If the city gave the permits for the surrounding property to be
developed after yours was, it's the city's problem. A case in point:
the City of Minneapolis decades ago allowed houses in a small area near
41st Street and Bloomington Avenue South. The area is at the bottom of
four hills, and every time it rained the detached houses flooded or at
least their garages did. (The garages are built on grade, but houses
here are on foundations.) This presented fire hazards when electrical
wires short-circuited, mold problems, etc. Less than ten years ago the
City finally acknowledged its mistake, bought out the owners, and turned
the area into a park. It's really more like a very deep swale, and it
does have a fence around it. But the City had no business giving
permits in the first place, and it really was liable all along.

A primary purpose of a city is to protect health and safety. If it
didn't do so in issuing permits, it needs to correct the problem by
requiring the subsequent builders in the area to correct grade
deficiencies in the landscaping. However, it wouldn't hurt for you to
do what you can in your area.

Susanne P. Spitzer, AICP
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
Municipal Division
520 Lafayette Rd. N.
St. Paul, MN 55155-4194
Tel: 651-296-7723
Fax: 651-297-2343 or 651-297-8683
susanne.spitzer@...

www.pca.state.mn.us - Working with Minnesotans to protect
conserve and improve our environment and enhance our quality of life.

"Use what talents you possess; The woods would be very silent if no
birds sang there except those that sang best." - - William Blake





-----Original Message-----
From: stormwaterpro@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:stormwaterpro@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of kalibailey11
Sent: Friday, March 07, 2008 12:50 PM
To: stormwaterpro@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [StormwaterPro] Someone from City of Bend coming out


Many thanks to whoever got the city to contact me about coming out to my
house. My mom said in the past she just ran around in circles with
people saying, no, it's the builder's problem, no, it's the golf
course's problem, no, it's the suburb people's problem, no, it's the
city's problem, no, it's the builder's problem...etc. I'll be interested
to see what happens this time. Having never gotten this far before, I
don't really know what to ask for. Should I just hand him your
suggestions or should I start with a very specific recommendation? If
so, what should I request? Thank you all again, you've been a huge help!
-Kali



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