PERRY, Ga. — City of Perry is taking the next steps in resolving flooding in two Perry neighborhoods. Sadie Heights and Stonebridge see impacts after heavy rains.
Shawn Statzer has lived in Sadie Heights since they moved from Florida after Hurricane Ian.
"We decided we were going to plant our roots here until everything was rebuilt in Fort Myers," he said.
His new home still experiences its own water troubles on days when there are heavy rains.
"Our side on Rambo we did have a little bit of flooding after those days it came up roughly 10 to 12 feet into our yard," Statzer said.
The flooding isn't as bad as homes on the corner of Daisy Street, Rocky Road, or on Stonegate Trail. Regardless, Statzer says he still has concerns.
Monday night, Perry City Council gave the green light for engineers to move forward with pursuing two solutions in fixing flooding issues.
The first option would be to replace the current drain culverts along Stonegate Trail and Rocky Road with a different size.
The second option includes the first but says they want to regrade the ditch immediately downstream of Rocky Road through Stonegate Trail.
Neither fix would directly benefit residents impacted on Rambo Road, but engineers have noted that work should be done to the drainage system to help those homes, if possible.
Neighbors around the community were excited about the news.
"It makes you feel good. It's the hot topic in the neighborhood," Statzer shared.
Council documents say the first option could cost about $1.8 million, but the second would cost around $3 million. However, numbers are not yet final.
Some neighbors like Statzer are still asking questions.
"What's the time frame this is going to get done? Are they going to come in here and monitor it throughout the year to see exactly what is going on?" he asked.
Documents say that no matter the option, the city would also have to do more routine maintenance for cleaning the ditches.
The city and the Engineer Services Manager also sent us this statement: "Last night's decisive action by Mayor and Council reflects our commitment to tackling the pressing issue of flooding in the Sadie Heights neighborhood. With their endorsement of alternatives 1D and 2C, or a combination thereof, we are eager to advance towards finalizing the design and cost estimates. This is a pivotal step forward in our efforts to prioritize the well-being of Sadie Heights residents and mitigate the challenges they face posed by stormwater.”
They say you can find more information here: Engineering | City of Perry (perry-ga.gov)