The South Bamby Lane neighborhood had long-standing, repeated-loss flooding issues on a series of single-family residences in special flood hazard areas (SFHA). Lowe staff in the City’s Public Works Department assisted with managing FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) floodplain buyout program in the purchase of several properties to be converted to open space per HGMP requirements. Lowe staff also managed the grant application, property appraisals, flood elevation certificates, procuring demolition contractors, and overseeing the buyout and demolition phases of the project. 

Lowe staff at Brookhaven worked with residents to obtain temporary construction and permanent access and extensive drainage easements to convey flow along property lines in an appropriately designed, constructed, and managed system. A positive drainage outfall was established at an adjacent creek’s ordinary high-water mark, which was located on the new open space lots so these flows could be discharged without adversely impacting properties or the public’s health and safety. For high-flow events, these lots of open space provide flood storage. Drainage improvements involved directing stormwater away from several homes, and solving flooding at the Ashford Dunwoody Road/Johnson Ferry Road intersection. Several corrugated metal pipes were replaced/upsized with reinforced concrete pipes. In addition, all other drainage structures including curb inlets and catch basins were replaced to accommodate the design flow.