Newcastle’s City Engineer has made a site visit to Country Club Estates to look over the drainage issues in the area, but it will take some time before an engineering study will be complete.
Mayor Karl Nail said the city council can’t take any action until they have the study and recommendations from their staff.
With 60 feet of elevation drop from the top of the housing addition to the pond, water moves rapidly in the area during heavy rains. Over the lifespan of the housing addition, some homeowners closed culverts in front and back of their homes which were part of the addition’s original engineering. At some point before those who are currently serving the City in positions of leadership took office, the City built a concrete wall at the top, or east side, of the housing addition. This, the mayor said, was at the request of homeowners to help divert drainage water from going down a drainage easement located behind homes.
Because of the various changes over the years, residents have dealt with unruly drainage patterns, buckling streets, a sink hole, and sediment buildup.
“Since these drainage areas are between homes, there are some homeowners who have built improvements on the easements, some of these were filled in, and over time even sediment could have filled in the open ditches,” Nail said. “Regardless, it is the homeowners’ responsibility to maintain that drainage.”
Nail said the city may have some actions it will have to take, but the council has made no determination on a path moving forward.
He said the “lengthy” engineering study will show more specifically how the water needs to be controlled in the development, and the City of Newcastle wants to do everything it can to be as least disruptive to the homeowners. He said these homes are a major investment.
