NEGLIGENCE BY THE CITY OF CHATTANOOGA

DECAYED STORM WATER DRAINS CAUSING 6FTx6FT SINKHOLES ON LIFE LONG CHATTANOOGA TENNESSEE RESIDENTS MISSIONARY RIDGE PROPERTY. 

Last year my grandmother (77) was almost the victim of a 6ft sink hole that fell out beside her feet while she was gardening. This sinkhole was caused by a decayed CITY OF CHATTANOOGA STORM WATER DRAIN that funnels all of the water from missionary ridge through their yard, in some areas with no pipe present. This storm water drain is listed on the City of Chattanoogas Public Works Maps. They claim this pipe is their pipe! This is the second sinkhole in their yard that this decayed drain has created (destroying my grandparents property).

NEWS FOOTAGE IN JUNE BEFORE NEW 6FTX6FT SINKHOLE APPEARED LAST WEEK (FEBRUARY 26TH). 

The city has HAPPILY funded drain reroutes for large developments here in Chattanooga. They just refuse to take care of their long time citizens who have PAID enough in STORM WATER taxes to fix the GROWING sink hole problem caused by the City of Chattanoogas decayed drains!  Andy Berkes office exhausted my grandparents into backing down last year by SPEAKING UP AT THE COUNCIL MEETING TO CONCERNED COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT THEY WERE FIXING THE SINK HOLE. My grandmother and the council members cheered because we all thought Andy Berkes office was being sincere. But they were lying to save face because of the negative media coverage.

DETAILS: 

The City of Chattanooga installed and routed a large drain directing all of the rain water off of South Crest Road, through the entire length of their property eventually flowing out onto Old Ringgold Road. This seemingly harmless drain has become nothing short of severely life threatening. Let me note public works has been contacted by my family 20+ times (hence why we’ve taken it to social networking). 
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1. In the late 1970s a large sinkhole appeared in my grandparents yard. This was the first time that The City’s drain became dangerous. 
a. The city took responsibility for the sinkhole. They replaced tile on the drain near its outlet. They said that the drain had become stopped up causing the sinkhole, and their repair work should solve the issue. 
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2. In the late 1980’s the city came out and dumped rocks along the drain that was beginning to erode away the earth in the upper portion of their lot.
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3. In 2005 another large sinkhole appeared in their yard, exposing the drain, again. 
a. After several phone calls to the city they reluctantly came out to investigate. After their inspection they said they would do nothing, because it was not their responsibility. My grandparents attempted to fix The City’s sinkhole with their own funds, but the hole shortly developed again. 
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4. On July 8th 2017 my grandparent’s neighbors walked into their new home, sat down their things, and within minutes heard the crashing of a huge tree flattening the Subaru that they just stepped out of. If they would have arrived home 8 minutes later this tree would have claimed both of their lives. This tree along with several others came crashing down together as their roots had eroded away at the site of The City’s drain on my grandparents property. 
a. The city took limited accountability. They came out and dumped rocks in the same location as they did in 1980. These rocks did nothing to solve the much smaller but growing problem in 1980, and they did nothing to solve the huge and growing erosion problem in 2017. These rocks have since been washed away, sunken into the drenched earth, and dispersed over the massive and growing ditch/drain destroying the upper portion of their lot. 
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5. On June 6th 2018 as my grandmother (77) and grandfather (87) were gardening in their yard a 6 ft by 3 ft hole eroded away next to their feet. This hole threatened their lives as it could easily consume two people whole. 
a. Since this day my grandmother has called The City of Chattanooga 4+ times pleading the life threatening situation, asking for their help, and for their accountability|solution in regards to the ever growing erosion problem. 

6. On February 27th 2019 a new 6ft by 6ft sinkhole has appeared in their yard. 
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My grandparents have been residents of Chattanooga Tennessee their entire lives. They are hard working, tax paying, and law abiding citizens. They have lived in this home for over 60 years, and they have placed phone calls to different departments of The City of Chattanooga over 25 times (modestly). This drain is threatening their lives, the lives of their neighbors, the lives of their lawn care workers, and stealing the property value of our family home. My great grandmother, grandfather, grandmother, mother, uncle, sister, and I grew up here. We want to share this home with our children one day. Best case scenario- The City of Chattanooga's total lack of accountability will only steal the foundation of my grandparents home-something that they have worked so hard to preserve. Worst case scenario- one of the beautiful old trees surrounding their home will come crashing down on them or a sinkhole could cause them to take a 6 ft fall. 
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We are pleading for you to share this story and SIGN THIS PETITION for the CITY to be accountable for the damages THEIR decayed poorly maintained pipe is causing for my sweet grandparents. 

City Councilwoman: dcoonrod@chattanooga.gov

Mayor: mayor@chattanooga.gov

Public Works: 311@chattanooga.gov