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Residents press Norton council on yard flooding as city funds Hillcrest drainage study
Summary
A Norton resident described recurring backyard flooding on Gardner Boulevard and councilors moved to fund a $40,100 engineering study of the Hillcrest Drive drainage area as a first step toward larger stormwater work.
Lanny Winthro, a Norton resident, told city council on Monday that water from a nearby shopping center and roadway runoff has repeatedly flooded his backyard on Gardner Boulevard and damaged his basement, and that he has received no lasting follow-up since raising the issue last year. "I was here last year about the crack in our backyard on Gardner Boulevard, and nothing's been done," Winthro said, giving his address for the record.
Council members and staff told Winthro the city’s ability to work on private property is limited and that some drainage features lie outside city easements. "Legally, we cannot spend money on private property," one staff member said, and the city has not assessed for stormwater or partnered with Summit County on a countywide stormwater program, according to statements made in the meeting. City staff offered to follow up: Mr. Markey or Councilmember Harbert will contact Winthro within a week to clarify the property’s status and whether easements or public infrastructure are implicated.
The Winthro complaint came during a broader discussion about chronic runoff problems in Norton, and the council voted to add an ordinance authorizing a professional drainage study for the Hillcrest Drive neighborhood. The ordinance reads, in part, "An ordinance authorizing an agreement with GPD Group for Engineering Services associated with the Hillcrest Drive Neighborhood Drainage Study in an amount not to exceed $40,100 and declaring an emergency." Council moved to add Ordinance 50-20-25 to the agenda for a first reading and approved the addition by roll call.
Why it matters: council members said the Hillcrest area, Brentwood Estates and other neighborhoods are affected by runoff that begins near the highway and travels into local tributaries. Several councilors and staff described the problem as regional — involving runoff from nearby highways and upstream communities — and said a targeted neighborhood study is a step toward identifying feasible fixes and funding needs.
Supporting details and next steps: councilmembers said money is budgeted for stormwater studies and that the GPD agreement will scope solutions and costs. Staff noted limits on city authority — the county and state control some infrastructure, and certain culverts and channels may require permits or cooperation from ODOT and neighboring jurisdictions. Council directed staff to provide Winthro a follow-up within a week and to return the Hillcrest study ordinance for formal consideration on the standard ordinance schedule.
