BOARDMAN — A longtime flooding problem in a portion of Boardman Township is a big step closer to being minimized.

Marilyn Kenner, township road superintendent, told trustees during this week’s meeting that four homes in the floodplain — on South Cadillac Drive and Wildwood Drive, all in the Cranberry Run water course — will be demolished using grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

“The homes get devastatingly flooded,” she said of the neighborhood, noting that the homes slated for demolition are “beautiful” and the situation is tough for the homeowners.

The acquisition process should begin in October with demolition starting in the winter months or in early spring, Kenner said.

She explained that two hazard mitigation grants were awarded to the township from FEMA, coming through the Ohio Emergency Management Agency. Kenner is the agent for the township to have the work completed.

l The first grant, for $250,000, is for one house on South Cadillac Drive. The township’s contribution, which will be paid by the ABC (Austintown-Boardman-Canfield) Stormwater District, will be $31,250. That total will pay for the house and property acquisition, demolition and grading of the property, Kenner said.

l A second grant for $698,024 will go toward two houses on Wildwood Drive and another on South Cadillac, also for the house, property, demolition and grading. The township’s match, which also will be paid by the ABC Stormwater District, is $86,253.

Kenner later explained that the homeowners at 230 and 241 S. Cadillac, and 230 and 233 Wildwood, have agreed to the township acquiring their homes. The process, she added, is not part of an eminent domain project.

After working on the plans since October 2018, Kenner said the township is “excited” to finally start getting stormwater projects completed.

After the demolitions the graded areas will become a “two-stage channel so the water will stay” within the area rather than flow up to the adjacent homes.

“In some of the areas, we’ll be putting a mound up to really prevent the water from overflowing into other areas,” Kenner told trustees.

A pond located on one of the four parcels will put the water course back into a flowing channel and not a standing body of water, reducing flooding downstream, she added.

Also briefly discussing flooding in the Robinwood area, Kenner said that four parcels have been donated to the township from a land owner.

Neighbors submitted complaints that the property wasn’t maintained, but now the township will handle the upkeep on the land, she said.

“It takes the area and puts it into the trustees’ hands,” Kenner said.

The parcels hold water during a rain event, but are otherwise dry ponds.

afox@tribtoday.com