City, neighbors spar over drainage as Rolling Hills Estates tennis court ADA project advances

City staff told the Rolling Hills Estates City Council on Feb. 10 that the tennis court ADA project is actively under construction, with concrete pours, grading and preparation of drainage features under way and a target completion in March. Work includes drainage dissipator construction, final sidewalks and electrical for site utilities.

Several neighbors raised concerns at the meeting about the stormwater outlet’s location and potential effects on an adjoining gate and private driveway that serves as an emergency access route. Resident Carrie Leeb said the project’s outlet terminates near a crucial gate and warned that heavy flows could wash out the adjoining driveway. Tom Lee and others questioned whether necessary permits for stormwater/outlet connections had been secured and urged the city to consider alternative pipe routing or connections into existing stormwater infrastructure rather than discharging onto adjacent private property.

Staff acknowledged the concerns, said crews are forming the dissipator structure and agreed to investigate permit and routing options and to look for potential workarounds to avoid drainage impacts on adjacent properties. The council received and filed the verbal ADA project update.