DR0401-CS040830 (2)From:
To:
Date:
Subject:
Utility
JENNIFER LEFFORGE
8/30/2004 9:21:20 AM
Re: Standing water on upper Oakcrest Drive
Thank you for the detailed information concerning your property. I am sorry that no one has responded to
your request to contact you. I have printed copies of two previous work orders that were issued (April and
May of 2004), along with a copy of this email. I will be hand delivering them to the Streets Operations
Manager for his review. I will also ask that he personally give you a call in regards to your concern.
If I may be of further assistance, please give me a call.
Debbie Ingram
City of Coppell
Utilities Dept.
972-462-5150
>>> "JENNIFER LEFFORGE" <jennifer.iefforge@verizon.net> 8/29/2004 11:35:27 AM >>>
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 thre®
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 hero'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 completed 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.
Sincerely,
Scoft D. Lefforge
jennifer.lefforge@verizon.net
972-743-2753
509 Oakcrest Drive,
Coppell, TX
CC: Glenn Hollowell; Ken Griffin; Per Birdsall