Friday, Jul. 11, 2008

Drainage Flow Woes in Trophy Club

By A. Lee Graham

Staff Writer

Stemming the tide — or at least water runoff in one Trophy Club neighborhood — has town officials contemplating a citywide drainage study.

But for now, a smaller review of land just south of Trophy Club Country Club has received approval.

"We need to look at the big picture," said Town Manager Brandon Emmons, emphasizing that one neighborhood’s drainage headaches are not isolated. In fact, many parts of town may lack storm sewers and underwater drainage that promote water flow.

Bruce Morey knows the problem firsthand. Since moving into his Timber Ridge Drive home in 1982, Morey has watched water flow from the golf course and onto lawns at Timber Ridge and Overhill drives.

"Whoever has the lowest spot on this berm is the next person to get flooded," said Morey at this week’s Town Council meeting.

At least 44 homeowners share Morey’s concerns, with their signatures appearing on a petition requesting town assistance in tackling what they consider a mounting problem.

Many neighborhoods — not just land along Timber Ridge and Overhill drives — lack storm sewers and rely on surface drainage, said Emmons, citing what he considers a need for comprehensive review.

But such a study would cost up to $150,000, considered too expensive for a town already reviewing its fiscal 2008-09 budget. So officials recommended a study not to exceed $12,000 in evaluating the drainage needs of the Timber Ridge Drive area.

"We’ve got to start somewhere," said Councilman Jim Moss.

Mayor Nick Sanders requested Emmons solicit proposals for consideration for the July 21 council meeting.

Meanwhile, Trophy Club gained its fifth gated community as the council approved an embattled rezoning request.

The issue surfaced at the May 12 council meeting when Todd Price requested that Churchill Downs be privatized. That would mean creating a homeowners association for those living in the subdivision’s 35 lots at Churchill Downs and Derby lanes. That would require the subdivision to be rezoned from R-15 single-family residential to PD-29 planned development.

"I’d prefer it to be a private, gated community," said Price, requesting the zoning change at this week’s council meeting.

Allowing the subdivision to become a private, gated community would rescind the public dedication of its streets and storm sewers, an idea that has caused Moss to voice concern about the town losing control of its streets.

Even more critical has been Councilwoman Susan Edstrom, whose opposition to gated communities is no secret.

"You know how I feel about gated communities," said Edstrom. "I have a hard time supporting this."

Yet the council approved the zoning request, granting approval under three conditions: no driveways on Derby Way, only cedar used for garage doors, and any portion of exterior masonry not directly supported by the masonry brick ledge must have engineered stamped drawings.

Only Edstrom voted against the request, with Councilwoman Kathleen Wilson casting no vote, as she did not attend the meeting.