Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Stormwater Erosion topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents urge city to address erosion along De Neveu Creek; staff say CIP prioritization guides work
Summary
Residents reported loss of private land to bank erosion along De Neveu Creek and asked the council to intervene; Public Works staff said bank evaluations are prioritized in the CIP and pumping/station maintenance is handled from stormwater operations.
Two residents told the City Council on Aug. 13 that erosion along De Neveu Creek is removing private land and harming vegetation and wildlife, and they urged the city to act.
Charlene Rees (recorded as Charlene Weese in the meeting list) said her property at 383 Taft Street abuts De Neveu Creek and that since a lot survey she has lost “approximately 8 feet of land because of erosion.” She said the banks, which were rerouted and had man-made banks installed in the 1920s, are deteriorating. Rees listed reasons she believes are contributing to erosion, including recent maintenance work that “scalped the banks to the water level,” removal of vegetation, and city pumping stations that discharge stormwater into the channel.
Aaron Rawls, who also spoke, said his property adjoins the creek and supported Rees’ account, praising recent cooperation from a city staff member named Tiffany to end bank scalping. Rawls told the council he has sought action from “top city staff members” for five years and was told erosion repair was in the CIP, but he has not seen that work proceed. He asked the council to address the erosion and said he would like the matter placed into a program for action.
During the later Q&A for the Public Works presentation, Director Paul DeVries and City Engineer Chris (surname not provided) said the city evaluates bank conditions and that the CIP includes funds for bank work on a rotating basis. DeVries said engineering inspects banks and that priorities are set and scheduled through the CIP; he added that if erosion is noted near stormwater pumping stations, maintenance crews can address many issues or, if needed, include them in larger projects. “They go out and evaluate banks because it's not just De Neveu Creek,” DeVries said, noting other local rivers and areas are evaluated and prioritized.
The public comments and staff remarks show residents’ concerns about property loss and vegetation removal and staff’s response that evaluation and prioritization happen within CIP cycles; council did not take immediate formal action during that meeting.
