The water rushed in so fast it filled the basement - and then it kept rising. In the end, the house at 4720 Parkhurst Drive had nine to 10 inches of water above the first floor on July 22, 2010.
Basement windows had blown out from the pressure, and the weight of all that water pressing on the home's drainage system affected the city's sewer lines and likely contributed to neighbors' flooding problems.
That's the logic behind the city of Brookfield's attempt to gain Department of Natural Resources grant money to help it buy and raze the home, explained Director of Public Works Tom Grisa.
"Obviously, we don't want our residents exposed to that kind of hazard," he said.
The home sits near the top of a hill, but it's in a bowl-shaped area, Grisa said. That makes the home more susceptible to severe damage during extreme rainfalls.
The Common Council on Tuesday authorized Grisa to apply for the grant money. Competition will be fierce, so there's certainly no guarantee the city will succeed in its effort. But it's worth a try, Grisa said.
The single-family home is assessed at $260,000, but an appraisal will need to be done as part of the grant process.
If the city's application is successful, the DNR will provide up to 70 percent of the cost to purchase and raze the home.
It will be up to the home's owner to decide whether to sell to the city; the grant would not allow eminent domain to be used.
The city has looked at other solutions for the property - everything from lowering the road to increasing the sewer pipe size - but purchasing the house would be the most cost-effective option, Grisa said.
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My understanding is that this "bowl" was drained by a pipe that was clogged with grass clippings, leaves, and tree branches. It would seem to me that homeowners should take the initiative to insure that drainage occurs so that their home isn't flooded. It's so easy to say it's the city's fault...unless you live along the banks of the mighty Mississippi or Big Mo. People have become to dependent on someone else to babysit them!
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My sister had multIple incidents of flooding in their cul de sac. After the affected residents were told the Village of Pewaukee could "do nothing about it," and they should install 2nd and 3rd sump pump pits, the Village finally took the grate off the street drain and put a huge vacuum down there. My brother in law was told by the operator " You wouldn't believe all the stuff that was in there." They have had no flooding since. I hope that the City clears the street drains of accumulated debris before buying home or resorting to other expensive solutions. If the street drains are clogged, backups and flooding will continue.
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This home may be assessed at $264,500 but it was last sold just over a year ago for $127,000 after most repairs had been made to it. With it's history, no one would pay the assessed value and neither should the government!
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