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Neighbors warn of stormwater and density impacts from Irvington Apartments; council to review engineering with MSD
Summary
During public comment at the Nov. 12 Olivette council meeting, a nearby resident said the Irvington Apartments project’s stormwater basins could elevate groundwater and damage basements; city staff said they will consult the Metropolitan Sewer District and consultants and report back.
A resident told the Olivette City Council on Nov. 12 that stormwater basins installed for the Irvington Apartments development have expanded across the 5‑acre site and could push groundwater into nearby home basements.
"They're gonna put a 8,000 gallons of water into the ground, and that water is gonna go somewhere," said the caller who identified himself in the transcript as Larry Ganey. He said the developer increased the number and size of retention basins beyond what was shown in the commission materials and warned of hydrostatic pressure that could affect foundations and basements.
Mayor Waldman and Director of Planning Carlos Trejo responded that the city will contact the Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) and the city’s consultants to review the engineering plans and any operational assumptions for on‑site stormwater management. Trejo noted the city has engineering resources and will follow up with the resident and the council.
Other commenters supported the call for careful review. Tom Walk (1120 Basswood Lane) expressed concern about infrastructure and climate adaptation, urging the city to plan for increased, sporadic rainfall and to consider pedestrian and greenway design in future infrastructure decisions.
The council took no immediate regulatory action at the meeting but committed to a technical review with MSD and consultants. That review will determine whether the retention basins conform to approved plans and regional stormwater requirements and whether mitigations are needed for neighboring properties.
Next steps: staff to contact MSD and the city’s engineering consultants and return to the council with findings. If those reviews identify nonconforming work or a design issue, the council may schedule follow‑up action or enforcement as appropriate.
