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Franklin resident says wetland behind Winston Way homes is vital, reports missing engineering records
Summary
At the Sept. 9 Board of Public Works meeting, resident Judy Mills told the board that a wetland behind her Winston Way property is critical for flood protection and said city records documenting past mitigation work are missing; the city engineer said mapped wetlands are generally protected and Clark Johnson agreed to follow up.
Judy Mills, a resident of 8018 West Winston Way, told the City of Franklin Board of Public Works on Sept. 9 that a wetland that abuts her property is “key” to keeping homes on Winston Way dry and that she could not find city records documenting previous mitigation work on her lot and neighboring parcels. "I think when Olson did a lot of shady things, and I think when he was voted out of office, he and his cronies destroyed documentation," Mills said during the public-comment period.
Mills said the city installed an initial sewer to catch runoff and later ran a second sewer into the wetland behind her home to divert water sooner, and that the wetland has acted as a sponge during heavy rain and snowmelt events. "That wetland is what's the I mean, every single time we've had some kind of rain or big snow melt or whatnot, that wetland is miraculous in keeping all of us dry," she said.
Why it matters: Mills urged the board to consider the wetland when reviewing nearby development proposals, saying disturbance of the wetland could increase flooding for downhill homes and harm property values. The board’s city engineer, Mike Paulos, told the meeting that wetlands are mapped and “pretty much a no touch zone,” and can be filled only with permits when allowed by regulation.
At the meeting, Chairman Charles Porter and board members acknowledged Mills’s concern and said staff will try to follow up. Clark Johnson told Mills he would take her contact information and follow up with the city clerk to ensure she receives notice of relevant development activity.
The comments came during the board’s public-comment period and did not prompt a formal vote or policy action. Board members reminded residents that the city has a multi-step public process for zoning and development that includes planning, public hearings and notices. Mills said she has lived in the neighborhood more than 40 years and that some past mitigation work likely occurred within the last decade but that documentation was not available when she requested it.
Board members encouraged Mills and other residents to monitor planning notices and added that the city will attempt a direct follow-up. The Board of Public Works did not adopt new policies or begin an investigation during the meeting.
