Residents React to Flood Mitigation Update

Greenwich residents listened to consultants discuss a revised manual governing storm water runoff regulations, and some criticized it as onerous and detrimental to property values, at a meeting Tuesday at Town Hall.

The Greenwich Department of Public Works contracted with Manchester-based engineering consulting firm Fuss & O’Neill, and Chesapeake, MD-based environmental consulting firm Storm Water Services. Erik Mas of Fuss & O’Neill said Greenwich is among many Connecticut towns that are updating its regulations on storm water. At the same time, Greenwich had not changed its manual since the 1960s.

“The manual focuses on peak flows and drainage issues. The town is trying to align its manual with current storm water management approaches,” he said. “We also wanted to incorporate issues that are specific to Greenwich: nuisance flooding, residential development and redevelopment.”

Whereas natural landscapes of grass, plants, and dirt absorb precipitation, synthetic materials prevent water from permeating through them. One way in which precipitation is prevented from seeping into the soil occurs when an existing house is demolished and constructs a huge one in its place.

“Residential teardowns are pretty common in Greenwich,” Mas said. “They change the impervious service of the site.”

Peter Lauridsen, a principal of Greenwich Land Company Inc., critiqued the manual on various accounts including provisions pertaining to managing excess water. A professionally trained land use planner, Lauridsen took aim at the municipality for its abundance of roads and sidewalks.

“The town has it within its power to do the most good for cleaning up the water quality on the drainage systems of town roads,” Lauridsen said. “They are trying individually to get each property owner to solve that problem, when it does not work on a small lot.”

“This is going to be an absolutely onerous burden on individual owner who wants to build on their lot. … It is untenable. … It is going to devalue lots.”   

District 7 RTM member Peter Quigley, who also serves as secretary of that board's land use committee, raised concerns about the new manual being based on mathematical assumptions. He questioned the metrics that are used to determine the likelihood of catastrophic rain storms. Nevertheless, a comparatively routine storm that drops one inch of rain within a span of 24 hours causes minor flooding in lower elevations of Greenwich.

“Does the town have a process for neighbors who are downriver?” Quigley said. “Is there a process for people in Greenwich who are being flooded by their neighbors?”

Amy Siebert, Greenwich Commissioner of Public Works, said the town does not become involved in mediating disputes among citizens regarding excess water being pushed onto a neighbor’s property. On the contrary, she suggested the parties take their dispute to the legal system.

Quigley disputed her assertion, citing a Connecticut law that requires a town government to intervene in such a dispute. Lauridsen scoffed at the idea of a town choosing not to help mitigate a dispute among neighbors.

“It is very disheartening to tell people to sue their neighbor,” Lauridsen said. 

Larry Coffman, president of environmental consulting firm Storm Water Services, touted low impact development possibilities. A scientist with 35 years experience working with local governments, Coffman said he is working for Greenwich as a consultant.

“I work across the nation on low impact development programs. “If you are going to have a lawn, LID shows you how to reduce storm water impact. In terms of the assumption that it cannot be done on individual lots- this is incorrect.”

The manual continues to revised, and will become effective in the summer, Siebert said.