Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Health topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Ashland resident says illegal sewer line routed through his yard; city legal staff to search records
Summary
At the Feb. 11 meeting, resident Darren Shearer reported raw sewage in his yard and basement he said resulted from an illegal sewer connection from a neighboring rental property; Andrew Wheeler of the city legal department said he will search for easement records and follow up by the end of the week.
Ashland — During public participation at the Feb. 11 Board of Commissioners meeting, resident Darren Shearer told commissioners that raw sewage has been entering his property for nearly a year and that a newly installed sewer line from a neighboring rental property runs through his yard without documentation of a permit or recorded easement.
Shearer described health impacts to his household, including hospitalizations and respiratory problems, and said attempts to get information or remediation over the past year have been unsuccessful. "It's been there for coming up on a year," Shearer said, and later, "I wish somebody had fixed it." He provided photos to the clerk showing standing sewage at the property.
City legal staff response: Andrew Wheeler of the city’s legal department responded to Shearer in the meeting. Wheeler said he recalled prior contact and that a signed easement might be on file in the legal department. "If you're looking for a copy of that, I'm happy to try to find it... I'll get back to you by the end of the week and see what I can find," Wheeler told Shearer.
Why it matters: The complaint raises public-health and property-rights concerns if wastewater is discharging onto a private property. Shearer said the condition has affected his wife's health and the couple’s quality of life. The transcript does not contain a staff report or a specific timetable for corrective action beyond Wheeler’s commitment to search records and follow up.
What was not specified: The transcript does not state whether any inspection, code-enforcement action, or public-works response was scheduled that night, nor does it include the locating of any permit or easement record. The identity of the adjacent property owner and the permit history were not provided in the public comment.
Next steps: Wheeler committed to searching for any easement documentation in the legal department and to return to Shearer with findings by the end of the week; the transcript records no subsequent action or timeline for physical remediation.
