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Home My WebLink AboutWD-79-84We"" ilk "k 071AAM111 jq��NXML"Wfllaffly PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT HAMPTON, ONTARIO LOB 1J0 R. DUPUIS, P. ENG., DIRECTOR TEL. (416) 263.2231 987.5039 REPORT TO THE GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MEETING OF OCTOBER 15, 1984. REPORT NO.: WD -79 -84 SUBJECT: REPORT ON CORRESPONDENCE FROM MR. JAMES A. GORDON REGARDING ROADSIDE DRAINAGE ON SOLINA ROAD ABOUT ONE -HALF MILE NORTH OF THE 6TH CONCESSION, DARLINGTON. RECOMMENDATION: It is respectfully recommended: I. That this report be received for information; and, 2. That a copy of this report be forwarded to Mr. James A. Gordon. REPORT: Mr. Gordon in his correspondence points out a situation where, due to the flat topography in a wet, low -lying area, positive drainage is difficult to achieve. Drainage from a considerable catchment area must cross Solina Road through culverts near the Gordon property and find its way to Farewell Creek across a low area in farm fields. Since the area is flat this is not achieved in a positive sense and the type of problems described by Mr. Gordon persist. ....2 Page 2 REPORT NO. WD -79 -84 _r 6 (q) In 1982 ditching was performed in the area in an attempt to get the water moving. Works Department staff went so far as to "reach" over the fence onto private property with the gradall to clear a route for drainage, obviously with little success. To provide lasting relief which would not merely be cosmetic would require a considerable amount of work. The roadside ditch abutting his property would require regrading, the culvert under Solina Road should be lowered, and an outfall ditch across the Westlake and Davis properties, some several hundred feet in length, would have to be constructed. Such facilities would be costly, both in the short and long terms. Due to the very flat topography where the outfall ditch would be constructed, there would not be much grade on it, and its effectiveness would be dependent upon regular cleaning. The ditch itself would be located on private property. The possibility of obtaining permission from private property owners for construction of the outfall ditch was suggested. This is a possibility, however, it is not recommended for obvious reasons. Throughout the municipality, there are many such drainage problems which could be solved in a similar manner. Wherever there are residences or lands being used in flat, low -lying areas subject to wetness, the Town would be approached to solve the problem in the above fashion. Associated costs would be extremely high and would consume a considerable portion of our limited budget. ....3 Page 3 REPORT NO. WD -79 -84 M.T.C.'s philosophy is that subsidy dollars should be spent for road drainage only, and that legislation such as the "Drainage Act" should be employed where drainage works are constructed to the benefit of private land owners. With this in mind, the Town should avoid getting into the business of constructing ditches across private property. The "Drainage Act" has been with the matter. Council a however, be aware that this onerous requirements before solving drainage problems. requirements: mentioned as a method of dealing nd the area residents should, legislation has very strict and it can be applied as a method of The following lists some of the 1. Works under the Drainage Act must be formally petitioned by affected property owners, whose lands comprise at least 60% of the drainage area involved; 2. A drainage study and engineer's report must be prepared to detail all the specifics of the matter and set out costs and their apportionment to the benefitting land owners; 3. A by -law for the works under the Drainage Act must be passed by Council; 4. Associated costs are assessed to the benefitting owners; 5. Where benefitting owners disagree with the proposed drainage works there is an opportunity for appeal; 6. Ongoing maintenance costs are set out; 7. There is involvement of outside agencies such as CLOCA, Ministry of Natural Resources and the Ministry of Agriculture; 8. Special arrangements for financing can be made for agricultural lands. ....4 Page 4 REPORT NO. WD -79 -84 Having reviewed the Drainage Act, having noted the above and having gotten a feeling from area residents that they are not well disposed to financial participation ( i.e. this is a Town problem), the Drainage Act would not appear to be a viable solution. If, however, this option should be pursued, it is felt that a consultant with expertise in such matters should be employed. At his request, a meeting was held with Mr. Gordon and the situation reviewed in the field. Mr. Gordon proposed action which he felt was not unreasonable. His solution would involve ditching the east side of Solina Road as well as constructing a short section of outfall ditch. Part of the outfall ditch would, according to Mr. Gordon's approach, encroach about thirty feet onto the Westlake property. Mr. Gordon's feeling is that once runoff "got moving" it would not lie in the east ditch, would clear the culverts under Solina Road, and find its way through the Westlake field. If the water caused problems for the Westlakes, they could do what was necessary to take it away. Council may wish to provide such direction, however, the following should be borne in mind: 1. Town equipment should not venture onto private property for the purpose of constructing a ditch. 2. If work is done on private property which causes flooding problems or problems with wetness for the land owner, there could be liability implications. ....5 Page 5 REPORT NO. WD -79 -84 It would appear that a co- ordinated approach to the problem, whereby the land owners would ditch on their property and the Town would undertake the necessary works on the road allowance, would be most desirable. Council may direct that discussions take place in this regard® RGD:jco Communications Direction "),/, , ,/1)/ D - 6 Hampton, Ont. R.R.1 LOB 1J0 Oct 17 1984 Mayor Rickard and Councillors: Last Friday I received a copy of a report No. WD -79 -84 regarding a drainage matter for which I sent a letter to Council the week before. As Mr. Dupuis said I requested a meeting with him by phone on Oct 9th He came right over and listened to my proposal of which he says in his report was not unreasonable. However, I would like to set some facts straight. I did not propose lowering the culverts (for which there are 2) or lowering the ditch on the east side. All I asked was that the ditch be cleaned out of its bulrushes and other debris. The culverts are plenty low enough. They always did drain our property until they became clogged on the west side due to the reason I gave him, which was the dirt washing down the west side of the road and damming the water from going into Mr. Westlake's field. He also states that this ditch was cleaned in 1982, which is also wrong. It was done in 1980, or I should say partly done. Glen Smith and his crew came down and took a little dirt from around both ends of the culverts and a little way south on the east side at which time they did reach over into Mr. Westlake's field about 6 or 8 feet. Glen Smith told me that they didn't have time to finish the job as the Gradall had to go to Clarke township, but they would be back the next summer and finish the job. I reminded him in 1981 - 82 & 1983 but he still hasn't come. In 1982 Mr. & Mr. Westlake made some requests to have this work done. Mrs. Westlake says she even asked Mayor Rickard to personnaly come out and see it. He still hasn't come. At Orono Fair and again 2 weeks later Mayor Rickard told ME that he would personally come out and view the situation and bring either Ann Cowman or Bruce Taylor with him. He hasn't done that either. My main request is that they clean not lower the ditch on the east side and clean away from the culverts on the west side. Mr. Dupuis and I couldn't even find the end of the culverts on the west side. He said he would get a pair of rubber boots and dome back and try to find them. I haven't seen him again either. Again my request is mainly that they clean NOT lower the ditch or the culverts. If this at least was done we could probably work the rest out ourselves. Yours truly James A. Gordon. Typed as hand written A�