Most newspaper dailies across the USA are reporting on the 18 multimillion dollar homes that crashed down a hillside in Southern California on Wednesday. Most stories do a nice job giving the detailed description of what a large home sounds like when it is imploding. One man when asked "why?", replied "They just won't stop. The builders and the governments granting the building permits. It's just nuts"(NPR)
The casual observer might think, Who cares? What has this to do with me?
In a prior post I suggested that the subdivision below Garfield had experienced water problems since development had occurred on "flood plain." This is clearly incorrect. The city has rightly pointed out that the "flood plain" is to the West of this subdivision. I regret this error. They also state that this subdivision was always deemed suitable for development.
They also point out that the issue is not "Where" the development occurred but "How" the basements were constructed. This is an issue that will reappear for many additions of residential development and that the city is taking proactive steps to prevent problems of this sort in the future. I do applaud this.
I had hoped that the issue of "Water" would go away. It appears because of the location of Evansville that this will be a challenge for years to come. Plan on it.
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If the city attorney at that time said the land below the church's land is a flood plain, and if by the "land below" he meant the land currently occupied by the Berg, Woodworth & Petterson Subdivision, then he was mistaken. That subdivision is not in a flood plain. There is a low-elevation drainage way a short distance to the west of the church's property, which flows south and crosses Porter Road at the edge of the proposed Westfield Meadows Subdivision. Perhaps that is the flood plain the former city attorney was referring to.
ReplyDeleteIf you recall the heavy rains we had in the spring of 2004, the Berg, Woodworth & Petterson Subdivision was high and dry during that event.
Bill Connors
Evansville City Administrator
The water problems Ms. Gard is referring to are quite a distance from the church property, along the south end of S. 6th St., on the west side of the street. The city and nearby property owners have undertaken actions that have greatly improved the storm water situation in that area, and more improvements will be made as part of the proposed Westfield Meadows Subdivision.
ReplyDeleteI have heard that owners of homes in this area (one is an alderperson) continue to have ground water problems. The contractors they bought their houses from probably dug the basements too deep. In the Westfield Meadows Subdivision, the city will take steps to try to prevent contractors from making similar mistakes in the future. But the city cannot guarantee such mistakes will not be made in the future. In the end, it is a matter between the contractor and the purchaser of the house. Buyer beware.
For what it is worth, I think the city made a big mistake, from a planning standpoint, when it agreed to finance the construction of sewer lift station no. 6, which serves this area (the Abey-Koth Subdivision) and the proposed Westfield Meadows Subdivision. But I don't have access to a time machine to undo that decision.
This is why the Smart Growth planning process has been so important. We are trying to make sure growth occurs where it makes sense for growth to occur this time around.
Bill Connors
Evansville City Administrator
This post is under editors review by the Observer. The question has arisen as to where exactly the flood plain was defined at the time of the annexation, and where it is defined today. If I am wrong, I will correct this, and I ask anyone who has info on this to add it.
ReplyDeleteThe policy of the blog is that posts will be corrected quickly when errors of fact are made. By the same token, I expect corrections to be quickly forthcoming on the comment line under the same situation.
Richard Woulfe