Residents press River Ridge board over Pinehurst drainage; engineer asked to inspect

Resident Shari Perkins told the River Ridge Community Development District board that, a week after a pipe had been plugged, drainage problems persist at the Pinehurst triangle monument and two drains on the left and right sides of the monument remain overflowing. She relayed a concern from another resident that a retention pond between River 8 and River 9 appears non-functional and that ponding is nearly 1 foot above the drain.

John Baker, the district engineer, said the initial condition—water from one system draining directly into another—was addressed when the inlet was plugged, but that change removed the pushing action and left the water without an outlet. "It is essentially akin to a very tiny pond in a pipe," Baker said, and he recommended additional study to find a lasting solution. The board asked residents to provide photographs or video; Perkins said she would supply video to district staff.

Chuck Adams, the district manager, explained that pipes in the system run between houses, across the street and golf course and ultimately discharge to the Estero River. The board instructed staff to direct the district engineer to view the drainage firsthand and to follow up with recommended remediation steps based on site observations and any additional proposals (including the inlet-top estimate being obtained). No formal motion to fund repairs was recorded at the meeting.

Next steps: staff will collect resident-supplied photos/video and coordinate a site inspection by the district engineer to scope repairs or further study. The board indicated it will bring specific repair proposals, including cost estimates, back to a future meeting for consideration.