Resident says county road runoff is eroding backyard in Dawes Lake Estates; county staff advise filing claim

A Mobile County homeowner told the County Commission on Jan. 13 that storm runoff she says is coming from county roadwork is destroying her backyard, she fears for children’s safety and she wants the county to inspect and pay for a fix.

Candice Nolan, who said her address is 2957 Astor Place in Dawes Lake Estates, told commissioners the drainage problem affects her home and two neighbors and has persisted for about 16 years. She said runoff that should flow to a lake instead funnels toward her property through a pair of county-placed culverts and ditches and that added road-edge extensions during a widening project increased flow velocity and is “eating away” at her backyard.

In a meeting exchange on next steps, a county official advised Nolan to speak with the county attorney and to consider filing a legal claim to get the issue higher priority. Neil Howard, who visited the site and inspected pipes, told the commission he measured culverts and concluded the pipe sizes under Dawes Road and Dutchman Woods Drive are the same size as before the road work; he said the county’s position is that the water follows natural drainage based on topography and that the county did not intentionally divert water onto private property.

Why it matters: Nolan said the erosion has removed land under her fence, allows large dogs to enter her yard and creates rapid flows that she described as dangerous for children. She asked the commission to send a county engineer to develop an affordable plan and for the county to pay for the work if the county’s construction or permitting caused the problem.

Details from the meeting: Nolan described three elements that she says combine to cause the problem: a culvert under Dawes Road that feeds a ditch toward her property, a second culvert from the Dutchman Woods side that joins the first ditch and a hillside slope that increases flow velocity. Nolan said she met previously with county staff including Matthew Barcliff and with former Commissioner Jerry Carl; she also said she met recently with Commissioner Dewitt (who was absent from the Jan. 13 meeting) and with Neil Howard.

Howard reported that consulting-engineering documents and his field measurements show the culverts retain their prior diameters and that the county’s most recent project did not increase pipe sizes. Nolan disputed that conclusion as to the pipe extensions and said differences in extended end sections and ditching appear to have increased flow toward her home.

Action and next steps: During the public comment exchange a commissioner suggested Nolan speak with the county attorney, Jay Ross, and file a claim to formally document the damage and request relief. Howard said the claim process may be the next step; the meeting record does not show a county-funded repair order or a formal engineering assignment was approved during the session.

Context: Nolan said the problem showed up on the first rain event after she purchased the house and that neighbors have been raising the issue for years. She asked the commission to treat the matter as a county responsibility if county-placed culverts and road widening caused the altered flow.

Ending: Nolan left the meeting having been advised to consult the county attorney and to file a claim; the commission did not take a formal repair action at the Jan. 13 session.