About 20 residents living in the vicinity of the Heritage House in Atlantic, voiced their concerns during a special City Council meeting Wednesday evening, over how a 6,800-square foot addition for a Commons Area at the retirement home, will affect storm water runoff. The residents affected by the runoff live primarily in an area north and west of the Heritage House, along or near Roosevelt Drive.

Dave Sturm with Snyder and Associates Engineers in Atlantic, spent the past week evaluating the drainage areas on the site, as well as existing building and drainage conditions. Ryan Hardisty, project engineer with Civil Design Advantage in Grimes said he agrees with Sturm that enlarging the existing detention basin located south of the existing building, and constructing a new, smaller basin, to the north, to catch any additional runoff from the proposed addition, will serve to alleviate many of the residents’ concerns about more water flowing into their basements during heavy rainfall.

Dr. Keith Leonard explained the residents of Roosevelt Drive showed up in force at the meeting, because they “Already have plenty of water, a lot more water than we want.” He said at least four houses from 14th Street north on the east side of Roosevelt, all have sump pumps that are constantly running. Leonard said “Whatever retention pond is there, is not doing anything or is filled-up…and is totally unusable.”

Atlantic businessman Rich Perry also lives in the area. He said no one is against Heritage House expanding, “Because they are a real asset to our community.” He said they wanted the Council to know there is a problem though, with storm water runoff, and that the addition might worsen the situation. Mayor Dave Jones said the City had been trying to deal with the Bull Creek issue over the years by installing detention basins and slowing down erosion.

Sturm said the storm water runoff is caught by a swale and directs it to 13th and 11th Streets, and Brookridge Circle, all of which are dead ends, down Roosevelt and into Bull Creek. Hardisty said they’ve analyzed the 11th Street drainage basin, and there are 24 acres that contribute water flow, not just the 13 acres occupied by the Heritage House. Single-family housing upstream he said, also contributes to runoff in the area.

After hearing from residents in the area, the Atlantic City Council approved the Heritage House addition site plans with the contingencies that the existing drainage basin be enlarged and a second basin created.