Water management project to continue

Apparently, all permits are clear now and the management is ready to continue with the project. The intention is to cut all the trees no matter whether they are located in private property.

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Water Management Project

The water management project in the row encompassing 7223-7239 Brookfalls Terrace was started on Monday, June 25, 2007 with the cutting of the first tree. The project involves digging a trench across the backyards of the units and placing a perforated pipe in it covered by gravel and chicken-wire. The idea is to drain the water that accumulates in the area. The problems is that, in order to avoid working under the decks, the line for the trench was projected in the common area, right behind the line of seven or eight silver maple trees placed on the backyards. Thus, the project requires cutting down our trees and digging just next to the 60 degree slope that separates us from Bonnie Ridge Apartments. There are two serious problems with this approach.

1. The trench will be higher than most of the flooded area.
2. The stabilizing effect of the trees helps prevent mud slides from the hill. With the trees gone, and a trench at its base, there is a possibility that the hill will flow into our back-yards.

Thus, there is a good chance that we will end up with a completely obliterated environment including the lack of good shade, a flood problem and possibly a mud slide.

I initially tried to express my concerns at the annual meeting on Thursday, June 14th. The board and the property manager were unable to clarify these points. The board insisted that the issue was already decided and that a contract had been signed for the work to start in late June.
As it happens, the day before they started the project, we found a Hummingbird nest with two little ones in our tree. Concerned about their safety, my son tried to find out how to relocate them. He was told that the removal of the nest and hence the cutting of the tree are illegal under a Federal Migratory bird protection act. We notified Mr. Russell, from Tidewater Property and as a consequence, on June 25th, after they felled the first tree, work on the project was suspended until new notice.
On June 26, I tried to find out the name of the contractor and the permit number. Since Mr. Russell did not remember that information and denied having any responsibility in the oversight of the project. I called the Baltimore County Building Permit Office to find out whether a permit was issued for the construction. It had not been filed. The need for a permit depends on the size of the project. However, the absence of a permit means that there is no external supervision to the project. I tried again to get information from Mr. Russell, he could not or would not provide this information.
I remembered that the blue-prints had the logo of a company, so I called them, the company involved in the construction apparently is DeMario Design Consultants, Inc.. I have been trying to get in contact with Mr Richard DeMario, who apparently is in charge of the project for the HOA.
After tallking to Mr. Russell's assistant, Alley, I tried contacting the president of the Board, Mr. Guttman but he was not available.
On June 28 the birds had abandoned the nest, as verified by Mr. Russell. He also mentioned that he had forwarded my concerns to the Board, but that half of the members were out on vacation.