Residents tell Richland County commissioners flooding worsened after curbing project in Walnut Hills

Members of the public told the Richland County Board of Commissioners on July 29 that repeated street and yard flooding in the Walnut Hills neighborhood began after a curbing project and is making at least one home unsellable. The complaint came during public comment when a resident described sidewalk- and yard-level flooding that prevents use of a front walkway and has left a sinkhole in a neighbor's yard. The resident said the township and the soil and water conservation district have not resolved the issue and that neighborhood residents are considering legal action. The matter matters because residents say the flooding started only after the township's recent curbing work and because the road is a township road, which complicates county involvement. County officials and residents discussed potential technical causes, funding options and next steps. Residents said the problem is severe and chronic. "I can't walk up my sidewalk to get to my front door because of the flooding," one resident told the board. She said her lower level flooded a month after moving in, requiring replacement of flooring, and that the problem was not disclosed when she purchased the house seven years ago. Carl, a participant who said he has lived in Walnut Hills for 24 years, told the board the flooding did not occur until after the curbing project and urged the county to have a staff engineer compare the pre-project and post-project plans. "This flooding that is being described never occurred until after that curbing project," Carl said. County officials described potential responses and limits. Commissioner Barrow and other commissioners said the road is a township road, which narrows county authority, and discussed options such as a stormwater utility or a petition (a "DISH petition" was mentioned) but warned those carry funding and equity complications because they can require area residents to pay fees. County staff noted that a prior inspection by township staff found 8-inch drain lines where some engineers expect 12-inch lines and that clay pipe, tree roots and sinkholes have been observed along the drainage route. County staff directed follow-up steps rather than taking immediate formal action. Commissioner Barrow said county staff would contact the county engineer, Adam Gove, to review plans and site conditions and then report back to the residents. "Give us a chance to talk to Adam and see if we could come up with something, and then I'll get back to you," Barrow said. Residents said they will consider private legal counsel if the township does not resolve the issue. Commissioners acknowledged the complexity and asked staff to coordinate with township officials and the county engineer to identify what changed during the curbing project and whether remediation or a shared technical solution is feasible. The board did not take a vote on funding or a formal project at the meeting; commissioners asked staff to investigate and return with findings and options.