eng2019L61.docx MARTIN COUNTY 2401 S.E. MONTEREY ROAD  STUART, FL 34996 DOUG SMITH Commissioner, District 1 TARYN KRYZDA, CPM County Administrator STACEY HETHERINGTON Commissioner, District 2 SARAH W. WOODS County Attorney HAROLD E. JENKINS II Commissioner, District 3 SARAH HEARD Commissioner, District 4 TELEPHONE 772-288-5400 EDWARD V. CIAMPI Commissioner, District 5 WEB ADDRESS http://www.martin.fl.us This document may be reproduced upon request in an alternative format by contacting the County ADA Coordinator (772) 320-3131, the County Administration Office (772) 288-5400, Florida Relay 711, or by completing our accessibility feedback form at www.martin.fl.us/accessibility-feedback. Date: December 17, 2018 Mr. Raymond Ferrara 776 SW Wood Creek Trail Palm City, FL 34990 Re: Neighborhood Restoration Project concerns Dear Mr. Ferrera: You recently contacted Administration to express concerns about the Neighborhood Restoration project that was recently completed in the Canoe Creek community. You expressed particular concern about a catch basin and pipe run that were installed south of your home. Through discussions with you, we mutually developed the following list of your concerns and the findings of our inquiry follow: 1) He believes that improvements occurred on private property. Response: County Staff reviewed the location of the stormwater improvements for this portion of the project, and they appear to be located within the 50-foot wide County-maintained right of way of SW Wood Creek Trail. 2) He believes that the project was performed to solely benefit one resident and that it was politically motivated because they often have political signs in their yard. Response: The Canoe Creek Neighborhood Restoration project included resurfacing of the roads, pipe rehabilitation, and installation of drainage features. The storm water rehabilitation portion of the Canoe Creek Neighborhood restoration project included replacement of dilapidated pipes, cure-in-place lining of corrugated metal pipes, grading of off-profile swales, and desilting of storm water pipes and drainage structures as needed within County right-of-ways throughout the community. The portion of the project south of your home was undertaken to address standing water in the swale area adjacent to the roadway. 3) He believes that the system as installed will bring runoff to his property that was not intended to be conveyed in that location. He further believes that it is not appropriate for the County to 1 of 11 eng2019L61.docx correct the drainage on SW Wood Creek Trail when he is told that the HOA must correct the drainage in the areas outside of the road right of way. Response: Staff reviewed the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) Permit for the storm water system in your community. The Phase 2 Grading and Drainage plan indicates that storm water was intended to be conveyed along the west side of the SW Wood Creek Trail into the drainage inlet on your lot line. The recently completed project maintained the design flow of runoff along this side of the roadway. The Neighborhood restoration project was limited to the County maintained roadways and the portion of the storm water system that exists within the road right of way. Special Condition 4 of SFWMD permit 43-00135-S (Canoe Creek Subdivision) indicates that “Operation of the surface water management system will be the responsibility of the Canoe Creek HOA”. The Canoe Creek HOA is responsible for maintenance of all storm water ponds, swales, control structures, and pipes that exist outside of the road right of way pursuant to their SFWMD permit. This is why the HOA is responsible for the outfall ditch maintenance. 4) He believes that the funding for the project was intended for road projects and was inappropriately utilized since this portion of the project was stormwater related. Response: Staff reviewed the funding for the improvements within the community. The funding utilized for this project was FPL Franchise fees, which are governed by County Ordinance 989. The Ordinance states in part that the fees shall be utilized to “maintain, repair, and reconstruct existing Roads, Drainage and Bridges”. Use of the funds for the improvements in question appears to be appropriate based on this information. 5) Two years ago he was told by Field Operations that they would dig the swale in front of his house deeper than the flowline but then they decided not to and refused to give him a reason. Response: Staff reviewed the information contained within Request for Service (RFS) 394069 which originated in October 2017 through the Commissioner’s office in which Mr. Ferrara requested that the swale between his circular driveways be excavated to reduce septic field impacts during periods of heavy rain. The road right of way between his driveways was surveyed, and was found to have positive drainage toward the structure. The swale did not appear to require maintenance at that time since it was not holding water. The downstream system maintained by the HOA appeared to be holding water above control, and appeared to be staging water up to the drainage grate in his front yard. The responses included in the 2017 Request for Service indicate that staff provided Mr. Ferrara with potential improvements for both his property and in the HOA controlled areas to reduce impacts to his septic system in severe rain events. In addition to the above research, County staff contacted the Health Department to review the permit for your recently replaced septic system drain field. The plans indicate that the new drain field was installed approximately 5” above the seasonal high ground water table. The Health Department officials spoke with their inspector over the project, and he indicated that there is a sand layer under the field that should provide reasonable recovery when the soils are not saturated. Staff will continue to work 2 of 11 eng2019L61.docx with the Health Department and will reach out to your HOA to alert them to maintenance improvements in their stormwater system that may positively impact your area. Sincerely; Jim Gorton Deputy Public Works Director Public Works Department Attachments: Phase 2 Grading Plan, SFWMD Permit excerpt, RFS 394069 Cc: Don Donaldson, PE Deputy County Administrator Terry Rauth, PE Public Works Director Domenica Labbate, Administration George Dzama, PE Capital Projects Manager 3 of 11 4 of 11 5 of 11 Wednesday, December 12, 2018 4:14:21 PMsirfs_reqdet_public Page 1 of 4 Raymond Ferrara from Palm City spoke to Commissioner Ciampi this morning. Mr. Ferrara is having "major drainage issues in his yard which backs up his septic and he is not able to use his toilets in his home" He said that Engineering dug out the swale 10 years ago which seemed to have worked but the issues are back again. Will someone please research. Thank you. Stacey McKindles for Commissioner Ciampi. Description: CLOSEDStatus: 10/26/2017 12:33 PMFirst Update Due: 12/29/2017 12:33 PMResolution Due: Drainage Complaint InvestigationType: 10/20/2017 12:33 PMCreated Date:Stacey McKindlesCreated By: Description: Request Location Zip:FLState:PALM CITYCity: 776 SW WOOD CREEK DR Address: Nearest Address: 27.196097309638016Y:-80.2990975156039X: (772)285-6134 (772)221-1357 (772)221-1357 Phone: Phone: Phone: smckindl@martin.fl.us eciampi@martin.fl.us E-mail: E-mail: E-mail: Ext: Ext: Ext: Phone: Phone: Phone: Ext: Ext: Ext: Fax: Fax: Fax: Requestor Staff Contact Staff Contact Contact Type: Contact Type: Contact Type: 34990-1839 34996 34996 Zip: Zip: Zip: Raymond Stacey Edward Name: Name: Name: PALM CITY STUART STUART City: City: City: FL FL FL State: State: State: Ferrara McKindles Ciampi 776 SW WOOD CREEK DR 2401 SE MONTEREY RD 2401 SE MONTEREY RD Address: Address: Address: Phone Email Email Contact Method: Contact Method: Contact Method: 013840013005000400Parcel #:Area: 394069Request #: GJUMSSecurity Code: Options Executive - COM 5 - Edward Ciampi Handling Canoe Creek overflow.jpg \\martin.fl.us\home\ENG\normanv\My Documents\My Pictures\776 Sw. Wood Creek Dr. #2.pdf \\martin.fl.us\home\ENG\normanv\My Documents\My Pictures\776 Sw. Wood Creek Dr..pdf Canoe Creek Recommendation.pdf Filename Contacts (3) Attachments (7) Administrative Center - 4th Floor Administrative Center - 4th Floor Area: Area: Area: 34990-1839 Martin County Florida Request for Service (RFS) System > Request Detail 12/05/2017 04:36 PMClosed Date: 6 of 11 Wednesday, December 12, 2018 4:14:21 PMsirfs_reqdet_public Page 2 of 4 Stacey McKindles Pam Knott Pam Knott Mary Ann Sosa Nicholas Muzia Nicholas Muzia Nicholas Muzia Nicholas Muzia Nicholas Muzia Nicholas Muzia Nicholas Muzia Nicholas Muzia Nicholas Muzia Nicholas Muzia Nicholas Muzia Request Opened. Type: changed from "Miscellaneous - ENG" to "Drainage Complaint Investigation". Resolution Due: changed from "11/03/2017 12:33:00 PM" to "12/06/2017 12:33:00 PM". Engineering Field Operations will investigate for a response. Attachment Canoe Creek overflow.jpg added. Attachment Canoe Creek Ditch.jpg added. Attachment Retention area at max capacity.jpg added. Field Ops went to investigate and met with Mr. Ferrara on Friday 10/23. When we received his call we re-routed the vac- truck to remove water from the drain & ditch immediately in front of his property to allow for additional drainage, but the problem Mr. Ferrara is facing is a ground water table issue. The ground water table is higher than his septic drain, therefore ground water is flowing into his septic. Mr. Ferrara informed us he had brought in a septic contractor who confirmed this was the issue. The investigation found that the community retention areas were all over 100% capacity and the ditches were not allowing water to move fast enough to drain into Bessy Creek via the ditch parallel with Murphy Road (See attached pictures & details). The plat states that the Canoe Creek Property Owners' Association, Inc. shall bear the responsibility to maintain the easement. Attached is a slide of the recommended maintenance for the Canoe Creek drainage easements located on private property. A reswale in-front of 776 SW Wood Creek will reduce driveway flooding, but not do anything to lower the ground water table. The greatest impact will be maintenance and regrade of the two highlighted easements located on private property. The Main discharge, parallel to Murphy, and the transfer between retention area and main discharge. Attachment Retention area at max capacity.jpg deleted. Attachment Canoe Creek Ditch.jpg deleted. Attachment Canoe Creek overflow.jpg deleted. Attachment Canoe Creek Recommendation.pdf added. Attachment Canoe_Creek_Drainage Responsibility.pdf added. Attachment Canoe Creek Ditch.jpg added. Attachment Canoe Creek overflow.jpg added. 10/20/2017 12:33 PM 10/20/2017 12:39 PM 10/20/2017 12:39 PM 10/20/2017 02:39 PM 10/23/2017 06:57 AM 10/23/2017 06:57 AM 10/23/2017 06:58 AM 10/23/2017 08:24 AM 10/23/2017 08:24 AM 10/23/2017 08:24 AM 10/23/2017 08:24 AM 10/23/2017 08:24 AM 10/23/2017 08:25 AM 10/23/2017 08:26 AM 10/23/2017 08:26 AM Created By Created Date OPEN CHANGE CHANGE UPDATE CHANGE CHANGE CHANGE UPDATE CHANGE CHANGE CHANGE CHANGE CHANGE CHANGE CHANGE Type Activity Detail Canoe_Creek_Drainage Responsibility.pdf Canoe Creek Ditch.jpg Retention area at max capacity.jpg Martin County Florida Request for Service (RFS) System > Request Detail 394069Request #: GJUMSSecurity Code: Public Private Private Public Private Private Private Public Private Private Private Private Private Private Private Publish 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Activity # 7 of 11 Wednesday, December 12, 2018 4:14:21 PMsirfs_reqdet_public Page 3 of 4 Nicholas Muzia Norman Vanderheyden Norman Vanderheyden Norman Vanderheyden Nicholas Muzia James Gorton Attachment Retention area at max capacity.jpg added. Attachment \\martin.fl.us\home\ENG\normanv\My Documents\My Pictures\776 Sw. Wood Creek Dr. #2.pdf added. Attachment \\martin.fl.us\home\ENG\normanv\My Documents\My Pictures\776 Sw. Wood Creek Dr..pdf added. Elevations have been collected and attached to the RFS. Elevations were reviewed and the grade was acceptable for flow from his property to the drain. The problem is related to water not flowing out of the HOA drainage easements located on private property towards Bessy Creek. Field Ops Engineering provided a solution by highlighting the areas that need to be regarded and/or cleared of vegetation to restore flow. Canoe Creek storage areas are all over capacity and there is a bottleneck in drainage for the entire community drain though the ditch that runs parallel to Murphy road (located on private property). The elevations of the control feature were provided in the collected information to assist Canoe Creek HOA. The corrective action items are located on private property within the responsibility of the HOA, thus it is recommended that this RFS is closed. Reopen to document additional correspondence from the resident. 10/23/2017 08:26 AM 11/01/2017 07:36 AM 11/01/2017 07:36 AM 11/01/2017 07:37 AM 11/03/2017 01:53 PM 11/09/2017 01:07 PM Created By Created Date CHANGE CHANGE CHANGE UPDATE CLOSE REOPEN Type Activity Detail Martin County Florida Request for Service (RFS) System > Request Detail 394069Request #: GJUMSSecurity Code: Private Private Private Public Public Public Publish 16 17 18 19 20 21 Activity # 8 of 11 Wednesday, December 12, 2018 4:14:21 PMsirfs_reqdet_public Page 4 of 4 James Gorton James Gorton Gayge Frigault Nicholas Muzia From: Raymond Ferrara [mailto:raymondferrara@live.com] Sent: Thursday, November 09, 2017 11:25 AM To: Nicholas Muzia Cc: Stacey McKindles; James Gorton; Edward Ciampi; Norman Vanderheyden Subject: Re: Drainage in Canoe Creek RFS 394069 Mr Muzia, First let me state my disappointment with your report and your lack of assistance. I feel that you have not listened to me at all. I have repeatedly informed you that Canoe Creek Property Owners Association has agreed that the drainage areas need to be regraded but the HOA can not start until the area has dried. The process (hiring engineers, surveys, regrading the areas) will probably take many months. My request from day one has been simple, PLEASE dig my swale a little deeper right now. I have repeatedly explained that approximately 10 years ago I had the same exact problem. The HOA had to wait for the area to dry out but eventually did regrade the same areas that your report recommends now. YOUR department convinced me (I was highly skeptical at the time) that regrading the swale would allow more water to be stored down by the street area while the stormwater drain slowly transferred it to the drainage ditch across the street this would stop so much water from backing up into my yard. This solution worked immediately. I agree that the ground water level is a problem (just like back then) but the real issue is that too much water drains to my property too quickly and then backs up into my yard which floods my septic drainage system NOT that the ground water level rises and floods the septic system. Right after a storm the water level in my yard is temporarily higher than the ground water level. That is why my neighbors do not have this problem. I am certain that if I stopped water from draining to my yard from my neighbors properties that I would not have a septic issue but then all of them would have a problem. It seems to me that digging my swale deeper is the same solution that the state wants for Lake Okeechebee (to remove dirt to create a reservoir) to hold some additional water so not to flood the drainage system. What really infuriates me is that when I first contacted your department, jumped through all the hoops, and finally meet with Engineer Vanderheyden, I was told that this would be done for me but it would not be for at-least two years unless I got approval from my commissioner. So I explained to Commissioner Ciampi that every time there is a storm my family has to use McDonald¿s restrooms for the next 24 hours (this has happened 5 times since we recovered from Hurricane Irma). Commissioner Ciampi agreed this was not acceptable and would assist me. That afternoon I had an engineer at my property but only to tell me ¿No¿ that he would not dig the swale deeper. This was about the same time we had a water main break a few houses down so the equipment was right here. It would have probably taken them less than hour. The equipment was also back on my street earlier this week. FYI, I am still waiting for Commissioner Ciampi to return my last phone call. I would like to include another disappointing issue with our county employees. I am so tired of being lectured on the ¿failed sales tax¿ during every conversation and it being the excuse for everything. I voted for it (twice) plus I convinced some (apparently not enough) neighbors to change their minds. At the time I wanted our dilapidated streets repaved and thought it would be better than raising property taxes. However I never thought that if it failed it would be a reason for the county not to do their best for our residents. The few interactions that I have had with county employees over the last 16 plus years have been positive that is until now. The ¿failed sales tax¿ should not be a reason to stop ¿serving the public¿. Please reconsider your position. I apologize for the delayed response but as I previously informed you that my priority has been assisting my mother with her fight with Staff will follow up with the resident regarding his ongoing concerns. Resolution Due: changed from "12/06/2017 12:33:00 PM" to "12/29/2017 12:33:00 PM". Field Operations will monitor the drainage situation, but it is the responsibility of the HOA to maintain the drainage system. Information has been provided showing the issues with the drainage system and the cause for the issue. 11/09/2017 01:08 PM 11/09/2017 01:08 PM 11/28/2017 11:14 AM 12/05/2017 04:36 PM Created By Created Date UPDATE UPDATE CHANGE CLOSE Type Activity Detail Martin County Florida Request for Service (RFS) System > Request Detail 394069Request #: GJUMSSecurity Code: Public Public Private Public Publish 22 23 24 25 Activity # 9 of 11 10 of 11 normanv Callout TOP OF BOX 10.0 NOTCH 9.57 normanv Callout D/W INV. 10.07 normanv Callout D/W INV. 10.19 SOD 10.13 normanv Callout 10.30 normanv Callout D/W INV. 10.48 SOD 10.40 normanv Callout D/W INV. 10.55 SOD 10.55 normanv Callout 13.20 normanv Callout TOP OF BOX 9.90 NOTCH 8.60 normanv Callout WATER 9.87 normanv Polygonal Line normanv Polygonal Line normanv Callout TOP OF WEIR 11.81 normanv Callout NOTCH #1 10.05 normanv Callout NOTCH #2 9.56 normanv Callout "V" NOTCH 8.82 normanv Callout WATER LEVEL 9.75 normanv Polygonal Line normanv Polygonal Line Mr . Ferrara Home 776 SW Wood Creek R eg ra d e M ai n d is ch ar ge d it ch Bessy Creek Community Retention at Max Capacity Clear and Regrade Transfer Ditch Stormwater recommendations 11 of 11 eng2019L61 Phase 2 drainage plan.jpg SFWMD Special Conditions.pdf RFS 394069.pdf Nov 2017 Survey.pdf Canoe Creek Recommendation.pdf