Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Stormwater Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Spring Hill residents tell council stormwater runoff has eroded backyards for decades; town to clear blocked culvert
Summary
Residents of the Spring Hill addition told the council that stormwater runoff from adjacent newer subdivisions has caused severe erosion along a row of backyards for decades. Councilors said staff will clear a blocked culvert and further investigate.
A cluster of Spring Hill residents told the Mooresville Town Council during public comment that stormwater runoff from adjacent developments has eroded several backyards for roughly 30 years and asked the town for assistance.
Resident Edgar Priest described repeated erosion along the back fences of five or six properties in the Spring Hill addition that he traces to runoff diverted by nearby developments Rooker Trace and Rooker Run. Priest said the ditch behind their properties has deepened over decades, leaving sheds at risk of collapse and producing standing water that breeds mosquitoes.
Council members said staff had already inspected the site and found a blocked culvert; staff reported they had called locates and planned to clean and clear the culvert to improve flow. Council member Greg Sweeney confirmed he had inspected the area with staff and noted fences and small outbuildings are hanging over the eroded ditch in places.
Town staff cautioned that legal responsibility for long‑running stormwater diversion can be complex and often rests on private developers or property owners, and they said the town would collect documentation and determine whether the town has an actionable role. Staff did not make a legal commitment to repair private property but said immediate action to clear the culvert would occur to reduce standing water and acute flooding.
Priest said the problem began after large earth-moving and grading for the newer subdivisions, which he said altered the natural flow and increased runoff down toward the creek and through his neighborhood. He said the situation has left yards reduced in size and repeatedly damaged outbuildings.
Council members asked staff to continue the investigation, to document property stakes and boundaries, and to report back on possible remediation steps, including whether town easements, developer obligations or court remedies are available.
