‘Our yard is sinking’: Fultondale couple’s 2-year fight with sinkhole is worsening
Mike and Patricia Trettel are hoping to save their driveway and house from a sinkhole that is now threatening to devour the home they have owned for more than two decades.
The Trettels said the hole began two years ago, but had remained manageable until just a few months back, when constant, heavy rains worsened the situation significantly. Now, the sinkhole is threatening the foundation of their home on Republic Ave (formerly Black Creek Road).
Now, the sinkhole has washed a portion of the pipe that was underneath the yard out, through a retaining wall, and the remainder of the pipe has collapsed. The retaining wall itself is leaning now and the top portion of it has moved several inches over, as the dirt behind it applies more and more pressure to the collapsing structure.
The heavy rain also caused a second set of sinkholes on the other side of the yard, although those are much smaller at this time.
There appear to be a series of underground pipes that carry stormwater from the other neighbors’ yards, across the road and into a ditch on the other side of the Trettel’s property. Those pipes, which must be decades old, are now collapsing.
The Trettels spoke to the Fultondale City Council on Monday after they say their calls to officials at Jefferson County have gone unanswered.
City officials said they are limited in what they can do, because it is private property and because managing stormwater drainage is overseen by the county and must adhere to strict guidelines. Mayor Jim Lowery said on Monday that the city would do everything it could to help, dispatching city workers to evaluate the situation after the meeting on Monday. He also promised the city would contact the county to reinforce the severity of the current situation.
Mike Trettel placed a wooden brace in the hole, in a last-ditch effort to save his driveway, should more rain come. He said estimates for the repairs have been in the $50,000 range and would not address the fact that the water would still have nowhere to go.
Mike Trettel said he knew employees from the county had been to his property twice to check on the situation, but no resolution was reached and he is unsure if there is a plan in place to make the repairs.
According to city officials, the pipes were likely placed there by the county years ago as part of a stormwater drainage plan and have gotten older and overwhelmed and collapsed.
Another issue caused by the sinkholes and collapsing pipes is that the power lines near the home are also leaning. Chris Barnes, the local Alabama Power representative also visited the home after the council meeting and said he would get a crew to the house to check the stability of the poles and ensure they were as stable as possible while the other issue is still ongoing.
In other business, the Fultondale City Council also:
•approved a resolution to authorize Lowery to donate two surplussed vehicles to the Town of Brookside.
•approved a business license application for Retail Data Systems of MidSouth for an office to be located at 1810 Decatur Highway, Ste. 128, as applied for by Brian Podraza. The business offers support for cash registers for restaurant and grocery stores.