Does this need repair
 

My neighborhood of 100 townhouses has 2 entrances and one goes by a
large parking lot. There is/was a drain in the parking lot that
allowed water to pass under our road, but now the drain is fully
clogged and the water pours across the road. In the past it has
frozen there also**.

But I'm wondering if any of this matters?

So what if there is a half inch of water or more flowing across the
road? When it rains, lots of roads have water.

The path of the water is right at a 90 degree turn in this
road/driveway where everyone has to (and does) slow down anyhow,
because it's 90 degrees (and followed 65 feet later by another 80
degree turn).

The ice is not flat but full of ripples, because the water is flowing
when it freezes. I think this is a little less slippery than flat
ice.

Even if someone were to skid, he could skid into the curb, but after
that is just an empty grassy area. If he gets 20 feet beyond there,
there is a picket fence, nothing very expensive. There is never
anyone in the yard behind the picket fence and almost never anyone in
the area in front of it, especially when it is raining or icy out.

So is there a point to clearing the silt and mud from the drain so
that the water flows under the road?

With all the silt and mud and excess black-top that this clog gets,
won't it plug the 12 or 24" culvert soon anyhow?



**I know that we have a legal right, perhaps to require the property
manager next door to keep the drain open, but if not that, at least to
open the drain ourselves. We were buillt by the same developer and
have a reciprocal contract about some stuff, although it doesn't
mention the drain specifically.

About 3 years ago I did so myself, at midnight. :) And under the
silt/soil/mud, I found a 1/2 inch layer of some sort of soft "cement",
so it looked like our neighbor plugged the drain on purpose. I'd
dig it out again if there were a good reason. Last time I left a sign
behind explaining what I had done.

Meirman
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Im sure maintenance of drains is covered by regulatory code or law,
whether city, state or county is in charge of it you should find out. I
have a under road drain and cannot block its flow. Start by calling the
different street departments, code enforcement etc.and complain to them
keeping out of it if you can.

"meirman" wrote in message
...
My neighborhood of 100 townhouses has 2 entrances and one goes by a
large parking lot. There is/was a drain in the parking lot that
allowed water to pass under our road, but now the drain is fully
clogged and the water pours across the road. In the past it has
frozen there also**.

But I'm wondering if any of this matters?

So what if there is a half inch of water or more flowing across the
road? When it rains, lots of roads have water.

Sure it matters. You can always report it to the town highway department.
They will get after the condo association if it is there responsibility.



The ice is not flat but full of ripples, because the water is flowing
when it freezes. I think this is a little less slippery than flat
ice.

Even if someone were to skid, he could skid into the curb, but after
that is just an empty grassy area. If he gets 20 feet beyond there,
there is a picket fence, nothing very expensive. There is never
anyone in the yard behind the picket fence and almost never anyone in
the area in front of it, especially when it is raining or icy out.

So is there a point to clearing the silt and mud from the drain so
that the water flows under the road?

Sure ice in the road is a hazzard. Get it fixed. This is a lawsuite ready
to happen.

If this is a townhouse situation where people own the townhouses, I
would assume that you have a homeowner association of some type that is
responsible for property management. If someone has a accident, the
homeowners association could be sued for negligence. In the end, the
townhouse owners will end up paying.

Before going to the town and other legal routes, why don't you bring
this issue up with the homeowner association board. It is their job to
deal with whoever they hired to manage the property. Maybe they don't
realize the problem or haven't consider the legal ramification.

If this is a rental situation, then start with the rental office or
landlord.

meirman wrote:
My neighborhood of 100 townhouses has 2 entrances and one goes by a
large parking lot. There is/was a drain in the parking lot that
allowed water to pass under our road, but now the drain is fully
clogged and the water pours across the road. In the past it has
frozen there also**.

But I'm wondering if any of this matters?

So what if there is a half inch of water or more flowing across the
road? When it rains, lots of roads have water.

The path of the water is right at a 90 degree turn in this
road/driveway where everyone has to (and does) slow down anyhow,
because it's 90 degrees (and followed 65 feet later by another 80
degree turn).

The ice is not flat but full of ripples, because the water is flowing
when it freezes. I think this is a little less slippery than flat
ice.

Even if someone were to skid, he could skid into the curb, but after
that is just an empty grassy area. If he gets 20 feet beyond there,
there is a picket fence, nothing very expensive. There is never
anyone in the yard behind the picket fence and almost never anyone in
the area in front of it, especially when it is raining or icy out.

So is there a point to clearing the silt and mud from the drain so
that the water flows under the road?

With all the silt and mud and excess black-top that this clog gets,
won't it plug the 12 or 24" culvert soon anyhow?



**I know that we have a legal right, perhaps to require the property
manager next door to keep the drain open, but if not that, at least
to
open the drain ourselves. We were buillt by the same developer and
have a reciprocal contract about some stuff, although it doesn't
mention the drain specifically.

About 3 years ago I did so myself, at midnight. :) And under the
silt/soil/mud, I found a 1/2 inch layer of some sort of soft
"cement",
so it looked like our neighbor plugged the drain on purpose. I'd
dig it out again if there were a good reason. Last time I left a
sign
behind explaining what I had done.

Meirman
--
If emailing, please let me know whether
or not you are posting the same letter.
Change domain to erols.com, if necessary.

meirman wrote:
My neighborhood of 100 townhouses has 2 entrances and one goes by a
large parking lot. There is/was a drain in the parking lot that
allowed water to pass under our road, but now the drain is fully
clogged and the water pours across the road. In the past it has
frozen there also**.

But I'm wondering if any of this matters?

So what if there is a half inch of water or more flowing across the
road? When it rains, lots of roads have water.

About 3 years ago I did so myself, at midnight. :) And under the
silt/soil/mud, I found a 1/2 inch layer of some sort of soft "cement",
so it looked like our neighbor plugged the drain on purpose. I'd
dig it out again if there were a good reason. Last time I left a sign
behind explaining what I had done.

Meirman


You sure spend a lot of time defending this condition. You need to talk
to a lawyer and see what liability exists for you, the land owner or
manager. Better yet take your cheap ass to the phone and call a plumber
to clean it out.

GFRfan wrote:

Hellooooooooooo. Meirman *IS* either the landlord or the pres. of the

homeowners assn.

According to the OP, the drain "belongs" to the neighboring
development.