Resident urges city action after repeated flooding at 619 Maxwell Street

A Maxwell resident urged the City Council on Wednesday to address chronic flooding at her home, saying years of complaints have produced little relief and asking whether the town could use grants or infrastructure changes to protect private properties.

"I'm still living in a river at my address," Cindy James told the council during the open forum, identifying herself as a resident of 619 Maxwell Street. James said she and her husband have lived at the address for roughly 24 years and described repeated basement and yard flooding she links to inadequate drains and raised driveways or landscaping nearby.

The nut graf: James’ account put a spotlight on stormwater management in Maxwell and on how the city’s road and drainage work affects neighborhood runoff. She said the city issued a building permit when her house was constructed and later told her it was not in a flood zone, but that heavy rains now produce standing water at and near her property. She told the council she has submitted photos and complaints to city hall and engineers and requested help.

Council members and staff responded that engineers are reviewing drainage as part of broader town stormwater planning. "We're aware of that," a council member said, noting engineers are tying the review into larger water-management projects the town is pursuing and that an engineer will finalize a report. The city noted that some streets were never platted for modern stormwater management and that heavier storms in recent years have exposed those deficiencies.

Council discussion at the meeting linked James' concerns to upcoming public meetings and engineering work on Rock Creek and Woodlawn stormwater improvements, and to planning for a new development the council said must clear planning-and-zoning review. An engineer present said formal proposals and construction timelines will follow regulatory approvals and public hearings, and offered to include affected property considerations in the pending stormwater studies.

The meeting ended without a vote on immediate mitigation at James’ property. Council members directed staff and the engineering consultant to continue the review, include the location in stormwater mapping, and report back with options and timelines at a later meeting.

The next procedural step is the Woodlawn stormwater public meeting set for April 30 at Legion Hall, where residents will be able to hear details and ask questions about potential drainage projects. The council also noted opportunities to pursue grant funding but did not commit specific grant applications during the session.