Letters to the Editor: Swale and Culvert Responsibility in Sebastian

Here are the Letters to the Editor for Sunday, April 17, 2022.

Swale Issues

In response to your editorial about swales and culverts, there are a few issues that need considering. 

We moved to Sebastian 4 years ago, and the swale system is an irritant not only for us but our neighbors. We try to keep the swales unclogged, but there are times when the blockage further down the street can cause the swales to overfill, and the water overflows into the street.

Another issue is that due to erosion from the heavy rains we have gotten from time to time, the pitch of the swales in some places has changed and needs to be remediated. This remediation of the pitch is something the typical homeowner does not have the expertise or tools to accomplish.

Also, it needs to be done for the swales of the whole block, not just one property, leading to the culverts to be properly correct. This re-balancing of the pitch, it seems to me it should be the responsibility of the city to correct.

In conclusion, while the swale system may have been valid earlier in the city’s history, it may not be so any longer and needs to be re-evaluated now as the city grows larger and larger.

James Carch
Sebastian

On Swales and Culverts

Your article about responsibility for swales and culverts identified a long-standing problem and offered no solutions. 

Let me suggest that you have the city come up with a budget for maintaining the swales and culverts and then translate that into what it would mean in increased real estate property taxes to the average homeowner in town. With that information, you can begin a meaningful discussion about solutions.  

Respectfully, 

David Valdina
Barefoot Bay

Swales

“This country will not be a good place for any of us to live in, unless we make it a good place for all of us to live in.” – Theodore Roosevelt

William J. Clancy
Sebastian