Stetson Heights stormwater ponds nearly overflowing

Published 1:30 am Saturday, December 22, 2018

PORT ORCHARD — As if South Kitsap residents haven’t had enough of Mother Nature’s weather tantrums this month, some area homeowners have a new weather-related issue to attend to — possible retaining pond overflows just off Glenwood Road Southwest.

The Kitsap Department of Emergency Management has sent notices to homeowners below the Stetson Heights residential development warning them to be aware of the possibility that retention ponds that are part of the project are reaching their capacity. Should the area receive more rainfall, the agency wrote, “the ponds might overflow and potentially impact your property.”

The growing danger isn’t a new one, according to city, county and state agencies providing oversight on the project. The City of Port Orchard, in fact, issued a stop-work order Oct. 26 on the project, effectively stopping work on the 304 single-family residential home project. The Department of Ecology also highlighted stormwater permit violations in a notice to Stetson Heights last month, said Larry Altose of the state agency.

Mayor Rob Putaansuu said DR Horton, a residential company, was given notice to address the situation but has yet to do so.

Jim Shinn, Stetson Heights project manager, told the Kitsap Sun that there has not been any discharge since October. Shinn also took issue with the county department’s contention that the retaining ponds were in danger of overflowing, alleging that some of the neighbors in the area were trying to create problems for the builder.

Shinn told the newspaper that a geotechnical engineer had been hired to provide expertise for the project.