Neighbors and developers clash over stream-buffer relief for Brookhaven lots; board debates stormwater mitigation
A contentious hearing over variances for 2511 and 2517 centered on stormwater risks and a requested reduction of the stream buffer from 75 to 25 feet; neighbors warned of increased flood risk while applicants and their engineers said proposed mitigation would improve water quality and control runoff.
The full story
The board spent a large portion of the session on AR/VAR 25-00014 and related AR25-0025, requests tied to two rear lots (identified as 2511 and 2517) that sit within a 5.4-acre watershed. Applicants and their engineers argued the properties suffer an exceptional hardship because of concentrated stormwater flows and a city-owned storm pipe that lacks an easement. They presented video evidence of significant runoff from a July 30, 2022 rainfall event and cited hydrology calculations estimating large volumes of water during storm events; the applicants said the proposed stormwater management system would not increase downstream flooding and would reduce sediment loads and improve water quality.
Sign up to keep reading.
Your free newsletter brings you what your city council, county, and school board discussed and decided.