Residents allege Harvest Bluff swales built incorrectly

In citizen comments at the July 24 Cheney City Council meeting, Harvest Bluff housing resident Dana Greenwood voiced displeasure over swales in her neighborhood that were retaining water and asked what the city planned to do to help.

“They are not built correctly,” Greenwood contends.

She wants the city to intervene and require developer Hayden Homes to make sure that the stormwater catch basins are fixed before the development — now in its fourth and final phase — is finished and contractors depart.

“Swales are on their list,” Public Works Director Todd Ableman said, adding that there has been an ongoing battle over groundwater.

Homeowners have already had a meeting which left Greenwood to question, “Why are we not requiring the developer and holding their feet to the fire? Why is there new construction being done when there are still problems?”

Greenwood said they were told that the swales, which were a problem in phase two, were to be fixed in phase three. Homeowners fear that as the development construction winds down, “Now they’re going to be gone and we’re going to be stuck,” Greenwood said.

Ableman said the problem had been addressed with developers.

“So we have their promise they will do it,” Greenwood said. “I want your promise.”

Mayor Chris Grover suggested that representatives from the homeowners, developer and city meet to try to iron out the problem.

Paul Delaney can be reached at [email protected].

 

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