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Residents Press White House Stormwater Board Over New-Development Flooding After Extreme May Rains
Summary
Residents from Hillwood, Hobbs Drive and other neighborhoods told the White House Stormwater Advisory Board that new apartment development and failed pond outfalls have increased runoff and damaged yards and homes; staff said the MS4 program is in compliance and promised prioritized follow-up for homes with interior flooding.
Residents pressed the White House Stormwater Advisory Board about repeated flooding tied to recent development and a heavy May storm, saying runoff from new apartment sites and connected ponds has overwhelmed downstream yards and culverts.
The most vocal public commenters included Bill Grimes of 212 Hillwood, who said, "We've been there 38 years," described three development ponds that now discharge toward his property and reported newly forming sinkholes and interior-house flooding. Lynn Longwell of 219 Hobbs Drive said a developer-installed culvert and an on-site pond "doesn't hold water," and that "we get a half an inch of rain and we are flooded for a week to two weeks." Eric McBride, a 29-year resident, said raising an access road created a "giant dam" that left his shop and house repeatedly flooded.
The board and staff avoided attributing sole blame to a single cause but acknowledged a mix of factors: extraordinary rainfall in May, older subdivision designs predating current MS4 rules, and some construction or homeowner changes that altered flows. Staff noted the city logged about 150 flooding and culvert concerns in May and has nearly 24 active drainage projects addressing culverts, washouts and debris removal.
On regulatory context, a staff presenter explained that the White House operates an MS4 municipal storm sewer program under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) and that a Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation audit on May 30 "went well," with the presenter stating, "our MS4 permit is in compliance." The presenter also showed radar-based rainfall estimates indicating roughly 8–10 inches in the May 8–9 event and described the first event as close to a "500 year storm."
Residents repeatedly urged the city to review original construction and planning documents (culvert sizing and approvals), enforce developer maintenance obligations and use available bonded funds when developers fail to maintain systems. Staff said some older approvals may not meet current standards, that limited access and soft ground can delay repairs, and that priority is being given to properties with water inside the home.
The board committed to follow-up steps including: collecting submitted photos/videos and app reports, meeting with affected residents on-site where practical, reviewing historical construction documents when available, continuing active enforcement where violations are found, and pursuing grant and federal funding avenues where appropriate. Staff reported outreach to FEMA and TEMA to explore external assistance but said those inquiries were still pending.
Votes at a glance: the board adopted its meeting agenda and approved the prior meeting minutes by voice votes; membership nominations for chair and vice chair were also approved by voice vote during the same meeting (see provenance for motion segments).
