North Barrington Leader Looks to Establish Regional Stormwater Management Commission

The Lake County Stormwater Management Commission named North Barrington as its 2012 “Community of the Year Award” for its ongoing efforts to improve drainage and water quality in the village and in the Flint Creek Watershed.

Village President Albert Pino wants to take it a step further.

Pino wants to form a regional Stormwater Management Commission where North Barrington and its neighbors, including Barrington andLake Zurich, would work together to deal with flooding and improve drainage.

“We have to look at these issues comprehensively, as a region,” Pino said Thursday at the Lake Zurich Area Chamber of Commerce’s Breakfast with the Villages.

North Barrington has rebuilt culverts and has done other improvement projects, costing upwards of $100,000, yet still had flooding this spring. Thirty to 40 homes flooded. Three streets were closed along with one bridge, he said.

Pino’s home flooded, the first time since he moved to the village 40 years ago.

Both Barrington and Lake Zurich had severe flooding in June.

There have been three 100-year storms in the last five years, Pino said.

While Lake County has a Stormwater Management Commission, Pino said North Barrington wants to work with its immediate neighbors on finding a solution to the issues.

Pino just started talking to officials in neighboring communities and hopes to get support for his idea. “It’s about time we talked,” he said.