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Clayton Christian Church asks council about covering an open drainage ditch near its playground; council cites permits and IDEM review
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Summary
Church representatives asked the council about covering a drainage ditch that runs near a church playground and requested guidance on culverting, easements and permitting; council advised gathering documents, checking easement records and coordinating with IDEM and town staff.
Representatives of Clayton Christian Church outlined concerns about an open drainage ditch that runs behind the church property and near its playground, and asked the Town of Clayton council what steps would be required to cover it.
Bill Jamieson, who identified himself as part of the church site-development team, said the church owns about 13.76 acres and is "averaging around 500, on Sunday now attending," so overflow parking and safer playground access are concerns. He described the ditch as originally dug in the 1990s and said county engineers previously told the church an open ditch "drain[s] better than a cover tile grid." The church asked whether the town or county controls the ditch and what permits would be necessary to put a culvert and cover it.
The council advised the church to provide the town with documents of prior communications with the county engineer and other paperwork about the ditch so staff can check easement records. "It would be helpful to see some of your documents related to the history of this ditch," Speaker 1 told the church. Council members suggested contacting IDEM (Indiana Department of Environmental Management) and the county to confirm drainage controls and to obtain any required permits.
Council members and the church discussed technical options such as a covered culvert paired with a holding/detention area to manage runoff. Church representatives said they had hired contractors to clean and maintain the ditch but still worried about vegetation, roots and safety because the playground is within about 30 feet of the ditch. No commitment to fund construction was made at the meeting; council asked staff to check records and follow up with the church and county engineers.
What happens next: Church representatives will provide documentation and schematics to town staff (Pete) and the council will research easement records and relevant permits, including any IDEM or county requirements.
