ROSS TO FIX BIG SINKHOLE
Property owners will get repair bill
Ross commissioners on Monday unanimously ratified President Steve Korbel’s emergency declaration that will allow the township to fix a sinkhole near McKnight Road and bill the property owners.
A large sinkhole opened July 11 at the entrance to the Waldorf Park Apartments after heavy rains. It has spread to a portion of Bed, Bath and Beyond’s parking lot.
Representatives from Gateway Engineers told township officials that “if the matter wasn’t remedied, it would put the health, safety and welfare of our residents and those visiting the township in harm’s way,” Mr. Korbel said.
He made the emergency declaration after consulting with the other commissioners by phone.
The storm water facilities along McKnight Road are owned by each property owner. Along with storm water, the pipes contain a creek that ran along McKnight when the business district was developed. At the time, there were no state or federal regulations to stop developers from building on top of the creek, Mr. Korbel said.
In 2017, Ross fixed a sinkhole at the former Chi- Chi’s property. “Eventually, we were reimbursed” by the property owner, he said.
It cost $ 140,000 to fix the sinkhole at Chi- Chi’s, and Mr. Korbel estimated that the current damage will cost between $ 150,000 and $ 200,000.
“We are now setting a precedent with property owners. I am concerned about that,” said Commissioner Jack Betkowski. “I will not approve any more of these.”
Mr. Betkowski said that some business owners, when notified by the township that there is a problem with their storm water system, believe “it is a better business decision for them for it to collapse and the township to step in.”
The public works department and Gateway will develop a map of the storm water conveyance system on McKnight Road, to Interstate 279, showing which have been replaced or repaired, and which have not.
“I think all of us want our eyes on it,” Mr. Korbel said. “It is untenable for us to continue with this issue on a disaster- to- disaster basis.”