Residents urge action on chronic street flooding and failing retaining wall; city says reconstruction study underway

Several Greenwood residents told the Stormwater Board on Aug. 13 that regular street flooding and erosion behind homes have damaged yards and a retaining wall, and they pressed staff on options for fixing the problems. James Beakley, who said he lives at 248 Sun Test Drive, asked whether the stormwater charge could be combined with the sanitation bill for economic convenience and reported that his street floods during heavy rain. City staff said they are working on new billing software and vendor changes that may allow consolidated billing in the future. Resident Kelly Mueller, 266 Sunrise Drive, described erosion behind her retaining wall and provided photos to the board, saying the wall is leaning and contractors told her they could not install a stable retaining wall without addressing drainage. She said prior requests for help had been denied and that the problem has grown worse. City staff and the board said the subdivision was designed with swales rather than large buried pipe and that many homeowners have installed pipe, filled swales, or put structures in drainage easements over time. Staff said the city commissioned an outside engineering firm, Clark Dietz, to develop a drainage design and that plans for a roadway reconstruction and related drainage work in the Metal Lens/Twin Oaks area are approximately 90% complete and on a schedule for future work and grant consideration. Staff told Mueller that the retaining wall is private property; repairs and replacement generally require property-owner action and, if the wall encroaches into a recorded utility or drainage easement, an encroachment application to the Board of Public Works and Safety. The board or the city may order removal or correction of illegal obstructions in easements, and the city can perform work and lien properties in some cases, staff said. Staff advised residents to contact the engineering division of the Community Development Services department to apply for encroachment permission or to be placed on the Board of Public Works and Safety agenda. The Board of Public Works and Safety meets the first and third Mondays of the month, staff said. The city also said the Metal Lens/Twin Oaks reconstruction was being considered for an Xfinity Crossings grant with the state. The board did not commit city funds for homeowner retaining wall replacement during the meeting. Staff emphasized that substantial correction of neighborhood drainage could require removal of fences or other private structures that currently block swales and that those removals would require coordination with affected homeowners.