DR0401-CS040829Page 1 of 2
Utility - Standing water on upper Oakcrest Drive
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To:
Date:
Subject:
CC:
"JENNIFER LEFFORGE" <jennifer. lefforge@verizon.net>
<citycouncil@ci.coppell.tx.us>
8/29/2004 11:28 AM
Standing water on upper Oakcrest Drive
<cmo~ci.coppell.tx.us>, <Engineer~ci.coppell.tx.us>, <Utility~ci.coppell.tx.us>,
<Streets~ci.coppell.tx.us>, <Evhealth~ci.coppell.tx.us>
Dear Mr. Mayor, City Councilmembers, City Manager, and Department heads:
My name is Scott Lefforge. My wife, Jennifer, and my three sons have lived here in Coppell for three years. My
parents have lived here since 1984. Due to our collective experiences over the years, we opted to settle here
when a job transfer brought us from California.
Overall, I believe I speak for my family when I say that we are still pleased with our decision to settle here in
Coppell. However, I feel that I now need to bring a chronic issue before as many decision makers as I can.
Twice I have had to ask the city of Coppell to directly intervene in issues that required municipal attention. And in
both cases I have been somewhat disappointed in the response and the subsequent outcome. The other issue
will be taken up under a separate initiative.
This issue relates to the now completely unacceptable (lack of) drainage in front of my house and in front of the
houses on either side of my and across the street from me. In total, six houses have had standing water in their
front yards for nearly six months. It simply no longer drains off the top of the hill. Though this was a mild
annoyance three years ago, it has now turned into a full-time issue. In my particular case; I am unable to mow
the affected area, I get to continually poison the wet area to keep the mosquito population down (and yes, West
Nile Virus is very much on my mind), I would be unable to sell this property with its current drainage issue, I get to
smell rotten swampy mud whenever the heat is turned up, I get to spend the day doing yard work only to look out
on my front yard and see an unkempt stagnant swamp at the end of my driveway, I get to deal with six to 12 inch
ruts left in my front yard by unsuspecting motorists that mistakenly sink their tires into the wet grass. And all of
this (and here's the kicker), takes place on land that is a city annex.
I believe I am correct in that the city retains jurisdiction over the first several feet of residential property from the
street boundary. Therefore, and please correct me if I have been misled, the city is responsible for correcting the
water flow and the resulting drainage issues.
Because this has been a growing problem, I will be the first to admit that there has probably not been a healthy
collaborative effort to bring this issue before you. Though phone calls have been made to various departments,
including the water and city engineering offices, follow-up on our part has not been consistent. However, no
action, and please understand I mean absolutely no action, has been done on the ground, on this street, to fix this
problem. I am not even aware if any inspections, official or not, that have been campieted here.
So here is my proposal. Come take a look this week. You do not even have to get out of your car. Just drive by
my house and look at the annexed area, You will see the standing black water, the tire ruts, and if its late enough
in the day, a nice swarm of mosquitoes. Look at my neighbors front yards, and be sure an drive through the
perpetual pond that occupies the intersection of Oakcrest and Sandy Oak Drive. And then ask yourself if you
would want to live with these conditions.
After you have had the opportunity to survey the area, please indicate to me what your direction will be.
Thank you all for your time in reading this communication. And thank you all for your community and municipal
service and contribution, especially those of you are volunteers in the city government. I look forward to your
response.
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Sincerely,
Scott D. Lefforge
'e~Dnifer.lefforge~verizon.net
972-743-2753
509 Oakcrest Drive,
Coppell, TX
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