RINGGOLD, Ga. — Work remains halted and motorists continue to be detoured from an area along Mack Smith Road where state environmental officials stopped construction on a Catoosa County sewer project on March 7.
“Information on the remedial plan developed by Arcadis, the project engineer, is being studied by the Environmental Protection Division,” County Manager Mike Helton said. “Those officials must approve all areas inspected earlier on their check list.”
Mr. Helton made the comments at the county Public Works Authority Board meeting Monday night.
Arcadis Engineer Jimmy Hyma said project contractor East Tennessee Grading breached a 25-foot buffer area from West Chickamauga Creek when construction equipment came several feet inside the buffer established to protect the creek.
“When that buffer is breached or disturbed, there is a requirement for a mandatory order to halt work,” Mr. Hyma explained.
Catoosa Stormwater Management Director Donald “Buster” Brown said Tuesday the EPD still has not given the green light to resume work on the sewer project.
“Revised plans have been submitted to the state environmental office,” he said.
Mr. Helton said the county would like to at least resume work on part of the project in Mack Smith Road.
“Our desire is to have work completed in the road area and get the road reopened for the convenience of impacted residents,” he said.
Mr. Helton said county officials continue to work with state environmental officials on issues with the West Chickamauga sewer interceptor project and other projects.
Several residents of the Sunrise Meadows subdivision along Steele Road complained to the board about water drainage problems affecting their yards, driveways and homes.
Commissioner Bobby Winters, who also serves as chairman of the public works board, said he visited the area Saturday to see the problems after receiving telephone calls from residents.
Sunrise Meadows resident Kenneth Hyde said he has had water problems since he moved there in October 2006.
“You shouldn’t have such a large problem with a new subdivision,” he said.
Resident John Miller said he also moved into the subdivision in 2006.
“The poor drainage situation has become worse with each house constructed as building moved up the street and around the corner,” he said.
Resident Jerry Cantrell said rain flows into a little ditch on his property, runs through his backyard and down onto his neighbors’ yards.
Several residents said the drainage problems appear to be starting near the subdivision entrance at Steele Road.
James Davis, a stormwater inspector with Catoosa County, said state environmental protection division representatives are coming back “sometime this week” to view several sites in Catoosa County.
