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Commission presses developer to include wildfire resilience information in HOA and developer agreement
Summary
Planning staff and commissioners urged the applicant to use HOA or developer agreement language and disclosure statements to ensure future property owners are aware of wildfire risk and mitigation expectations following spruce budworm impacts in the area.
Commissioners and planning staff recommended embedding wildfire mitigation guidance and disclosures into the HOA/developer agreement for Little Creek Woods. Staff described a new wildfire resilience requirement in the Cook County Subdivision Ordinance and presented mapping from the Cook County Community Wildfire Protection Plan that highlights interface areas and ladder fuels.
Planning staff said the wildfire resilience checklist had been completed for the application and suggested a disclosure statement for future property owners and potential HOA provisions to encourage mitigation actions. Developer Howard Hedstrom acknowledged spruce budworm damage across the landscape and said selective removal on specific lots or targeted clearing during road construction could reduce local fuels: "...as we do our site clearing, the road clearing... there's a pocket there... that's a lot of dead balsam. And we'll probably just take it out." Commissioners discussed balancing what to require of the developer now versus including ongoing obligations in HOA documents for future owners.
Why it matters: wildfire mitigation affects occupant safety and long-term maintenance responsibilities. Commissioners recommended the applicant and staff refine wildfire action items and consider getting input from the county Firewise coordinator before returning the revised plat and associated documents at the August meeting.
