Just for grins, we got out the preliminary design map from 1997, which was sent to Oak Avenue residents to illustrate a drainage pipe with catch basins. This was after eight yards flooded, when the VIllage allowed new construction on Oak Avenue that raised the grade. The water wouldn't drain for weeks, subsequently destroying one backyard, [See a pattern? Raised grade, increased footprint, sump pumps dumping into backyards, failure to upgrade infrastructure = water problem.]
The drainage pipe idea was rejected, although that's exactly what was needed. The residents didn't think they should have to pay $2000 apiece for it, when the Village caused the problem. And those were 1997 prices. Also, notice how the pipe was going to empty into Oak Avenue's storm sewer? Right where all the street flooding has occurred for decades. Really? That's where you would pipe Maple Avenue's run off? On purpose?
The Village figured out a way to solve the problem of standing water, after the resident whose backyard was destroyed came to a meeting with the Village and excised a few body parts, verbally. The Village managed to do something to a framitz in a gismo on Western Avenue [public property], so no residents had to pay any money. And voila! Rainwater began to drain from our backyards again.
Today we are using the old map to compare the change in the 2400 Oak/Maple Avenue landscape between then and now. Before comparing 1997 with a satellite photo of the neighborhood in 2013, we colored in what we thought were the basic changes. Turns out there were a couple of new ones we didn't know about. Or old ones we'd never noticed.
• orange = no change from 1997
X red = teardown, replaced with a new, larger house [X with a circle around it is a teardown in progress]
YELLOW = an addition has been added to the original house creating a bigger footprint [2424 and 2428 added on in 1995 or 1996 -- 2410 added on in 2003 or 2004.
Comparing 1997 to 2013, there are currently five houses with bigger footprints on the north side of Oak Avenue. That includes 2440 [big addition] and 2406 [patio addition].
On the Maple Avenue side, there have been two teardowns/new megahouses with a third in progress.
You can see there's a huge difference in the footprint for 2417 Maple Avenue. In '97 there was enough backyard to handle plenty of rainwater run off. Now the angle of descent [pitch] has been cut in half. With even more elevation. And a lot more water that needs a place to go.
1997 MAP
Above is the satellite map for the north side of Oak Avenue
and the south side of Maple Avenue to compare with the 1997 map.
Below is the map for the south side of Oak and the north side of Illinois.
On the Illinois side, there are six teardowns, replaced by new homes. Unfortunately, we don't have anything to compare the landscape change.
Except for curbs, which turned out to be cosmetic, there have been no upgrades to the storm water system in the neighborhood.
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