Council approves Founders Ridge drainage easements after residents raise flooding concerns

Residents and city staff traded sharply contrasting views about a recurring stormwater problem as the Ashland City Council approved replacement drainage easements for Founders Ridge and moved to vacate old easements.

Rick McKee, a resident who spoke during public comment, told the council he and his brother had not received promised follow-up after an earlier meeting and that his mother's home continued to flood. "I've not heard a word from anybody," he said, asking for an update and a contact. Staff responded that an engineer had visited the property and that city staff would contact the family the following Monday.

Planning staffer Steve told the council the developer had changed engineers and removed a small detention basin that had formerly sat on Lot 1. To address drainage for lots 1–6 the city recommended creating replacement easements through Lots 16 and 7 and installing new discharge piping. "If the board agrees with that recommendation, this ordinance should be passed," Steve said.

Several residents who later addressed the council said the existing detention and discharge infrastructure had been working when maintained but has since become silted and overgrown. Charles Crandall said the spillway is now covered in trees and that a discharge pipe is "touching the ground," and he urged the city to inspect the site and consider redirecting grant money into fixes rather than a larger new project. "The city failed to maintain it," Crandall said.

Travis Lassiter, who also lives adjacent to the drainage, described standing water and a mosquito-prone area and said neighbors received a notice that construction would remove a mature tree line. "If I get water in my house, are you gonna be responsible?" he asked; according to his account engineers told residents the city would not accept responsibility and framed such flooding as an "act of God."

City counsel and staff later said the main pipe is the city's and that the city generally maintains the pipe, while noting complications over soil, trees and property boundaries. The council voted to approve council bill 2025-39 authorizing acceptance of replacement drainage easements on Founders Ridge Lots 16 and 7 and also approved council bill 2025-40 to vacate the prior easements; both measures passed by voice roll-call votes.

The action authorizes staff to proceed with the replacement easements and related conveyances; the council did not direct immediate additional maintenance beyond the easement approvals. Residents asked staff to follow up on property lines, maintenance responsibilities and temporary protections during construction; staff told them it would provide a legal opinion and follow up offline.

The council moved on after voting; the record shows public concern about maintenance, property impacts and long-term flood risk remains unresolved even as the city approved the easements.