Residents raise concern over potential flooding from new subdivision

“I don’t want to see history repeat itself,” said Elizabeth Stapel, a resident who lives near the proposed development, which is west of Ridge Road and south of Storey Boulevard. She said that some of the homes in Thomas Heights have water that seeps into them.

“I am looking for reassurances from this governing body that you will take perfect steps to make sure that water does not seep into the houses built on Thomas Road,” she continued. “The land across and along Thomas Road is low. It has been built up by loads of dirt at least a year before it was sold. The water table appears to be high on this area around Thomas Road.”

Multiple residents voiced their concern at the Cheyenne City Council meeting on Monday. City officials and representatives from the developers assured the public that this would not happen again.

Mark Christensen, a planner with the engineering firm AVI, spoke at the meeting, representing the applicant. He said that they have submitted an engineering planning review to the city engineer’s office for approval. Construction cannot begin until that review is approved. Cheyenne City Engineer Tom Cobb said that process typically takes around two weeks.

Stapel requested that a hydraulic engineer inspect the land before digging begins, and that a geophysical study be conducted.

Initially, the Sun Rise Hills North Subdivision was set to have seven lots to develop seven houses on. The decision on Monday upped that number to 12, which drew more concern from nearby residents. Christensen said this change will reduce the cost of the homes, making them more affordable and increasing housing supply in Cheyenne.

“This is really to take advantage of utilizing the same amount of public infrastructure for more homes in the area to reduce those costs,” he said.

Dan Dorsch, vice chair of the Affordable Housing Task Force and advocacy director for the Southeast Wyoming Builders Association, supported the change to the development, stating that it takes advantage of the recent zoning changes to increase supply that is “desperately needed” in Cheyenne.

Nearby resident Rebecca Murchie said the request to go from seven to 12 developments seemed unreasonable, and not driven by a desire for more affordable housing.

“The price point of the proposed development is $450,000 to $475,000, which, to me, does not really reflect affordable housing,” she said. “So, the request for the 12 houses seems to be more profit-driven than providing affordable housing.”

Ultimately, the City Council voted to approve the change from seven to 12 lots because they believed it would help reduce costs, if only slightly, and the next steps await approval from the city engineer’s office.

The construction will happen in phases. Homes will be built on 10 lots at first, while improvements to the regional facility which detains the water are completed. The two empty lots on the east side of the development will be used to detain the water. Christensen said this pond will be designed for twice the capacity of a 100-year event.

Cobb said that they do not yet have a contract for someone to work on the regional facility, but he expects it to go out to bid in the next two weeks. He anticipates it to be complete this fall.

In the interim, there is a larger detention pond that will be released into the long-term detention pond, which is a linear pond that runs along the back side of the lots with an easement over the top of it.

All 12 lots are single-family residential units that will face Thomas Road and have two-car garages.