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Residents look for answers to water issues
Timetable placed on several delayed projects around city.
By JOHNNA PINHOLSTER
jpinholster@lakecityreporter.com
The topic of water ruled during Tuesday’s Town Hall meeting conducted by the City of Lake City at Teen Town. Hosted by Dist. 12 City Councilman Michael Lee, the event drew more than 30 people out into dreary weather to attend the meeting and voice their opinions.
City Councilman John Robertson was the only council member not in attendance due to an illness in his family.
Richard Anders said his issue is one that has been around for more than 40 years. After building his home on Jefferson Street in 1961, Anders said the city promised to put in appropriate drainage systems, which have yet to be installed.
The city said it hopes to tackle the project, which will effect the homes located on Gallway and Wilson streets, Lee said.
Easements to put drain inlets on home owners’ property have been obtained for most of the properties in the area, Lee said.
City Manager Scott Reynolds assured Anders the work would be completed before Oct. 1, which is the end of the current fiscal year.
Harold Perry, who is running for the Dist. 12 seat, said the drainage issues for the north and northwest sections of town, and the rusty water pipes pumping water into the neighborhoods, are two issues the city needs to address.
Reynolds said both of those issues are affecting the entire city, not just one section.
Sandy Drapeau of Quail Ridge Subdivision asked if her development will ever get help from the city on drainage issues.
The subdivision, which Drapeau said is more like a swamp and should have never been developed for housing, is having water encroach on her property to the extent that local wildlife are taking up residence.
Last year, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission had to remove a seven-foot
alligator that decided to sun itself on Drapeau’s back patio, she said.
The fact that neither the developer nor the city or county will take responsibility for a community that could float away is frustrating, Drapeau said. Though frustrated, Drapeau kept her comments light.
“I didn’t know I should have purchased an ark instead of a house,” she said.
Reynolds said the drainage problems at Quail Ridge will be the first to be addressed under the new storm water utility, once all the rules and regulations for the utility are established. Setting and implementing a fee to help cover the cost of the projects will be one of the first items to address, as well as public meetings, to educate the public on the new utility, Reynolds said.
Storm water maintenance at Quail Ridge is expected to begin sometime in 2009, Reynolds said.
Councilman George Ward said another issue that has helped compound the drainage problem is the construction of streets and roads by the Florida Department of Transportation.
FDOT clears the water off the streets and roads and then it is the city’s responsibility to take care of the runoff, Ward said.
Debbie Freeman requested that the city look into putting a speed bump on DeSoto Street to slow people down and make it safer.
Reynolds said the city would begin the process of putting in a speed bump on the road by contacting her today.
Hercules Maxwell urged the city to take a closer look at the dilapidated houses in the city, particularly the ones located on Washington Street.
“Something needs to be done in Lake City in areas outside of downtown,” Maxwell said.
Ward agreed that something should be done with the houses, but that the city must find the owners of the property to obtain clear ownership before the city can raze the buildings.
Finding the owners, who could be distant relatives or no longer live within the state, can be difficult and costly with ownership research costing up to $15,000, Ward said.
Community outreach, neighbors of abandoned properties seeking out owners or possible leads, would greatly help the city in obtaining clear title, Lee said.
“Try to seek out who the owners are or speak to neighbors and help us with some of this (information),” Reynolds said.
John Shoemaker urged council members not to divert traffic off of U.S. Highway 441 on the stretch that runs through downtown.
Lee said the city had decided not to divert traffic after downtown vendors voiced disapproval about the idea.
City Councilman John Robertson was the only council member not in attendance due to an illness in his family.
Richard Anders said his issue is one that has been around for more than 40 years. After building his home on Jefferson Street in 1961, Anders said the city promised to put in appropriate drainage systems, which have yet to be installed.
The city said it hopes to tackle the project, which will effect the homes located on Gallway and Wilson streets, Lee said.
Easements to put drain inlets on home owners’ property have been obtained for most of the properties in the area, Lee said.
City Manager Scott Reynolds assured Anders the work would be completed before Oct. 1, which is the end of the current fiscal year.
Harold Perry, who is running for the Dist. 12 seat, said the drainage issues for the north and northwest sections of town, and the rusty water pipes pumping water into the neighborhoods, are two issues the city needs to address.
Reynolds said both of those issues are affecting the entire city, not just one section.
Sandy Drapeau of Quail Ridge Subdivision asked if her development will ever get help from the city on drainage issues.
The subdivision, which Drapeau said is more like a swamp and should have never been developed for housing, is having water encroach on her property to the extent that local wildlife are taking up residence.
Last year, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission had to remove a seven-foot
alligator that decided to sun itself on Drapeau’s back patio, she said.
The fact that neither the developer nor the city or county will take responsibility for a community that could float away is frustrating, Drapeau said. Though frustrated, Drapeau kept her comments light.
“I didn’t know I should have purchased an ark instead of a house,” she said.
Reynolds said the drainage problems at Quail Ridge will be the first to be addressed under the new storm water utility, once all the rules and regulations for the utility are established. Setting and implementing a fee to help cover the cost of the projects will be one of the first items to address, as well as public meetings, to educate the public on the new utility, Reynolds said.
Storm water maintenance at Quail Ridge is expected to begin sometime in 2009, Reynolds said.
Councilman George Ward said another issue that has helped compound the drainage problem is the construction of streets and roads by the Florida Department of Transportation.
FDOT clears the water off the streets and roads and then it is the city’s responsibility to take care of the runoff, Ward said.
Debbie Freeman requested that the city look into putting a speed bump on DeSoto Street to slow people down and make it safer.
Reynolds said the city would begin the process of putting in a speed bump on the road by contacting her today.
Hercules Maxwell urged the city to take a closer look at the dilapidated houses in the city, particularly the ones located on Washington Street.
“Something needs to be done in Lake City in areas outside of downtown,” Maxwell said.
Ward agreed that something should be done with the houses, but that the city must find the owners of the property to obtain clear ownership before the city can raze the buildings.
Finding the owners, who could be distant relatives or no longer live within the state, can be difficult and costly with ownership research costing up to $15,000, Ward said.
Community outreach, neighbors of abandoned properties seeking out owners or possible leads, would greatly help the city in obtaining clear title, Lee said.
“Try to seek out who the owners are or speak to neighbors and help us with some of this (information),” Reynolds said.
John Shoemaker urged council members not to divert traffic off of U.S. Highway 441 on the stretch that runs through downtown.
Lee said the city had decided not to divert traffic after downtown vendors voiced disapproval about the idea.
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| Councilman John Robertson won’t seek reelection | Manhunt continues for Philpot |
