Mount Sequoia culvert collapse, neighborhood runoff prompt calls for interim fixes
Summary
Ward 1 residents described a privately owned culvert collapse on Mount Sequoia and increased stormwater runoff after heavy rains. Council Member Stafford said the new stormwater district’s revenue will not arrive for months and urged short-term mitigation for affected homeowners.
Residents at the Ward 1 meeting reported a collapse of a privately owned culvert or storm drain near Mount Sequoia and increasing runoff problems after heavy downpours. Council Member Bob Stafford said the failure appears to be on a privately owned drainage system that predates city annexation, complicating immediate repair.
“...it's a privately owned, culvert or underground ... pipe or culvert, they collapsed,” Stafford said, adding that the city is constrained from unilaterally repairing infrastructure it does not own. Neighbors said water has carved new channels through yards and alleys and urged temporary measures such as sandbags while a long-term fix is planned.
Stafford noted the recently approved stormwater district is not expected to start collecting revenue until August and that it will take time to build a fund for long-term projects. He said staff was looking at long-range solutions but that some emergency actions may be necessary before district revenues are available.
Complaints about runoff also included specific cases: participants named Southern Grove Construction Company as the builder tied to one drainage complaint and said neighbors Cherokee Austin and Emily Maloney Irvin had reported runoff into downhill yards. Stafford encouraged residents to contact city staff; he named Alan Pugh as the appropriate staff contact for stormwater follow-up.
Ending: The transcript records citizen reports of property flooding and a council member pledge to follow up; no city emergency repairs, project timelines or budget commitments appear in the meeting record.
