We, the residents of Cornwells Beach Road (CBR) in The Village of Sands Point, ask that additional drainage be added to our street. During heavy rainstorms, water accumulates at the lowest elevation on our street, which is in front of 20, 24, and 25 Cornwells Beach Road, and vehicles often can not pass through the street. Late in the evening during Hurricane Ida, the water level rose to a waist-high level, a car became stuck, the driver climbed out their window and swam her way to safety. Due to the topography of the street, water simultaneously rushes down from both the north and south directions and pools in front of the above-referenced point on CBR. Additionally, on the night of Ida, rainwater running down from Barkers Point road came down so fast that it jumped the curb and formed a mini river of sorts, which funneled water onto the lawn in front of 20 CBR and it came within 10 ft of the house’s foundation. While we realize Hurricane Ida was an extremely powerful storm, and hopefully a once-in-a-lifetime event, similar flooding occurred during less aggressive rainstorms within a month of Ida. The idea is that these record-breaking and rare storms are seemingly happening on a regular basis. 

We acknowledge, and appreciate the fact that the village installed ~8 new dry wells underneath 20 CBR several years ago to improve the street’s drainage. However, the amount of water from both the north and the south directions that is routed to the three drains in front of 20, 24, and 25 CBR overwhelms the system, and flooding is common during heavier rainfalls.  We simply need MORE dry wells and drainage installed at higher elevations, both north, and south of the low point, to alleviate the pressure on these three drains and effectively address the problem.  Again, there are just three drains to deal with essentially the entire street’s water runoff. This problem presents safety risks and financial risks to people’s assets, including cars/homes, and can be solved with the village’s prompt attention. We support the installation of drainage and dry wells on our properties as part of this solution, so long as the Village of Sands Point funds the work, manages the construction, and returns the landscape to its original state.  

We appreciate your attention to this matter.