Judge Urges Compromise As Potential Sinkhole Lurks In Farmington Hills

FARMINGTON HILLS (WWJ) - With a potential sinkhole lurking beneath a Farmington Hills home, a judge is giving all parties involved two weeks to work out what to do about it.

WWJ's Charlie Langton reports the Dhillon family owns an impressive $750,000 home on Howard Road, near Halstead and I-696. But the Oakland County Water Resources Commission says the house was built atop a leaking sewer pipe that could collapse and cause a sinkhole that disrupts service to thousands of people and creates millions of dollars in damage.

While one option could be to create a sewer bypass, the commission instead wants the home torn down at the Dhillons' expense.

Attorney Joseph Bernardi represents the Dhillons who have counter-sued.

"We're not blaming anybody for what may have happened here, but certainly the Dhillons did nothing wrong," Bernardi said. "And everybody owes a duty to the Dhillons to at very least, given what occurred here, to at very least explore options on how to get this thing fixed so the home does not come down."

Bernardi says said home was inspected by Farmington Hills and the commission at the time of construction; and that the Dhillons, who moved in five years after it was built, had nothing to do with the construction.

"...I mean, look: We've got a bank, we've got a title company, we've got two governmental bodies involved," he added. "Surely there's got to be a resolution to this problem that doesn't require the Dhillons to tear down their home."

At a hearing Wednesday, Oakland County Circuit Judge Nancy Grant said all parties involved may bear some responsibility, urging them to try to reach a settlement among themselves. If they cannot do so, the judge may rule to have the home demolished.