4349 Woodgate Lane N - Side Yard Drainage Issues
s
Michael and Yelena Mattingly
4,349 Woodgate Lane N. RECEIVED
Eagan, MN 55122
September 9, 2011 SEP IL Lii
John Gorder EAGAN
Assistant City Engineer ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
City of Eagan, MN 55122
RE: Side yard drainage issues
Mr. Gorder:
I would like to reiterate my position as per our conversation concerning the issue of drainage along the
property line with the neighbors to the West. The 'natural' drainage of the properties prior to their
altering the landscape when they did the pool installation was down the valley between the properties.
When they altered the 'natural' grade of the property to shed the water onto our property, they have
created a serious and damaging problem to our house. Prior to their alteration, we had no moisture or
water issue in our basement. Since then we have such a moisture problem, which requires our sump
pump to run continuously. Humidity to such a degree that fungus grows on the furniture. Our furnace
fan has to be run continuously to help reduce the dampness that permeates the entire basement and
extends into the common living area of the house. The yard is so saturated that on the West side of the
property to be constantly wet to allow a person to sink into the ground when walking. The ground
where the sump pump exits is also saturated to require steppers so not sink into the saturated ground.
I want to emphasize that none of these: problems existed prior to the installation of the pool and
alteration of the natural grade which sheds their entire pool area, backyard, side yard and roof onto our
property and middle of our house foundation. -
I have mentioned these problems to them but they seem determine to disregard our concerns. I feel
from what they have done and said they did this intentionally with malice to damage our property and
create a water problem in our house. They also intentionally run their sprinkler systems for more than
an hour to increase and continually aggravate the problem. So much water is used in the sprinkler
system, that the ground is saturated on their side within ten minutes or less and then pools six inches
deep on our side under the spruce trees that takes several hours to finally soak into the ground and
disappear. Again none of these problems existed prior to their alterations.
It was necessary for me to fill in on the West side of the property to stop the water from damaging our
property and totally saturating our ground to make a constant mud and water damage. Since I have
done this grading, the problems have been eliminated: the sump pump runs normally, the ground is dry
so you can walk on it without stepping in mud, the moisture in the basement is gone, the fungus has
stopped growing, the furnace fan does not have to be run continuously, the ground at the exit of the
sump pump is dry, and the 'natural drainage' down the properties have been restored. However, the
drainage has to make a dogleg onto our property before it makes a normal course down the center of
the properties, because of their recent installation of some arborvitaes that further change the grade to
increase the shedding onto our property.
When they discovered the water now backing onto their property after my initial landscaping, they then
created a new and different drainage system that would again shed their water onto our property and
begin again to damage our house. I have counter this with additional landscaping to insure the water
takes its natural course down the property line and protects our house from their damage
The solution is quite simple. All they need to do in remove the earth dam which was created when they
installed the arborvitaes. This would establish the previous grade that allows the water to follow its
normal path down the center of the properties and not onto our house. I will not alter or remove the
landscaping that protects our house from damage. The changes I made were necessary to counteract
the damaging situation that was created when they installed the pool. Since we moved into this house
we have only experience negative attitudes to us about anything that was done on our property. I
installed a garden in the front of our house which was not to their liking. When some boulders were
delivered to our property, a couple accidentally fell onto the edge of their property and make a small
dentin their grass, I attempted to repair it but was not enough to satisfy them. The insults followed.
There was a misunderstanding about the property line where they insisted I put six inches on grass
against the fence line on our side because they wanted it. When I told them to be concerned with what
happens on your side, I was called a "fucking prick This was heard by several people staying with us.
When I put a fence along the front yard they call the city in attempts to have it removed. They called
the police one day because a small amount of dirt had eroded onto the valley between the properties
partially covering their plastic edging. The list goes on.
I hope this matter can be rectified. The solution is totally in their hands. They have to stop intentionally
trying to harm us and damage our property. if they would reestablish the origin grade the water would
resume its 'natural' course down the center of the properties and we all could breathe easier
Regards;
Michael attin
CC: the malicious neighbors to the West