The December issue of the Timberwood Park Newsletter contained an article on page 5 about our drainage ditches. Unfortunately, the article indicated that Bexar county maintains the many smaller drainage ditches between properties throughout Timberwood Park. While note was made that TPOA maintains our two larger drainage ditches, the remainder of the article suggested property owners should contact Bexar county for maintenance on the many smaller ditches in our development which is incorrect.
The drainage ditches of Timberwood Park have never been maintained by Bexar county. During turnover negotiations, this was one of the things that needed to be addressed prior to TPOA taking on the permanent management of Timberwood Park. Bexar county clearly stated they had never been responsible for nor would they take over any future duties of maintaining any of our drainage ditches.
With regard to drainage areas in Timberwood Park, the county is only responsible for right-of-way areas which include: 1) our bar ditches typically located at the front of our properties and 2) the right-of-way area around any drainage ditches as they cross roadways in Timberwood Park. For the bar ditches this means they mow and maintain them on an annual basis to ensure proper drainage. Of course many property owners mow and maintain the bar ditches in front of their property in addition to what maintenance the county does. Right-of-way is that space typically 18 feet from the middle of a roadway onto a property. The county maintains only that right-of-way area.
Additionally, on a side note, the county also maintains all our roadways.
But when it comes to the drainage ditches between properties, those smaller ditches in particular referenced in the newsletter article, those are actually a part of the property you purchased in Timberwood Park if you have one running through your property. If you check your survey, you will see that your property line runs to the middle of a given ditch. Likewise the property owner across from you has the other half of the ditch. While there is an easement for the ditches for maintenance, the county does not maintain any part of these ditches which rest on private property. It is the property owners responsibility to maintain and keep clear these ditches to their property line.
It is important to keep these ditches free and clear of debris so that when we do have heavy rains, we won’t have unnecessary flooding caused by careless deposits of brush and debris blocking the drainage path.
On A Separate Note: Regarding the Proposed 5 year plan for the 30 acre park, (which is posted on the www.timberwoodparksa.org web page under “Local News”) I neglected to pass along two things: 1) a land survey is being planned by the board to assist in how best to utilize the space in the park for the proposed improvements the board is recommending. No cost was disclosed for this survey at the annual meeting, and 2) if you want your voice heard regarding what you see as value added versus something you might not believe is a good use of your assessment dollars, please be sure to send your comments and suggestions to the board for the 5 year plan via timberwoodnews@gmail.com and/or attend the next meeting scheduled for February, 2014.
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