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Resident urges city action on chronic Bolte Crossing flooding; staff point to permit and certificate-of-occupancy enforcement
Summary
Isabella Hyatt, a Bolte Crossing resident, described repeated post-storm flooding that makes yards unsafe and raised concerns about developers and drainage grading; city staff and the city attorney said permits and certificates of occupancy can be denied or withheld until drainage is corrected.
Isabella Hyatt of Bolte Crossing told the council her neighborhood experiences repeated flooding after storms that leaves standing water, hidden hazards and conditions she said make it unsafe for children to play. ‘‘My daughter should be able to be able to play in her own backyard without me having to worry about standing water or hidden hazards,’’ Hyatt said, asking the city to enforce commitments and correct drainage problems before conditions worsen.
Council members and staff acknowledged the problem and described steps the city has taken and tools it can use. City Attorney Brandy said the city has implemented ordinance language to require developers to meet building-inspector and engineering-approved plans and that permits can be denied if developers do not build to those specifications; she added certificates of occupancy may be withheld until drainage corrections are completed. The mayor and staff noted the street department recently added an additional culvert in a troublesome area and described where underdeveloped lots and improper grading are contributing factors.
Hyatt gave her street number (1612 Simmons Street) and the council discussed specifics about the block and where the water accumulates. Staff said one of the two nuisance properties discussed later in the meeting had been mowed by a family member in response to earlier outreach, and the council reiterated that nuisance-declaration procedures allow the city to abate recurring problems more quickly in the future. The council encouraged the resident to continue communications with staff to ensure permits and engineering requirements are enforced.
