Oakland Baptist Church Cemetery Water Drainage Problems April 4, 2013

April 4, 2013

Brian Rahal

Civil Engineer III

Department of Transportation & Environmental Services

301 King Street, Suite 3200

Alexandria, Virginia 22314

RE:  Oakland Baptist Church Cemetery Water Drainage Problems

Dear Mr. Rahal:

We thank you for meeting with us on March 27, 2013 concerning the continuing water drainage problems at our church cemetery in Fort Ward Park. Family members of relatives buried in the cemetery and members of our church are frustrated with the length of time it is taking to resolve these problems.

We understand that you and the City of Alexandria are willing to make modifications to the “Interim Storm Water Management Plan for Fort Ward Park” to address our continuing concerns.  Further, we understand that you will:

• Notify the homeowners who live adjacent to Fort Ward Park, under the provisions of the existing city ordinance which addresses water running off their property onto others, that their storm water was flowing into the park and the Oakland Baptist Church Cemetery. This runoff continues to cause damage to cemetery graves and grave stones.
• Look at ways to capture or redirect runoff from the properties of the Eugster-Weatherly; Fulton-O’Leary; Carroll; Sullivan- Kling; and Dilley and move it into the French drain system the city installed in the park maintenance yard. This would prevent their runoff from flowing through the park into the cemetery.
• Bury the above-ground drainage pipe, which runs adjacent to the Oakland Baptist Church Cemetery, so that it cannot be seen from the graveyard. The pipe should also be buried near the cemetery entrance and extended to the discharge area for the existing French drain. Since this part of the maintenance yard was filled, burying the pipe below grade should not impact graves.
• Provide church leaders with an opportunity to discuss plans for more permanent storm water management solutions with the consultant that will be hired soon. Our understanding is that the long-term project is to be funded this year and $585,000 has been set aside for storm water management work in Fort Ward Park.

We look forward to working with you and others in resolving these problems without further delay.

Sincerely,

Lena Rainey

Member, Trustee Ministry

Oakland Baptist Church

Cc :  Pastor Donald C. Hayes

         Trustee Michael Williams

         Deaconess Frances Terrell

         Deacon Andrew Parker