re: water problem - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

� (`��Tc.,a -��.�-3N�7 City of Orono 09/12/2008 2750 Kelley Parkway Orono, MN 55356 Attn: City Administrator RE: Water Problem at 2740 Fox Street Orono, MN I'm writing to you today to express my concern over a growing issue at my Orono residence; 2740 Fox Street. The property was purchased in August of 1964 and it had a garden area, a kids play area and also a septic tank run-off system. During the first 20 years of living here, we never had a major water problem in our back yard. Over the last 24 years, due to excessive residential development northwest of my property, standing water started to collect gradually. Last summer, when the contractor building the house at 2690 Fox St. broke the drain tile, I had standing water for weeks in my backyard, which has now ruined much of my usable space in the backyard. Over the years, with the selling of surrounding farmland to the Northwest and the subsequent development of new neighborhoods, water started to accumulate in my backyard due to storm water runoff from the Northwest. In the past year, it has worsened to the point of damaging my yard. I have been in contact with Lyle Oman, the City Building Official, to discuss the fact that the contractor building the home at 2690 Fox Street broke the main drain tile that runs from Old Crystal Bay Road to Fox Street, while digging the foundation for the new home. After this occurred, I have had a major problem with water draining from my backyard. The path of the storm water flows from the Northwest and follows a path underneath Old Crystal Bay Road through a culvert to a property at 540 Old Crystal Bay Road, then to a property at 2720 Fox Street, then to a property at 2690 Fox Street which then flows through a drain tile and finally, under Fox Street td a marsh across the road. From the culvert at Old Crystal Bay Road, the water flows above ground to a "hole" approximately 250 feet from Old Crystal Bay Road. There is an old drain tile which diverts the water to the new drain at 2690 Fox Street. The problem is where the old drain starts. There is a hole where the drain is and it's filled up with debris and is partially plugged. The hole, or the start of the old drain, is approximately 18 to 20 feet from my back property line. The water backs up onto my property, the property at 540 Old Crystal Bay Road and the property at 2720 Fox Street. At the newly constructed home located at 2690 Fox Street, the landscaping looks high enough so excess water will not flow above ground from the Northwest. All water must pass through the old drain tile. Again, this water flowage is significantly affecting my property for the first time in 40 years.