Westhaven Residents Split on Cost of Maintaining Detention Area

Residents of the Westhaven subdivision on Peck Road packed City Council chambers Monday night to offer their two cents on a proposed special services area that could cost each resident as much as $77 dollars a year.

For at least 10 years and perhaps going back as far as 1992, Westhaven residents have taken it upon themselves to maintain a detention area there—mowing the grass, pulling weeds, planting trees—but the job has just gotten to be too much.

 "We have to stop asking the residents to keep taking care of it, "said Brenda Holmes, 309 South Peck Road, at Monday's public hearing. "We're not getting any younger."

"What the city's doing now, it's definitely necessary," said Anthony Zefron. "I've spent many hours out there myself … It's a lot of work."

For much of the 1990s, the detention basin had been maintained by a homeowners association, but the association was disbanded, City Attorney Charles Radovich explained. Radovich said the city has the authority, within the original annexation agreement, to establish an SSA if homeowners do not maintain the storm-water facilities.

Residents who testified Monday night had differing opinions about the proposed SSA. Some felt the city should maintain the basin at minimal cost—simply cutting the grass to the 8-inch standard required by city ordinance. Others said they hoped for weekly service at the full price—$75 to $77 dollars per year per residence.

Patrick Bergren, 93 N. Peck Road, is one of the residents in favor of the higher level of service. He said he is concerned about ticks in the tall grass and escalated problems with water detention. "We all have friends who have lost basements due to it," he said.

City staff members and some aldermen met with Westhaven homeowners last week for about two-and-a-half hours. Still, some residents weren't satisfied with the communication process.

"I am very disappointed and unhappy how it was brought to our attention," said Dennis Jezior, 350 Westhaven Circle, in a letter read by Alderman Dorothy Flanagan. "It seems to me there were more questions than answers."

Alderman Ron Singer said residents had been sent a survey asking five questions about what areas they would like to be maintained through the SSA, what levels of service they would prefer and how much they're willing to pay. City Adminstrator Mary McKittrick said the survey also is going to be available on the city Web site's community development page.

The process from here, McKittrick said, is to give residents a chance to comment and fill out surveys until the end of the month.

The city will present an ordinance regarding the establishment of an SSA at the next Committee of the Whole meeting a week from tonight. The COW recommendation then goes to the City Council for approval. If the SSA is established, it will not be until November that the amount of the levy is set, McKittrick said.

"In that ordinance will be the levy amount based on input we receive from you," she said.