road's maintenance status differed from other streets.
Residents told the board they have appealed to multiple agencies, including McHenry Township Road District and the McHenry County Storm Water Management Commission, but said no one has taken accountability. Dezy also cited a 1991 incorporation and a 1949 last private owner as evidence the road is not privately owned by homeowners and therefore should be a village-maintained right-of-way.
Board discussion noted that the village has not formally accepted the right-of-way because it "doesn't meet our roadway standards," and that other streets with similar characteristics had been upgraded to village standards after homeowners funded improvements through a special service area (SSA). The transcript does not attribute that explanation to a named board member.
Homeowners described safety concerns and decreased property values. "If anyone's had a spinal injury down that road and they brought an ambulance down that road, I'd be really nervous about what would happen," Dezy said, urging action to ensure emergency access and protect property values.
Dezy asked the board to repair the road at village expense in the 2026 construction season. The board invited the homeowners to submit the signed petition to village staff; the petitioner was told to leave it with a staff member named Scott so the board can review next steps. The board did not take a formal vote on road acceptance or a funding commitment during the meeting.
The petition and the board’s staff review are the next procedural steps; residents said they hope for a board decision or a clear plan for funding and acceptance in future meetings.
