Seal Beach residents fear the housing project in nearby Los Alamitos will worsen flooding

SEAL BEACH, Calif. (KABC) — Residents of Seal Beach’s College Park East neighborhood fear a new housing development in nearby Los Alamitos could worsen the area’s recurring flooding problem.

Mike Orland has lived in the community for 25 years and has seen the problem worsen.

“It’s pretty much a normal thing now,” he said in an interview with ABC7. “We’re getting heavier rains and the water is over the curb all over the block.”

He said in a rainy weather there aren’t many places to go.

“You have to look for blocks and blocks to get to the first drain into the sewer,” Orland said. “So the water drains throughout the neighborhood just to go down the drain.”

The construction of a new housing project across the street in Los Alamitos is now raising concerns among Orland and other residents that the risk of flooding will only get worse.

“That’s really a question of whether the storm sewers can handle the additional wastewater and water from this project,” Orland said.

Renderings on the city’s website show what the Lampson Park Place development will look like.

Almost 250 apartments will be built.

Orland said: “Housing is not a problem. I think it will be good for the area because you need more housing, but it’s just all these side effects of new houses.”

An environmental impact report was prepared which concluded that no problems related to storm and wastewater disposal were anticipated.

“We are aware of the actions taken by the Los Alamitos City Council regarding the development project at 4665 Lampson Avenue,” the city of Seal Beach said in a statement. “As proposed, the project would require certain approvals from the City of Seal Beach, including a negotiated agreement to provide wastewater services outside of Seal Beach’s jurisdictional boundaries. If the developer pursues the project in its current form, the City of Seal Beach will do so carefully.” Evaluate the project and work to address any impacts to our community.

While the drainage problem in this community cannot be solved overnight, residents hope a conversation can begin in the near future about how to fix this problem.