Residents press Villa Park board over overflowing dumpsters and rat sightings near railroad; trustees urge more aggressive code enforcement

A Villa Park resident told trustees that dumpsters behind an apartment complex near North Princeton and the railroad are frequently overflowing and that she has photographed rats on her property. The resident said prior complaints to property owners and code enforcement had not resolved the issue.

"I've sent 21 emails to Denita Johnson, our code enforcement, since August of 2020," the resident said, urging the board to take stronger action and to recognize the public-health risk as summer approaches.

Trustees said the village has been responding through code enforcement and municipal-court citations but that enforcement can be slow when property owners do not live locally or when properties are held in trusts. One trustee said staff would be more aggressive about issuing citations and that each citation triggers a hearing where the property owner may be required to act.

Trustees urged residents to use the village feedback email (feedback@villepark.com), to forward previous emails and time-stamped photos, and to include GPS locations so staff can build a record of repeat violations and prioritize enforcement. One trustee said, "We have not forgotten. We're working within the process to make this happen," and noted code enforcement has limited staff capacity.

On Metro-owned rail property: Trustees explained they cannot legally enter Metro (railroad) property but will coordinate with the rail agency and, where permitted, clean up outside the right-of-way (generally about 15 feet from the track). They said if the rail owner does not act, the village may send notice that it will clean the area and bill the owner.

What residents want: Residents asked for faster, more visible action to prevent rats and public-health hazards and urged the village to enforce dumpster maintenance and property-owner responsibility.

What the village will do: Trustees said they will follow up with code enforcement and the village attorney, pursue citations where appropriate, and ask staff to report back to the board. The resident's photos have been forwarded to department staff for investigation; trustees asked that future reports include time stamps and GPS coordinates.

Provenance: Resident complaints and trustee responses about dumpsters, rats, and code enforcement were discussed across the meeting (topic introduced at SEG 816 and discussed through SEG 1248).