Commissioner Barnaby opened the 1st hearing on the
Petition filed by Eric Eyer and others. He swore in those in
attendance so they may give testimony and turned the hearing
over to Chief Deputy Engineer, Rod Creager. Mr. Creager
explained the Ohio Drainage Laws and Procedures and asked for
questions about the process.
Mr. Creager then
explained the process of the Preliminary Report and gave a
PowerPoint presentation on said report:
PROJECT INITIATION
This drainage
improvement was initiated through a single county drainage
petition filed by Mr. Eric Eyer, as Trustee of Faith Baptist
Church, Larry Neuenschwander, Clinton Township Trustee and
landowner Scott Aeschliman on December 14, 2007. The petitioned
calls for the installation of a single new storm water drainage
outlet and appurtenances to replace two failing outlet tiles
draining the upper Turkeyfoot Creek watershed in Sections 22 and
23, T-7-N, R-6-E in Clinton Township, Fulton County, Ohio.
The proposed
improvement is petitioned to begin approximately 700 feet east
and 1160 feet south of the north quarter corner of Section 22,
T-7-N, R-6-E, in Clinton Township. That point is approximately
700 feet west of Enterprise Ave in the City of Wauseon which is
also known as Road 15-1 in Clinton Township. The improvement is
intended to begin at the junction of three existing outlet tiles
draining from the west and northwest, located at or near the
line between the North Clinton Mennonite Church property, the
Schantz LLC property and the north City of Wauseon/NORTA
right-of-way line. From there the improvement is petitioned to
proceed downstream to the east, following the existing outlet,
replacing the existing tiles as necessary along the north
right-of-way of the abandoned rail bed, crossing to the south
side of the City /NORTA right-of-way about 200 feet west of
Enterprise Avenue. From there, the outlet will be replaced as
necessary up to the Enterprise Avenue right-of-way. The
existing storm sewer through Enterprise Avenue will remain in
service. Beginning at the catch basin on the east side of
Enterprise Avenue, a new storm sewer will be installed along the
City/NORTA right-of-way for a distance of approximately 325 feet
to a point just past the Clinton Township maintenance garage.
From that point an open ditch will be constructed to the east
for a distance of approximately 500 feet, terminating at the
existing 72-inch diameter pipe inlet of the recently constructed
Booth Detention Basin in the City of Wauseon. Catch basins,
junction structures, and other appurtenances will be installed
as required.
A viewing of the
project was conducted by the Board of County Commissioners on
January 24, 2008 at the site.
The last official
records of improvement on this section of Turkeyfoot Creek date
back over one hundred years. The original 12-inch drain tile
that served as the outlet was installed through a county ditch
petition in 1902. The capacity of the system was increased in
1949 when an 18-inch drain tile was installed through ditch
petition downstream from the Wabash Railroad to the DT&I
Railroad in Wauseon. Later the capacity of the upstream tile
was supplemented through a 1956 ditch petition when a second
tile was installed upstream from the railroad to Road 16. The
tiles were installed prior to the ditch maintenance requirement
of the Ohio Revised Code and have been a constant maintenance
problem for the adjacent landowners for the last twenty-five or
thirty years. Recently completed outlet improvements by the
City of Wauseon make this project viable at this time.
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
The primary
objective of this project is to install a modern storm water
drainage system to replace existing tile outlets that have
exceeded their useful life. The existing tiles no longer
provide the drainage capacity required to convey upland storm
water as they were originally designed. As a consequence water
stands in the upper reaches saturating septic fields, flooding
house lots and reducing crop yields. Excess storm water also
ponds on public rights-of-way and flows across roadways from
time to time.
Another objective of
this project will be to place the improved drain on a consistent
maintenance program to protect it from accelerated deterioration
over its useful life.
PROBLEMS
OBSERVED
The two existing
clay tiles east and west of Enterprise Avenue are at least
partially obstructed by tree roots. Both tiles are butt joint
clay drain tiles, typically used in open farm fields. The tiles
are set close together but rely on the slight gap between tiles
to drain ground water along their route. The gaps at the tile
joints that allow ground water to enter the outlet also allow
tree roots to enter the tiles. Larger tile are not often
completely obstructed by roots but their capacity can be reduced
and their integrity can be greatly affected. It appeared at the
viewing that the older 12-inch tile installed in 1902 is almost
completely obstructed and the sixty year old 18-inch tile has to
carry the bulk of the storm water. The 18-inch alone is not
large enough. The trees and brush growing over both existing
tile lines is an obvious maintenance and capacity issue.
Other problems have
been reported with the existing system. The catch basin east of
Enterprise Avenue overflows frequently during larger storm
events. This is probably due to the restricted downstream
capacity of the two old clay tiles. When water can’t get away
downstream the system begins to backup. Water can’t get away
from the City’s detention basin on the west side of Enterprise
Avenue and it overflows into the swale along the south side of
the old railroad west of Enterprise. That flooding holds water
back on the north side of the railroad and of course holds back
the flow from the three upstream tiles draining to the abandoned
rail right-of-way.
Several holes have
been observed along the route of the petition. That suggests
that the tile system has some broken tile and consequently some
capacity problems.
WORK PROPOSED
The work plan
proposed in the petition calls for the removal of brush along
the line of existing tiles and swales, the installation of a new
single storm sewer and appurtenances, the re-grading of existing
swales and ditches along the abandoned railroad and temporary
and permanent erosion control measures to protect water quality.
The preliminary plan
calls for opening the three tiles at the upper terminus into a
new catch basin so that they each have a free outlet and can be
more easily monitored and maintained. From the new catch basin
a new single 24-inch storm sewer will replace the existing
individual tiles to the east, to the existing cross-over through
the abandoned rail bed. A catch basin will be installed and a
new single 24-inch cross-over will be installed to a new basin
on the south side of the old rail bed. From there, the new
24-inch will extend to the east to the existing Enterprise
Avenue cross-over. The existing cross-over will be used to
drain through Enterprise Avenue. The existing catch basin on
the east side of the street will also remain in use. The new
24-inch storm sewer will be extended approximately 325 feet to
the east from the existing basin east of the street, to a point
beyond the township maintenance garage.
Beginning at the
outlet of the proposed new storm line, the existing open ditch
along the south right-of-way will be brush cleaned and
reconstructed with stable side slopes to drain to the east to
the 72-inch inlet to the Booth Detention Basin.
Other activity
associated with the work plan includes brush cleaning the
abandoned rail right-of-way along the entire line of the
improvement. Brush will be flush cut and treated or grubbed
from the area over the proposed storm sewer and the
reconstructed open ditch. Brush and stump disposal will be
included in the work plan. Rock channel protection will be
placed at the outlet of the new 24-inch at the open ditch and
all disturbed areas will be seeded to reestablish sod cover.
Existing tiles
upstream from Enterprise Avenue will be removed. The existing
storm sewer through the street will remain in use and the
existing 12-inch tile installed east of Enterprise in 1902 will
be capped outside of the basin but left in service to drain what
it can. The existing 18‑inch tile installed downstream from the
street in 1949 will continue to outlet the catch basin east of
Enterprise and will remain in service to provide extra outlet
capacity until such time as it finally fails. An outlet pipe
with animal guard will be placed on both existing clay tiles
near the lower terminus.
Traffic control and
incidentals items associated with the construction of the new
storm sewer are also included in the work plan.
A temporary
construction easement will be established along the line of the
improvement.
CONSTRUCTION
ESTIMATE
The attached
preliminary construction estimate is based on information that
was obtained through drainage project records, aerial photos,
field observations, and various improvement plans. The estimated
cost for the construction of the proposed storm sewer, its
appurtenances, and reconstructing the open ditch is $75,239.36
including engineering and administrative costs.
The final detailed
construction estimate, based upon a complete engineering survey
will be used to determine the estimated assessments for each
parcel. Assessments will be considered at the final hearing on
this proposed improvement. Upon completion of the project work
plan, actual assessments will be prorated to reflect the final
cost of the work completed.
PROJECT BENEFITS AND
ESTIMATED
ASSESSMENTS
Rural residential
properties will benefit from improved drainage by increasing or
maintaining their property values. According to local real
estate sources, as a general rule, properties suffering from
standing water throughout their entire yards are often judged to
be devalued as much as 20% to 30%. Properties with some
standing water could be devalued as much as 10% to 20%. Areas
that suffer even the stigma of standing water could be devalued
by 5% to 10%.
Assessments for the
proposed improvement will be based on the benefits received from
the drainage improvements. The type and quantity of drainage
runoff contributed by each parcel will be a consideration. The
location of a parcel relative to the location of the work may
also be considered.
It is expected that
the benefits derived from the proposed improvement over 20‑years
will be greater $265,000.00 and will exceed the estimated
project costs. Assessments for the project are estimated to
average $174.00 per acre. House lot and the county right-of-way
will be assessed at a higher rate than agricultural land.
MAINTENANCE
The Ohio Revised
Code requires that all drainage improvement projects be placed
on a permanent maintenance program. Maintenance activity is
limited to the maintenance of the items originally constructed.
Maintenance is paid for by periodic ditch maintenance
assessments to the parcels in the watershed. The amount of the
maintenance assessment is in proportion to the original ditch
assessment for each parcel.
The revised code
provides for the right of access to drainage lines and open
ditches to perform maintenance activities. The permanent
maintenance access easement for the storm sewer portion of the
improvement will be fifty feet in width centered on the line of
the storm sewer. The maintenance access easement width along
the open ditch will be twenty-five in width measured from the
top of the open ditch bank.
APPARENT FAVORABLE
FACTORS
1.
Periodic
flooding will be reduced.
2.
Crop yields
will be maintained.
3.
Property
values will be improved or protected.
4.
Erosion
control measures at the open ditch will reduce erosion and
protect the open channel from deterioration.
5.
Having the
storm sewer placed on permanent maintenance will insure that the
drain can be kept clean and free flowing and will protect the
investment in this proposed improvement.
APPARENT UNFAVORABLE
FACTORS
1.
Temporary
lawn and landscaping damage can be expected during construction.
2.
Periodic
production loss and inconvenience may result from future
maintenance activity.
PROJECT FEASIBILITY
This project work
plan is feasible and can be economically completed through the
drainage improvement petition process.
The hearing was then
opened up for testimony. Linda Hayes, landowner, while stating
that she is not doubting that the work needs done, she expressed
concerns regarding assessments during rough economic times and
asked if state funding is available for these projects. Mr.
Creager explained that the state does not offer funding for
ditch improvement projects.
Mr. Creager asked
those in attendance for any questions regarding the nature and
extent of the proposed improvement. No questions were asked.
Commissioner Barnaby asked for any further discussion before the
hearing was closed. No further discussion was offered.
The hearing was
closed at 10:48 a.m.
Commissioner Genter
stated that after attending the viewing and reviewing the
evidence proposed so far, there is a tremendous need for
improvement and made a motion to find for the improvement and
order the County Engineer to conduct the necessary survey for
the proposed improvement and to work with the City of Wauseon to
come up with a Final Report. Commissioner Barnaby seconded the
Motion. Motion carried unanimously.
A Final Hearing will
be set in this matter to review the Engineer’s final report and
to either affirm or dismiss this order and notices will be
mailed to all landowners affected by the proposed improvement of
the date and time. The date in which the Final Engineer’s Report
is due to the Commissioners for their review is to be announced.
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