To Anonymous with love...

Although I'm fairly sure that the comment on the last post was made by Topletz, I also feel that it has a point or two that need to be addressed. First of all, to all that were confused about the Tompkins/Topletz connection to Ten Mile or the post's address at TenMileCrook , the name was selected for its "catchiness" not their involvement in the Ten Mile Creek subdivision. I'm pretty sure they were screwing someone else when that was built. However, in answer to your question pertaining to the way it should have been done...

The developer would have submitted a preliminary plat for city review in an open meeting called a DRC. DRC's being a very serious time for plat review, the city would have reviewed various aspects of the plat to insure compliance to the existing city ordinances of that day. Depending on comments made by several experts in varied fields of engineering, the developer would modify the plat to conform then move for approval. The city then makes recommendations to the planning and zoning board which votes the development in or out. ( Keeping in mind that ANY plat submitted within conformity without waivers HAS to be approved for plat. However, if the project doesn't conform to the city's Master Plan for zoning it can be turned down on that alone. Think... The Preserve.

Now, how did Lancaster find itself swimming in their own living rooms a few years back? Well..that one was the city's fault as far as I can see. The developer of that project must have needed waivers to build off the creek in what's considered "property subject to 100-year flood." In fact, any land which in its natural state is subject to that 100 year flood potential or cannot be properly drained usually isn't subject to proper subdivision without such waivers. The storm drainage plan for the city was all but obsolete if it even existed, and the developer probably knew it but what do you expect. If you think one of these guys is going to do the right thing you're already in trouble! The short answer is that the city wasn't prepared for the flood because the past city ordinances and subdivision design guidelines weren't sufficient. I think, in a city that had gone without development for so long, the idea of these great homes on Ten Mile Creek sounded good and that's as far as the review went...