Private contractors have completed repairs/modifications to drainage ditches adjacent to the city's sewer plant and through the Plantation Pines/Woodlands neighborhoods on north Greeno road precipitated by the record-setting rainfall events of late April and early May 2014 -- click.
Federal NRCS grants funded most of the project but the city had a 20% matching share of the total for each project.
According to discussions at council meetings, the delay was caused by funding issues at the federal/state level and disagreements about the extent of the project in the Woodlands, especially by Ken Moore who's home is next to one of the ditches: He had complained to the council several weeks ago that most of the available funds were being spent in the Plantation Pines area, not where it was needed in his neighborhood.
(Moore had to purchase some property from an adjacent homeowner who would not allow the construction on his property, according to a neighbor)
SUPPLEMENTAL WORK UNDERWAY
North through Plantation Pines
The project's engineer Scot Hutchinson told the city council at its last meeting that the scope of work approved for federal funding had been completed; but it would take about $17K more from the city to extend it southward passed Moore's property in the Woodlands and it would be less costly to do it now while construction equipment was still on the site.
The new work to clear tree and vegetation and add 'rip rap' rocks to slow water down began Tuesday. (see video at very bottom)
Hutchinson added that all of the modification still won't keep water out of yards since some are in the the floodplain.
MAINTENANCE AN ISSUE
South through Woodlands
Since the drainage is on private property not covered by the Woodlands Home Owners Association, adjacent homeowners themselves will be responsible for long-term maintenance.
Plantation Pines has no HOA.
The lack of long-term maintenance of retention ponds and drainage ditches on private property is a city-wide issue: no one wants to do it.
Woodlands extension area
Mayor Kant has asked the city council to look into it and possibly have the city take over some of it; but that could prove costly.
Already, last weekends heavy rain seem to have caused some damage to the new project (mudslide, erosion) in Plantation Pines.
(The new owners of a house in the Woodlands told a Times reporter they were not informed of the 2014 flash-flood by previous owner -- or the damage done to a swimming pool in the back yard.)
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