Palatine, Kostka to Appear in Court Thursday
Palatine filed a lawsuit against the former village councilman for various property violations.
The first court hearing regarding the village of Palatine’s lawsuit against Warren Kostka is scheduled to take place Thursday, April 26 in a Rolling Meadows court room.
In addition to a fine of $500 per day per violation, the village is seeking an injunction to force Kostka to correct the violations alleged and to also pay the cost of the village’s attorney’s fees.
In January, the village conducted a visual inspection of Kostka’s property at 108 N. Forest Ave. and discovered several ordinance violations consisting of:
- Changes to the property's grading that have been done in a manner as to create a nuisance that consist of deep trenches with unstable and hazardous side slopes; sand bags; various spoil piles of dirt, asphalt and concrete remaining on property; fabric fencing; exposed dirt areas with no permanent or temporary vegetative cover.
- Missing sections of siding, gutters and downspouts, handrails and guardrails.
- Broken pane of glass in the south elevation window.
- Driveway in disrepair.
- Wood boards lying on the roof.
Kostka claims that a federally mandated project to separate Palatine's sanitary sewer and storm water system in the 1980s resulted in flood damage to his home. In January, the council considered and rejected authorizing village staff to negotiate a purchase of Kostka's home.
Several of Kostka's neighbors attended the meeting to complain about the state of his property — sandbags along the side and rear of the home, a trench dug around the home. Near the driveway is a pile of chunks of asphalt — apparently ripped up from the driveway to facilitate the trench.
Just a few days later, someone stole the large sign that Kostka had placed on the side of his home that referenced flooding issues in Palatine. The sign stated: "WANT WATER? Buy A Home In Palatine." Palatine police were able to locate and return the sign.
Beth
1:13 pm on Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Karma.....Back when Kostka used to walk the neighborhoods and take pictures of other's houses that were violating some small code (like parking over the sidewalk) and then post it in his Kostka Clippings he would distribute throughout Palatine, NOW he is the one in violation! It always comes back to bite ya in the a**. I know there are some water issues here that need correcting, but I feel very bad for his neighbors who have to live next to this mess.
Shawn
3:01 pm on Wednesday, April 25, 2012
If palatine wins I doubt Kosta will pay to fix his property or pay the fines, It is a losing investment. Palatine will end up putting a lien on the property and/or condemning it.
K.T.
7:56 am on Thursday, April 26, 2012
Does he have two doors ? See only back door..don't think that's legal. Has anyone been inside?? Why has this gone on for so long??
Kelly K
8:15 am on Thursday, April 26, 2012
When I first moved to Palatine, I used to get those flyers in my door from him. I always wondered what that was all about because I didn't pay much attention. But if this is the same guy who was distributing this flyers, I think it's hilarious that he is in court today to answer for his own violations! Look at that place!
Beth
9:45 am on Thursday, April 26, 2012
Yes, It is the same person. That is why I said, Karma.... it will get you every time. :)
Jim Advance
8:26 am on Thursday, April 26, 2012
Somebody in the Village told me that they had been in the home and the inside is neat and clean. They said the basement didn't show any signs of flooding and was clean and dry. The outside is Kosta's masquerade to make Palatine feel sorry for himself. If the inside looked like the outside the place would have been declared uninhabitable and condemned.
Nancy Wysocki
10:15 am on Thursday, April 26, 2012
Well, he was the squeakiest wheel in search for attention and now he's got it.
While I see that his plight for a solution was totally wrong, he could have offered better proof of the damage by pictures compared to making his property look like it was a bomb testing area. Pictures speak volumes. Mr. Kostka.
Destroying the value of your home with these radical antics of example on the outside of the home does not place the focus on what happened inside. While I live in a home that also suffers flooding issues beyond my control, I would rather take care of what I have than destroy it to make a point. Time to face the music and get a taste of reality...
Digs
10:23 am on Thursday, April 26, 2012
He's an attention whore.
Janet W
11:25 am on Thursday, April 26, 2012
It is people like this that future code and violations laws are put on the books to the point everything is scrutinized...love the karma though!!!
G
9:05 am on Thursday, June 21, 2012
He was the guy who made the village come to my home in the middle of January 2007 because apparently there were (30 year old) arbor-vitae on the sidewalk border that were blocking the view of cars stopped at the intersection...made it a "blind corner" apparently. My husband had to go out with a sawz-all when it was about 2 degrees to cut down a dozen of these 30 year old trees that were probably more than 20 feet high. That is the kind of "neighbor" he is. Always has to be right, always has to make someone else wrong, always has to make somebody pay for something.