Yard flooding update

I found out the rumor was extremely exaggerated. I’m relieved.

We had a casual meeting in my front yard between the sewer company reps, myself, and neighbors on both sides of me. We received a certified letter in the mail from a city real estate negotiator just as the meeting was about to get started. The letter explains the sewer company plans to update the 100 year old sewer lines with new pvc pipes and eliminate pumping stations not far away. Its a money saver for the city because of constant breakdowns in old lines or pumping stations.

The survey map shows that about 40 feet of my back yard will be dug up to remove old pipelines and install the new ones fifteen feet below the surface and then replace level ground above it. The neighbors each got their own survey map with different amounts of ground affected and the amount of financial compensation offered. The sewer employees who talked with us yesterday answered a lot of our questions. The main thing I was happy to hear is that when the work is finished my yard will be level ground again. Not an open ditch as in the rumor.

Apparently there will be negotiations over costs of removing and replacing things in the yard. One neighbor has a two car garage, a gazebo, wood fencing, and landscaping that will have to be dealt with. Neighbor on the other side has a basketball court, a large tree, and chain link fencing that might be in the path. I have two hugh trees, a shed, a fence and electric lines to deal with. I’ll be happy to see the trees gone and not replaced. They are diseased so would need removing eventually. The shed can be moved temporarily along with the electric lines then put back after the work is finished.

The work is due to start in August but the reps both said it may be September before it begins and October before getting to our yards. The whole line replacement is due to be completed by early 2022. Including the removal of the 4 old (noisy) pumping stations.

I’ve never negotiated anything like this before so I’ll be seeking advice from a friend and one of my neighbors. I’m only guessing that maybe its kind of like getting compensation from an insurance company? We each get estimates on work removal and replacement of things like sheds or trees etc. We then submit the estimates to the negotiator who writes us a check. Of course I could be totally wrong about how it works. I’m also considering whether I should hire a lawyer and pay the cost for advice. Maybe I should talk to the neighbors about all of us having a lawyer together. Oh well, nothing will start for awhile so there’s time to figure it all out.

I didn’t have to do anything about the condition of the warehouse. One of the neighbors notified the city council about the warehouse gutters. She hates the warehouse and knows the city has ordnances against buildings that are not maintained in nice condition. She’s the same neighbor that was fussing at me to cut my grass while the movers were still unloading the truck.