Residents press Moore council for action after recurring flooding on East Main, Morgan and Ramblin Oaks

Dozens of Moore residents told the City Council they have suffered repeated, increasingly severe flooding in neighborhoods along East Main Street, South Morgan Drive and South Ramblin Oaks, and urged the city to implement projects listed in the city’s stormwater management and master drainage plan.

Multiple speakers — including Sharon Sanderson, Terry Gates, John Mosier, Richard Pierce, Teresa Bossier, John Isom, Russ Lane and Yvette Arroyo Remendoza — described flooding events in May 2015, June 2024 and April 19, 2025. Several speakers said their homes are not in FEMA‑designated flood zones and therefore have difficulty obtaining flood insurance, and asked the city either to reclassify the area as a flood zone or to accelerate structural drainage improvements.

Sharon Sanderson, who said she has lived at 112 S. Morgan Drive since 1989, described repeated basement and garage flooding and asked the council to take action so residents can obtain insurance. Terry Gates and other speakers cited the city’s Comprehensive Stormwater Management and Master Drainage Plan (final report, January 2017) and said the plan identified problem areas (Area 12 and 13) and recommended projects that were prioritized as short‑term items. Gates said the house at 104 S. Ramblin Oaks was ranked fourth on a prioritized list and that the recommended conveyance improvements to handle a 100‑year storm had not been completed.

Speakers recounted personal losses and safety concerns: John Mosier said his property had four feet of water in 2015 and about 1.5 feet in the recent storm; Russ Lane said his in‑ground cellar filled to the top and his garage had 13 inches of water this month, with sheetrock remediation estimated at $22,000; Yvette Arroyo Remendoza said her nine‑month‑old son and family have been displaced and lack flood insurance. Several speakers said local culverts and drainage have been obstructed, that some pipes are undersized, and that recent construction and roadway projects may have worsened backflow and upstream flooding.

Council members and the mayor acknowledged the problem and said staff have reviewed the 2017 drainage plan and are working on options. The mayor said the scope of work “is going to be millions of dollars” and that the city manager and staff are developing cost projections and possible funding approaches. City staff committed to gather the residents’ questions and provide answers through the city manager’s office. The mayor said some projects can be phased but cautioned that short‑term fixes may not fully address flooding caused by extreme, short‑duration rainfall.

Residents asked whether the city requires flood‑impact studies for new building permits in the area, whether recent development changed topography or detention, whether improvements to South Bryant and E. Main are contributing to upstream backfilling, and whether financial relief is allocated for residents harmed by new construction; staff said those questions would be compiled and addressed by the city manager’s office.

Ending: Council members said they will keep working with staff on the drainage plan and cost estimates and encouraged residents to contact council members and the city manager for updates. No formal council action or new funding was approved at the meeting; staff said follow‑up will be provided.