OCEAN CITY — Changes to a north-end public park will be needed in order to alleviate chronic flooding problems in an adjacent residential neighborhood.
During Tuesday’s Recreation and Parks Committee meeting, a discussion centered on Gorman Park, a north-end municipal park in the Caine Woods area that was creating flooding issues during larger storm events in the residential community. The park actually precedes the development, but on some occasions heavy rains cause flooding on some of the adjacent parcels.
City Engineer Terry McGean said Gorman Park has been regraded in the past to alleviate flooding issues, and there are pending changes including the addition of pickleball courts that could help the situation, but reminded committee members not all of the flooding issues are related to the park.
“This has been brought up a number of times over the years,” he said. “The property owners don’t want to hear this, but the park really doesn’t drain into their lots. I was down there in the pouring rain and honestly I was surprised at how well it was draining. We can do some things with grading, but that’s kind of where we are with this.”
Councilman and committee chair Wayne Hartman agreed the flooding issues were not entirely the town’s responsibility, but suggested making the appropriate changes to help alleviate some of the problems.
“The park was built before the houses and it has been regraded several times,” he said. “When the developer built those houses, it would have been a good time to grade those lots toward the street, but if we have an opportunity to be good neighbors and there is something we can do, we should undertake that.”
Cal Ginnavan of the Recreation and Parks Department said the flooding issues were largely due to a poor design for the development and not squarely on the back of Gorman Park.
“The park was developed in 1982 and there were only two houses back there at that time,” he said. “The street is actually higher than the lots. That’s the problem.”
McGean said the city would do some re-grading and other improvements at the park, but stopped short of guaranteeing they would alleviate the flooding issues.
“The caveat is we’ll do the best we can,” he said. “If it rains for four straight days, there is going to be some ponding. Will re-grading the park again solve their problem 100 percent? I don’t think so. I hear what you’re saying. I just don’t want to over-promise anything.”
Hartman said simply making the gesture could placate the concerned residents somewhat.
“I don’t think the residents can ask for any more than that,” he said. “We are their neighbor and we are willing to do what we can.”
