[RP TownTalk] Questions : Floods and violent dogs.

[Nancy]

I can answer some of the flood questions, but the bits I can explain move
towards more questions. 

Around every creek, river, run, stream, etc, there is a mapped "100-year
floodplain." At the time of mapping, the mapmakers calculated that over a
very long period of time, flooding that limit (that they calculated) an
average of once every hundred years. If your house is located within the
100-year floodplain, most jurisdictions require you to buy FEMA flood
insurance, and it comes into effect when the waterway overruns its banks. 

A lot of homeowners' policies offer (usually) extra coverage for flooded
basements. I don't know if they cover excess rainwater; I know I have the
option of getting coverage for a backed up sewer line.  

All that said, I would be very cautious about filing a claim unless there's
a darn lot of damage. Isn't homeowners' just like auto insurance: you put in
a claim and your premiums go up, or worse, they drop you?  

Flooded basements happen under two types of circumstances that I know of.
First is when the rainwater coming down isn't carried away from the
periphery of your house effectively and it makes its way in.  The problem
can be gutters, grading that flows the water towards your house instead of
away, gaps along the foundation (as in when your tub isn't properly caulked
and the water comes down into your dining room); I'm sure there are other
circumstances.  

Second is when water rises up from the water table, below. 

How would improved stormwater management keep my basement from flooding?  I
got 6 inches.  I have a storm gutter right on my corner, and as long as I
was awake, I watched the water rushing right into it. It never pooled, never
flowed over the curb into my yard... Is there something I'm missing?  

Nancy
Riverdale @ 46th




-----Original Message-----
From: towntalk-bounces at riverdale-park.org
[mailto:towntalk-bounces at riverdale-park.org] On Behalf Of David Michailof
Sent: Monday, July 03, 2006 1:53 PM
To: towntalk at riverdale-park.org
Subject: [RP TownTalk] Questions : Floods and violent dogs.

Hi Everyone!

I haven't seen anything on the list regarding the recent flooding and I have
some questions that I need answered.  We also have a violent dog issue I'd
like to get advice on.

I live in ward one, in the northeast corner of Rt 1 and E-W highway (46th
ave).  We had some flooding in the neighborhood due to storm drains
overflowing and storm grates clogged with trash and debris.  From the
neighbors I've talked to I'd say between 6" and 2 1/2'
depending on exactly where you live.

This has left us with several questions:

1. How does the "disater area" designation affect us? 
Can we file claims for the damage? (I guess with FEMA or the state)

2. What are the towns maintence proceedures for storm drains or is this a
WASA issue?  If it is WASA, is there anyway for the town to make sure they
are properly and periodically doing the required maintenance on the system?
Had the grates been open and the lines free of debris we would not have had
any flooding.

3. I've been told that previously (8-10 years ago)our neighborhood
experienced severe flooding due to a failure of a WASA valve or pump in our
neighborhood, along the concrete creek(similiar to edmonstons ill luck).  I
was told that the town had taken steps to ensure this system was properly
maintained and was wondering what these steps were.
 

Our next problem has to do with a violent dog.  One of our neighbors has a
pit bull cross, un-neutered and poorly trained.  I have called animal
control on two different occastions when the animal has escaped (easily
jumps fence and has "runways" underneath it)and attacked passing leashed
animals.  Other neighbors have also reported attacks to animal control when
they witness them.

Animal control has also been called when the owners have been beating the
dog in the yard, usually with sticks or straps.

To date animal control has done nothing.

The last attack that occured was last friday and both animal control and the
Riverdale Park Police were called.  Animal control as usual did NOTHING.
The police said it was completely out of their jurisdiction  and did nothing
either.  

Is there anything that can be done before the animal graduates to attacks on
people?

Thanks for your time with this,

David Michailof

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter"
-Martin Luther King Jr.

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