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Resident says long‑standing stormwater pipe failure threatens Smith Drive easement; council asks staff to follow up
Summary
A Kennesaw resident told the council that a stormwater pipe adjacent to 2021 Smith Drive collapsed in 2009, causing ongoing erosion and undermining tree roots; the resident said previous reports received no follow‑up and asked who was responsible. Staff said they would review the photos and the MS4 reporting requirements.
A Kennesaw resident told the City Council that a stormwater pipe in the easement adjacent to her home at 2021 Smith Drive failed more than 15 years ago and that the problem has not been resolved despite earlier reports to the city.
Rachel Ely, who said she lives at 2021 Smith Drive, said her son discovered the collapsed stormwater pipe in February 2009. Ely said the pipe interior shows failure and that water is flowing under the pipe and causing continued erosion that undermines nearby trees. She said she reported the problem to public works at that time and was told a stormwater division was being formed; she said she received no follow‑up, and that she posted about the issue online in 2020 but did not get a resolution.
Ely asked who is responsible for fixing the pipe and whether she should report the failure to Cobb County under the city’s MS4 stormwater permit requirements. She told the council she had re‑sent photos to city staff earlier in the week.
City response and next steps Council members and staff acknowledged the history and said they had not previously received the photos that Ely referenced. A staff member (Ricky) confirmed he had received the materials during the meeting and the council asked staff to investigate and clarify responsibility. Councilmember Drobny (speaking as a council member) said he and colleagues had not been aware of the 2009 report and thanked Ely for bringing it back to staff’s attention.
Why it matters A failed storm pipe in an easement can create a safety hazard, undermine tree roots and increase erosion; the resident said the site is the lowest‑lying property on Smith Drive and may be affected further by new development uphill. Ely cited the MS4 permit obligation to report certain findings to Cobb County, and asked whether the city or county is responsible for remediation.
Provenance "In 02/2009, after the historical floods... my son was walking in the wooded easement adjacent to our property. The ground collapsed underneath him above the storm water pipe... it has failed completely." (public comment, Rachel Ely, block start 3784.485)
"Ricky, you got that? So now we're aware we can take a look at it." (council response, block start 3967.0798)
Ending City staff said they would review the photos and records and clarify whether remediation is a city or Cobb County responsibility under the MS4 permit; the resident was asked to re‑send the materials by email for staff follow‑up.
