HomeMy WebLinkAbout1990-11-29•
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Mr. Donald Gilbert, Highway Superintendent
Town of Dryden
65 East Main Street
Dryden, New York 13053
Dear Don:
27 Novem
I
dill
NOV 2 9 190(1
I have received the copy of George Schlecht's letter to you regarding the Hungerford Hill water
drainage flowing onto my, Mrs. Osborn's, and the Cassano 's and Booker's properties.
To bring everybody up -to -date on this issue, let me reiterate the facts as I explained them to you in
person when you visited our properties.
I have lived here since 1971 and Mrs. Osborn since 1955. The property numbered 1221 has
changed hands twice since Mr. Reeves died approximately 5 to 6 years ago.
I can tell you that Mr. Reeves and Mrs. Osborn's deceased husband took great pride in their
properties and kept their lawns well mowed with their lawn tractors at all times. During the I;ist
several years, our three properties have changed dramatically. None of is able to consistently
our lawns because of flooding. mow
During the last rainstorm I walked through the backs of our three properties and discovered several
creeks running onto our backyards. As I followed the creeks upstream, I discovered a two foot
drainage culvert. It was draining the west side and north side of Hungerford Hill and discharging
the water on the north side of a new road entitled Hungerford Road. This water discharge follows
the lowest natural elevations, and after crossing a narrow strip of Mr. Dolph's land, it conies to
rest on our three properties. During the night of the rainstorm, so much water was deposited onto
our properties that the basement floor drain in my home actually became an artesian well
discharging a one and a half inch stream of water into my basement.
The day after the rainstorm, you and I toured our three properties and we could plainly
although the rest of the woodlands were wet from the rainstorm, our three properties ere now
becoming creekbeds. These creeks originate from the two foot drainage culvert.
Additional evidence of unnatural flooding is seen on our properties by examining the dyin g trees.
This is due to the eroded topsoil and the exposed root systems and eventual toppling over of the
trees. The greatly increased water discharge onto our properties has also affected my ability to
plant our family vegetable garden. Now I have to wait until almost July before the soil i d
enough to roto -till. is y
I would like to respectfully address several points in the letter received by you.
In paragraph three, the discharge of the two foot drainage culvert on the new Hungerford Rod does
not "sheet" over our three properties, but rather converges into creeks, as witnessed b
me, and predetermined by the laws of gravity. Drainage water of this enormous magnitude does
not diverge again. A it You and
Apparently, Mr. Dolph did not adequately assess the impact of the millions of
gallons of water being deposited onto our three properties.
LYjkiG
• Also in paragraph three it states that, the drainage "causes only minor flooding and drainage
problems" on our three properties, yet paragraph five states that " Hungerford Road already
exhibits signs of high flows and erosion ". As you and I witnessed when you visited our
properties, the drainage problems do not decrease in magnitude as the elevations decrease, but
rather increase significantly.
Also in paragraph five, if it is not wise to direct storm drainage into storm drainage ditches, then
why is it wise to direct the drainage directly onto our three properties?
Paragraph six submits than an interceptor ditch be installed behind our three properties to reroute
the enormous water drainage through someone else's property. The issue then becomes a long
term maintenance problem as well as which property owner will be encumbered with a loss of a
section of woodlands to accommodate access to bulldozers and backhoes to excavate an adequate
drainage system. Numerous trees and shrubs would have to be eliminated.
Paragraph four states that the culvert which floods our three properties was installed by Mr. Dolph
contrary to the engineers plans and the Town of Dryden's approval. We the undersigned property
owners, taxpayers and voters agree with and laud yours and Mr. Schlecht's appraisal of the
responsibility of the installation of the drainage culvert which floods our properties.
We, the undersigned respectfully request that the Hungerford Road drainage ditch be adequately
sized from the beginning to the end. Also, the two foot crossover culvert which floods our three
properties must be eliminated and the water flow be continued to the intersection of Hungerford
Road and Ellis Hollow Road. As property owners, taxpayers and voters, we see this as the least
expensive and most easily accomplished solution. Also remember that as you and I examined, the
drainage ditch on Hungerford Road is in solid rock so any additional water flows would not cause
erosion in what was a stone quarry.
In closing Don, let's reroute this enormous water drainage to Ellis Hollow Road via Hunerford
Road without any further delay. g
Respectfully,
r
H a d Judi Dilles
I
oris usborn
Z�-
Ron Hooker & Pat Cassano
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