SUNSET BAY - Storm water drainage has been a problem in Sunset Bay for a long time. A hurricane didn't help.
When Hurricane Sandy came through the area there were flood warnings for areas near creeks, but in Sunset Bay the creek was not the problem; the drainage from Route 5/20 was.
This has been a problem residents have had to deal with for years.
In the past year, the Town of Hanover has tried to address this, but some holdups have delayed drainage projects.
Pleasant Drive residents Barry and Karen Russell along with their neighbors have attended town board meetings asking for change. However, this year plans did not pan out and they are left with the consequences.
The Russells said although they and their neighbors did not suffer any damage to their homes as a result of the excessive rain that came with Hurricane Sandy, they had to take measures to protect their vehicles.
"The whole street was flooded," Karen said. She said the whole neighborhood worked together to move cars to higher ground at a neighbor's house on Iola Drive.
"The ladies across the street could not leave their house the yard was so flooded. Our neighbor had to help them move their car," she added.
She said another concern is the fir trees at the property across the street.
"The Newmans have fir trees and they have shallow roots. I worry with the wet conditions and the wind from the lake that they will take down the (power) lines," she said.
The Russells expressed disappointment at the hold up for the drainage project but were also disappointed the ditches in the bay were not cleaned before the storm.
"It is our only means of drainage and it may have helped if they were cleaned (before the storm). In addition to the hold up with the drainage project it could have really helped us. I just want to see that our main source of drainage is maintained," she said.
Delays in the drainage project were explained at the last town board meeting
Highway Superintendent Steve D'Angelo said he had received the Department of Environmental Conserva-tion permit to move sand in Parson's Pond.
However, he said wording in the easement associated with the work at the pond still needs changes.
Councilman Kevin O'Connell explained the property owner's lawyer requested some minor language changes, but once the easement goes back and forth between the town's and property owner's attorneys it will be too late in the season to do the work.
Supervisor Todd Johnson said in a recent interview the town is still committed to the project.
"The project is still a go. It would have been done this year but a resident took issue with the wording in the easement. This prolonged it to the point where now we have to look to snow removal efforts. But we are still very committed to the project. It will be one of the very first projects for the spring, that's a definite."
He said he observed the flooding on the streets and yards in Sunset Bay, but because of the amount of rain doubted the drainage project would have helped.
"I went down there and it was wet and deep, but I don't know how much it would have helped after six days of heavy rain. It may have helped some, but it was a lot of rain," he added.
The next Hanover Town Board meeting will be held Tuesday.
