Whenever it rains, O’Neils Court in Ansonia floods.
The water pools over two drainage basins on either end of the short cul-de-sac off Clifton Avenue.
The water runs deep rivets through property Antonino Spadaro owns on O’Neils Court as it rushes down the steep embankment toward Pershing Drive below.
That’s the account Spadaro gave of the drainage problems on O’Neils Court. It’s been an ongoing problem since he purchased the home at 161 O’Neils Court in 1984.
“I’m the one who gets all the water,” Spadaro said Aug. 2 at his property. “When the rain (comes) we got water like crazy,” Spadaro said.
After years of water-logged headaches, Spadaro and the other handful of residents on the street might finally be getting some relief.
The city started installing a new drainage system late last year, officials said. But the work stopped when the owner at 159 O’Neils Court wouldn’t let the city access his property.
This month, Ansonia Corporation Counsel Kevin Blake said Ansonia plans to request an injunction from a Superior Court judge, asking for permission to get onto the property at 159 O’Neils Court and finish the job.
“This is the last property owner,” Blake said. “Once this is done, the drainage problem should be fixed.”
The owner of 159 O’Neils Court is Jorge Valladares. He did not respond to calls and a visit from a reporter seeking comment.
Background
O’Neils Court is a short road off Clifton Avenue. It sits above Pershing Drive. Between the two is a massive slope.
Rain water flows down hill and gets trapped on O’Neils Court because of poor drainage there, residents said.
The problems date back to at least the 1980s, Spadaro said.
The neighborhood put together a petition seeking help from the city, but to no avail.
Article continues after petition.
About a decade later, the city got involved, according to Blake.
“This has been going on since the mid-1990s,” Blake said.
The installation of a new drainage system was delayed for years because the city has been trying to get permission from property owners to access their properties, Blake said.
“Once we got one property owner to go along, the next would back out,” Blake said.
For example, Valladares was originally on board with allowing the city to dig up part of his driveway to install more drainage, Blake said. Then he changed his mind.
Pressure
Alderman John Marini said he started pushing the board to move forward with the project in 2010, when he was a new Alderman for the city.
“They could have corrected this problem anytime since it became an issue 30 years ago,” Marini said Thursday. “It’s not just a nuisance. It could cause serious property damage, like it’s doing here already.”
Marini believes the city charter permits Ansonia to access Valladares’ property without his permission if it is for the purpose of fixing drainage issues.
“Under the charter, we could have corrected the problem,” Marini said, citing Section 98 of the charter.
But the city has decided to first try to work with Valladares. Blake said Valladares asked the city to purchase the land from him, or trade access for a zone change so Valladares could put a commercial property on the land.
“The city’s not doing that,” Blake said.
“We want a temporary easement for construction in order to get equipment up there,” Blake said. “It would also improve their property too.”
Last week, Blake said the paperwork has not been filed with the court yet, but he expects to do it soon.
A judge would then need to review the request, and hold a hearing before deciding whether to let Ansonia crews to access Valladares’ property.
But some residents on O’Neils Court want to see the process move faster. Spadaro’s son, Joseph, has been pushing the Board of Aldermen and the city to do something. Other residents have attended Board of Aldermen meetings to complain.
“We’re frustrated with the delays and the court process,” Joseph Spadaro said.. “The city is seemingly shuffling its feet. I want this done.”
