DEARBORN, Mich. – A neighborhood disagreement has a Dearborn community divided over concerns about flooding.
A group of longtime residents on Cherry Hill Street have taken legal action concerning a new house being built across the street.
Mike Shehadi, the new homeowner named in the lawsuit, is building on a plot of land he purchased from the nearby church. The City of Dearborn is also named in the suit.
The stormwater from Shehadi’s new home will drain into the Cherry Hill sewer.
“It will take all of the water on 1.8 acres of land and put it into the storm sewer in front of our home,” said Gavin Haag, one of the neighbors filing the lawsuit. “We’ve already had previous issues associated with the flooding within our basements.”
Haag and his neighbors fear the new development will only exacerbate the problem. An expert hired by the plaintiff’s claim that will be the result.
“(The expert said) We’re going to flood more often, and the volume of water instead of inches in our basements it’s going to be even higher,” Haag said.
Shehadi’s attorney, Azzam Elder, said the plaintiff’s expert didn’t provide compelling data to prove it.
“Their expert really provides no physical evidence that the court can rely on, and that’s why we’re going to win this case,” said Elder.
Local 4 asked Elder why his client opposed rerouting the stormwater to the sewer on Military Street.
“The first reason is the house is a Cherry Hill house, and they have every right, the same that they do, to tap into the Cherry Hill lines,” Elder said. “The second reason is it’s more costly. It’s way more costly, and it’s cost prohibitive.”
Local 4 reached out to the City of Dearborn for comment but didn’t hear back.
Flooding concerns sparks lawsuit in Dearborn by brandon carr on Scribd
