Hello All,

 Has anyone dealt w/ property that has had a newer storm water mangement system installed?? 

I am working w/ buyers and we are in escrow on a property in Doylestown Township, Bucks County Pa.  It is new construction on a 1 acre lot in an older established development. The township has an existing stormwater system in for the entire 25+ yr old neighborhood. Township code requires any new lot/house to include in their building plans a design for an on site storm water management system. This was briefly mentioned in the listing data, but nothing in depth was shown to us. Every time we went out to the property the front and back yard had surface water and areas of ponding, and we were told the builder would do some grading and germination in spring to correct it.......but not to worry.  After doing some due diligience and tracking down the plan design and speaking w/ several engineers that were/are involved........we are told that this house has a surface basin design taking up a majority of the back yard.  It is basically a surface detention basin that holds the  storm water for 18-48 hrs on the property.....to have it slowly go into the ground/water table.

The logic is that the state and townships don't water new construction having any further impact on the streams and roads and cause any further erosion.  So now most new properties will have to have these storm systems designed to keep the storm water on the actual property and slowly have it dissipate into the ground to prevent any negative impact on the neighbors and surrounding area.  I am all for protecting the environment and preventing negative impact.......but,  

Wouldn't you think this is something that has a big impact on a property should be fully described up front??  If my clients new they were going to have a pond in their yard evey time it rains a little........they deserve to know up front.  Needless to say we have worked w/ two engineers and should have a resolution to all of this to address their concerns............but this is my first experience w/ a storm water design like this and wanted to get some input from some of you.

 If I didn't go to the township myself and pull the entire folder, we would have never been told about this and the real effect it has on the homeowner.  Neither the township nor the seller wanted to fully disclose all of the facts and they made it seem like this was normal............My only advice is to take the time to review all twp info on new construction........there was data in that folder that even the builder wasn't aware of and it really allowed me to do right by my client. It seems that most township's try to have the interest of the people at large........but this is clearly a case where the laws and regulations don't necessarily have the homeowner's best interest at heart.

Any insight would be more than welcomed..........