The Ypsilanti Courier
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Building, flooding issues discused
By Dave Wak, Special Writer
PUBLISHED: March 6, 2008
The Augusta Township Board of Trustees discussed a construction related issue at their Feb. 26 meeting over individual lot building guidelines.
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The board debated adopting new building guidelines to prevent flooding and damage to utilities.
Trustee Bill Manty said the guidelines were to help prevent residents from covering manholes or damaging curbsides when they built on their property.
The guidelines would also address flooding caused by residents building houses on man-made mounds that weren't properly drained. Trustee Lynda Dew said often water from these homes flooded neighbor's lawns and caused disputes between neighbors.
"Now other people's houses are under water," Dew said.
Township Clerk Kathy Giszczak questioned the need for new guidelines.
She asked other boardmembers if guidelines weren't already established by the county or the Zoning Board of Appeals.
Supervisor Kathy Jackson said technically they were, but there were so many loopholes in those guidelines that made it hard for Washtenaw County to enforce any violations residents might commit when building.
If new guidelines are adopted, residents will have fill out applications and describe what they intended to do when they built on their property.
Trustee Joann Kidder said it would be unrealistic to require every resident to fill out an application before building because many township homes are not located anywhere near manholes.
Jackson told Kidder while she was correct about the manholes flooding was still a problem throughout the township. Jackson also stressed that the discussion was just part of a process to come up with the best guidelines.
In the end the board voted 7-0 to consult with their engineering and planning firms to help refine the guidelines.
Dave Wak is an Ypsilanti resident and freelance writer for The Courier. He can be reached at dwak4@hotmail.com.
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