DR9201-CS 940920COPPELL PUBLIC WORKS
DATE:
TO:
FROM:
RE:
September 20, 1994
Steven G. Goram, Director of Public Works
Rey Gonzales, Street Superintenden~
816 Howell - Joe Koehler
Drainage Complaint
As you know, staff was in contact with Mr. Koehler back in June of
this year concerning a drainage problem in front of his house. The
improvements for this area were completed in July 1992 and this was
the first time we have received a complaint about the end results
for this project. Staff advised him that we would come out and do
a survey of the flow line and determine what action needed to be
taken to correct his problem. Staff also advised him at this time
that it would be a couple or three months before we could do
anything because we were working on the Bethel School Rd. failure,
left turn lane, and the Community Park sidewalk.
Mr. Koehler apparently got impatient and left a message for you to
contact him concerning this problem. As a result, staff went out
and investigated the condition at Mr. Koehler's home. We found
that the southern property line where the culvert discharges across
the front of Mr. Koehler's house has a low spot that probably holds
water for longer than three days. In addition, the north end at
his culvert entrance is slightly lower than the pipe. Mr. Koehler
maintains that the culverts are not falling in the correct
direction. Staff didn't find any evidence of this on site. We
attempted to contact Mr. Koehler while we were on site; however, he
wasn't in. staff left a contact name and number.
Mr. Koehler called back on Thursday, September t5, 1994 and was
adamant about there being a major problem at this location. He
stated that no one on the block was pleased with the outcome of the
drainage improvements. In fact, he stated that he didn't have a
problem until after we made the improvements. He also stated that
his neighbor to the south had installed some additional culverts
that were undersized and that we new about this condition. Till
we went out and looked, we were unaware of the additional culverts.
We explained to Mr. Koehler that we would be sending a letter to
this resident requesting removal of these culverts.
Staff tried to explain to him that the improvements did in fact
help the area and that the ditch in front of his house can be
corrected to drain better than what it is draining now by filling
in the low spots to the appropriate grade. We also attempted to
explain that the drainage in this area is on a relatively flat
grade; therefore, complete elimination of standing water was
impossible to accomplish. Mr. Koehler wouldn't listen, in fact it
was hard for staff to get a word in edgewise. He concluded by
stating that in addition to the ditch in front, he was experiencing
other standing water problems on his property that he attributed to
this work. In closing he stated that since the city was use to
having pending lawsuits, another one wouldn't be a problem if we
couldn't correct the conditions. Staff stated that we would be out
to survey the location and take corrective actions within a couple
of weeks.
Staff would like to add that it is the purpose of open ditches to
retain and convey storm water. Before any improvements were made
water related street failures were common on Howell and Bullock.
Water would stand on the street and in the yards for several days
due to lack of positive drainage, undersized culverts and
incorrectly installed drainage facilities. In fact, when it rained
Mr. Koehler's neighbor to the north use to put out a No Fishing
sign in his front yard because of the voluminous amount of standing
water. I have attached some pictures that were taken in December
1991 during a moderate rainfall and pictures taken in May 1992
during the project.
If you wish to discuss this in more detail please let me know.
/rg