TEMPLE, Texas — A few Temple property owners are frustrated with the City and a developer of a new subdivision due to flooding and drainage issues.
The residents tell 6 News the retention/detention ponds aren't filling up and there's now a stream flowing into their properties that have been there for several decades. The runoff is reportedly coming from the Mesa Ridge development off State Highway 317 and is flowing down into a few properties along a private road off Prairie View Road.
Olin Christian, who has had the property in his family for nearly four decades, is taking the brunt of it all.
"There's gotta be something done," Christian said. "I mean I can't live like this and have my property getting destroyed every time it rains and having to worry 'hopefully the rain stops', because if not my house and shops are gonna get flooded. I mean, I don't think they want to live that way. Why should somebody else live that way?"
Christian said he had never had flooding issues before and that the issues started once the Mesa Ridge development started to build out.
"The ground would get wet, but it wouldn't be nothing like this where water is just constantly, just like the Leon River, flowing," Christian added.
Christian now has a stream that keeps getting wider and deeper each time it rains. He can't walk around his property without boots that are designed for heavy mud. He says the water has ruined the foundation of his home and also damaged his shop on his property, too. He told 6 News the excessive amount of water is drawing out the bugs as well.
Christian told 6 News he has been sharing his concerns with the City and the developer for nearly two years and has yet to get a permanent solution.
"I feel neglected by both of them," Christian added. "One's pointing fingers at the other and one comes out and it's just a finger-pointing process right now."
6 News reached out to the City of Temple for a response about the matter. You can read their full statement sent to us on Jan. 3 below.
"The City of Temple is aware of the resident's concerns regarding the drainage issue, having been first made aware in April 2023. The developer initially addressed the problem by redesigning the outfall structure to manage smaller rain events, and this modification was implemented in May 2023. In collaboration with the developer, the City is currently conducting additional investigations to determine the most appropriate next course of action. Potential solutions range from redesigning detention ponds to improving the drainage system from the pond to the City's drainage system at Prairie View Road. Developers and their engineer of record must design and construct new subdivisions based on required drainage design criteria. The drainage design criteria are in place to ensure that post-development runoff rates do not exceed pre-development runoff rates. The construction plans and drainage report which were submitted by the engineer of record for the subdivision, indicated that the drainage design criteria would be met by their design. The City’s responsibility is not to ensure the accuracy of the engineer’s design; rather, the City's duty is to make sure that the engineer has proposed a solution that meets the intent of the standard. The City's role is to mediate discussions between affected property owners and the developer or engineer, ensuring that any proposed solutions will meet the required drainage design criteria; however, the responsibility for remedying any design or construction issues lies with the developer, engineer or any party deemed at fault, as this is considered a civil matter between property owners and the responsible parties. The City is committed to finding a comprehensive and sustainable solution to resolve this matter."
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