River Ridge resident warns of persistent drainage and ponding near Pinehurst monument

Resident Shari Perkins told the River Ridge Community Development District Board of Supervisors on July 23 that drainage problems persist in the Pinehurst area despite recent plugging of a street drain. "A week after the street drains were plugged, the drainage issues persist; water has been overflowing in the triangle monument area," Perkins said, and relayed that another resident reported a retention pond between River 8 and River 9 appears non-functional and is nearly 1 foot above the drain.

Board members asked Perkins for visual evidence. The board requested photographs or video to help staff assess the situation; Perkins agreed to provide footage to CDD staff. A board member asked whether video exists showing water bubbling out of the drain, and Perkins said she has several photographs of the accumulation.

District Engineer John Baker described the situation after the inlet was plugged: removing the original inlet flow stopped water from being pushed from one system into another, "but there is no place for the water to go and it is essentially akin to a very tiny pond in a pipe," he said. Baker said identifying solutions will likely require additional study and recommended Staff document flooding with photos or video to support investigation and remediation.

Resident Ed Nowak asked about the actual outflow location on the northern end of Pinehurst Greens Drive. District Manager Chuck Adams explained the pipes in question run between two houses, across the street and the golf course into a ditch that drains to the Estero River.

The board directed the District Engineer to view the drainage firsthand and asked staff to follow up. Staff noted an estimate for inlet work (see agenda item on Pine Hurst Project) and said the drainage item would remain on the agenda until resolved.