Council hears plans to address drainage problems in Rupp and Westmont Courts

Woodburn staff briefed the council on chronic drainage problems affecting homes behind Rupp Court and Westmont Court and outlined immediate and longer-term options.

"I did flat put some flags out. There were white flags down scattered through there where the high ground was at. I'll shoot some grama on it, and we'll see what we can come up with to kind of see if we can get that water start draining to the rain," Ryan said, describing short-term steps crews will try to restore flow. Staff warned that equipment access is limited and that fixes will likely start with grading high spots rather than full-scale reconstruction.

Council members raised concerns that older residential additions lack homeowner associations and that new accessory buildings and barns have altered drainage patterns over several years. Members discussed that stormwater currently is handled through the sewer department and that the city does not have a dedicated stormwater utility, which limits recurring funding for systematic solutions. The council agreed to consider stormwater issues in upcoming rate and capital studies but took no formal action at the meeting.