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Council discusses funding options for Black Horse Run and Henry Harris drainage projects; stormwater fund balance eyed
Summary
Councilors debated using stormwater fund balance for two long‑pending drainage projects — Black Horse Run (state road flooding) and county‑owned Henry Harris culvert work — with estimates and scope still under review.
Council members pressed county staff about two stormwater and road‑related projects residents have raised for years: Black Horse Run and Henry Harris.
Lancaster County engineering staff and councilors said Black Horse Run is a state road that floods, isolating residents when storms crest. Several council members urged the county to contribute funds from the stormwater fund balance to accelerate repairs, noting life‑safety concerns. County staff said the estimated cost for Black Horse Run repairs is $1.6 million; councilors debated whether the county should pay and pursue reimbursement or joint funding with the state. A number of councilors said the state had deprioritized the site despite repeated requests.
Henry Harris Road involves a county culvert that county staff said needs upsizing and land acquisition in places; part of the improvement is associated with nearby development (Lennar). Staff noted some Henry Harris work is county responsibility and some relates to upstream state or developer obligations.
Finance noted there is a roughly $4 million balance in the stormwater fund (council discussion cited that figure) and suggested the fund might be an appropriate source to pay for prioritized stormwater capital projects, while cautioning about long‑term priorities and other pending requests in the fund. Council asked staff to prepare recommendations on which project(s) to move forward with and cost estimates for both the Black Horse Run and the Henry Harris items.
Why it matters: repeated flooding at Black Horse Run has created access and safety problems; Henry Harris has infrastructure limits tied to future phases of local development. The county’s choice to spend fund balance or wait for state action affects vulnerability and capital planning.
Next steps: staff will return with cost estimates, a recommended funding strategy and options for joint projects with the state. Council members said they would consider using stormwater fund balance for at least one high‑priority project.
