Resident Starts Online 'Stop Elmhurst Flooding' Petition

Residents implored the Elmhurst Park District to get on board with the city and school district to begin a three-pronged effort to address storm water mitigation as soon as possible, Suburban Life reported.

Although a storm water update was not on the park board’s agenda, it was added at the last minute.

One after another, residents, many from the Washington and Pine Street neighborhood, shared horror stories of flooded basements and first levels at the park district’s board meeting in Wednesday.

Last year, the park district hired V3 Companies to review a conceptual stormwater mitigation plan created by Christopher B. Burke Engineer for the city, to use park and school district open land to temporarily store storm water, according to Suburban Life.

The board vice president pointed out that the park district’s consultant V3 found the conceptual drawings of the detention plan at York Commons as drawn now by Christopher Burke, would have water entering the park at any rain level, Suburban Life said.

“Solving one problem can push a problem another place,” Spaeth, one of two commissions on the board’s storm water committee that meets with city and school representatives.

District 205 Board of Education President Jim Collins told the paper before Wednesday’s park board meeting that "it's the city's project, and we've been moving at their pace.”

Elmhurst resident Tracy Fleischer, who lives on Washington Street and has rebuilt her home’s first floor due to flooding, has started an online petition asking the city, parks and school district to make storm water mitigation a top priority and take immediate action on the city's flooding problems.

Fleischer said that the flooding problem has been ongoing for years.

“We have been told time and time again there is a plan, yet our streets and houses continue to fill with water.  Residents are frustrated, angry, scared, and tired of what might happen anytime there is a storm ...” the petition says. “Elmhurst flooding is a WHOLE city problem. If you are in the group that floods, you are very aware of how devastating and costly this problem is. If you have not experienced flooding, you most likely know someone that has.”

Residents also left comments on the Change.org petition describing how they lived in fear of heavy thunderstorms:

“We probably wouldn't flood if the school district wasn't allowed to use our yard, garage & basement for water detention.”  

“Homes shouldn't serve as detention basins for other residents of Elmhurst.”

“Sick of this city being incapacitated every time it thunderstorms!”

“Every time there is a threat of rain we are ready with sandbags, dams and generators. We cannot continue to be expected to live like this!”

As of Thursday evening, Fleischer’s “Stop Elmhurst Flooding” petition had garnered 294 signatures.

Sign the “Stop Elmhurst Flooding” Petition

Via Suburban Life