Trees grow higher than homes, neighborhood drainage ditch eating servitude
BATON ROUGE - The trees growing out of the neighborhood drainage ditch next to George Garrison's home are now peering over his roof. It's a situation that's gotten out of control for Garrison, who called 2 On Your Side for guidance.
What was once a ditch no more than a foot wide, has now carved a path about eight feet wide. It's swallowed up servitude threatening Garrison's home and his neighbor's house. How did it get this way? That's what he wants to know.
"I've called the city for at least five years about this," he said.
Years ago, Garrison recalls the city keeping the area tidy. A crew would mow in and around the ditch once a month. Then that work stopped. The ditch has grown so wide that a wooden bulkhead built to prevent erosion has crumbled. Two years ago, the city responded to Garrison's calls.
"They came out here and put a yellow plastic fence up and it stayed up until the wood rotted," said Garrison.
That plastic fencing has now fallen into the ditch and grown one with the weeds. It's not protecting anyone or anything anymore. Garrison's fears worse than that now.
His air conditioning unit is teetering on the edge and his home's foundation is at risk too.
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"You're looking at a chance of losing the whole house," he said.
Garrison knows he has a problem on his hands and is pleading with the city to save his property. The only solution he can think of is burying the drainage.
"Cover all this up, close this up," he said.
The city went to take a look at the situation Garrison is describing this week and admitted it "certainly needs cleaning." WBRZ is waiting to learn more about the plan to address his concerns.