City Council

CITY OF CHARLESTON Public Hearing CDBG Drainage Project July 22, 2024; 5:00 PM City Manager, Greg Luehmann opened the hearing at 5:15pm to a room full of citizens. Rich Cochran, city engineer, began the hearing explaining the purpose of the hearing and showing a large map of the proposed project area. The project will begin around the housing authority and install storm sewer piping of 12" along Vine Street, increasing as it continues to Olive Street, Paul Street and Elm Street. Rich explained how it would take pressure from the southwest side to North and reduce issues in the northern areas. Currently the drainage backs up and new pipes will assist this flow faster and out of the area. This area is a high-density area and would alleviate flooding at the housing authority with the largest benefit from these streets flowing out of the city. Several residents inquired about the current standing water from last weekend's rain which 5"-6" is standing on Vine and Olive streets. David Harris with the city public works department explained that it can take 2-3 days for that water to subside to a point where it is not blocked or clogged. Deal is the lowest spot in time and an indirect benefit with this project. Several citizens spoke and discussed how the water flows south and east, and the ridge that blocks farmland water goes back into the field. This project would take that city side bound water from the south and flow north and out of town. Catch basins would be added on Vine also. David Harris and Rich Cochran showed where the pipe sizes would increase as the water would move from the west to the north, removing the severe flooding the city always sees every year. Mitzi Dell, project administrator for the city, explained the program process and timeline. She also explained what the city has done in the last 18 months building up to this program application, and how the city first applied for the 2022 fiscal year cycle but was denied, so we all went back to the drawing board to reevaluate the project as well as the city's contribution to make this project more attractive and more beneficial for the community. After further discussion, the hearing closed at 6:11 pm. Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk ) eras' Presiding Offider City Clerk