Ecology

Sent: Thursday, August 18, 2005 6:53 AM

Subject: Driveway Pipe

UP Commissioners,

I have just been verbally informed that UP has denied my request to supply 30 feet of driveway pipe. Lucky for me I did not expect the request to be granted and have other driveway considerations. However, I am outraged that UP cannot afford to supply small amount of low cost pipe to resolve a problem that UP has caused. I was willing to pay several times the cost of the pipe just to install the pipe to alleviate the problem. It is not that I cannot afford the pipe; it is a gesture of good faith and a necessity for the other families living on Snyder Road. The water does nothing to my property! I do not cause or create the problem you are constantly asked to alleviate. UP has caused this problem with their road design and the addition of dwellings without considering water run off. Now I am forced to solve your problem and the cost, no thanks! Can you be so uncaring that you would want this problem to continue for the good citizens of UP? Evidently so, as no one at UP seems to care.

As I said, I did not expect anything more so I have made other provisions. All I wanted was for UP to show some concern and a willingness to solve the problem for my neighbors. You could have been rewarded, but now you will be vilified as uncaring about your citizens. One of my options maybe to just cover the driveway and leave the pipe alone? Sounds good to me! It will save me a lot of money, as I certainly do not want my property TAX to rise. Another, maybe I will not do anything for the next five years or so, as the driveway does not need new asphalt anyway.

UP may alter my path again by their actions, but very soon as decision time is here, or UP can address this problem via their road crew for several more years. Your decision.

Sleep tight.

Jim Graham

--------------------------

Sent: Wednesday, August 17, 2005 11:13 AM

Subject: New Drain Pipe

UP Commissioners;

Again we are coming to the season of leaf problem with Snyder Road. I am willing to do my part in correcting this problem that you have neglected. I ask that Upper Posstgrove provide the appropriate pipe free of cost and in the appropriate size and material your engineers approve. I will have it installed at my cost to eliminate the leaf and debris problem.

This is a problem we both know needs to be addressed so lets work together to fix this problem. I was informed last year that Upper Pottsgrove would be addressing the problem this spring, it is now nearing Fall, but I see no activities to correct this concern.

Enclosed are my expectations, should Upper Pottsgrove supply the correct pipe, I will proceed. Please read the enclosed letter and comment on Upper Pottsgrove concerns and desires. Should you respond favorably, I will fulfill my commitment as stated in this proposal. Please respond via email or a letter as I will not proceed without USP inputs and approval. I will apply for a permit upon a favorable commitment from you and at the appropriate time.

Proposal

The old driveway asphalt is to be removed including the turn around.
The drive will be graded, stoned, and leveled as required.
The driveway will be pitched to the left as looking towards the house from Snyder Road.
The turnaround will be pitched away from the garage to assure rainwater will be forced away from the house and behind the tool shed located on the property.
The drive will be reshaped and flattened eliminating the crown in the middle of the driveway that exist halfway up the driveway.
The bottom of the driveway will be reshaped to allow easy entry from the road and onto the driveway without an excessive change approach speed entering from the east on Snyder Road.
A new 18 inch X 30/40 feet in length drain pipe will be installed under the driveway for rain water run off with appropriate provisions, asphalt funnel, to eliminate water wash out of the road base and the pipe on the west side.
A 3-inch swale will be implemented at the bottom of the driveway to prevent the overflow of rainwater cascading across Snyder Road and onto the neighbor’s property.
The asphalt will be 3 inches compressed including top and base asphalt.
The driveway will be 10 feet wide at the narrowest point.
Generous entrance radii to be implemented for easy entrance
Generous radii to be implemented on both sides at the top of the driveway.

Jim & Judie Graham

--------------------------------

Sent: Sunday, December 05, 2004 6:08 PM

Subject: Leaves

To: Upper Pottsgrove Commissioners

Consider this a formal complaint to Upper Pottsgrove Twp. Commissioners.

Jim Graham

We have been struggling with leaves, gravel, and debris clogging driveway cross over pipes for a long time, over 30 years. During the fall the leaves follow the water, down hill and clog the pipes along the road. I have personally placed phone calls to Upper Pottsgrove for the township to remove the leaves from the ditches but to no avail. We as property owners pay a lot of taxes to Upper Pottsgrove for servicing the roads and to keep the roads clear and repaired. This includes proper maintenance of problem areas. Since Upper Pottsgrove owns the property these pipes and ditches are located, as Upper Pottsgrove personally stated to me, Upper Pottsgrove must maintain them.

The pipe under my driveway handles all the water that comes down Snyder Road as long as nothing obstructs the pipe under the driveway. In the fall leaves and debris from upstream and neighbors trees settle in the roadside ditches and eventually find there way to the pipe at my house. This causes rain water to cascade across the road and onto the neighbors property. This causes heavy damage to their property.

I have been cleaning this section of your road ditches for 38 years and now believe it is your turn to clean the ditches or do something about it. If the ditches were not so deep the leaves would not collect in them.

For starters, 1) Since the new housing developments and the new single dwelling has be completed, the water is much more severe. 2) The road side ditch is much to deep for normal traffic and causes accidents that damage the pipe under my drive way and cause traffic deaths, as we know.

Upper Pottsgrove should install pipes starting at the intersection of Snyder and Shwenk Roads and up to Havrillas property line. This would serve to prohibit leaves from clogging the water path and to prevent another sever accident that is bound to happen. We have already lost lives due to the deep ditches along Snyder Road and have had numerous accidents due to the deep ditches in front of my house.

This alone should cause your road engineers, and you, grave concerns. As the traffic increases because of the increase in population, more accidents are bound to happen. We don't need more traffic deaths due to poor road construction, do we? Liability is not cheap.

Please take corrective actions by laying a drain pipe as previously described to prevent more accidents and to eliminate the water damage to other property owners.

Thanks in advance of laying new drain pipe.

Jim Graham