Slope failure saga in Hills of Rivermist subdivision (San Antonio, Austin: real estate, HOA)

[wCat]

Originally Posted by WilGar

Jobs.

exactly......it's good for the economy, right?

[wCat]

Originally Posted by Dopo

You are saying the exact same thing that was being said on the radio.
Making "Perfect" the enemy of the "Good".

The inspector's job is to catch mistakes made by the engineer and/or contractor.
Their job is not to design and/or build things.
Besides, they can get all permits and still build whatever they want.

Your comment is the same as blaming the city's firefighters for the burning of a building "Because they didn't get there on time to put it out" instead of the person that actually burned it.

Dopo....I didn't say it. The city did. Read the article....they quoted him.

The article quoted Roderick Sanchez, director of the city's Planning and Development Services Department. Sanchez said "Such retaining walls require permits but are not inspected by the city."

You are saying "the inspector's job is to catch mistakes made by the engineer and or contractor. THE CITY is saying they don't even inspect them. Leave ME out of it. I'm just the messenger here, k?

[TexasRedneck]

If you knew what the city pays inspectors.....it's shameful. I looked at that possibility many years back, and was completely shocked at what they pay 'em! You get what you pay for, folks - and frankly, if I was a city inspector I wouldn't be too worried about being replaced!

[Hoot Owl]

I am not an engineer. But I cannot help but seriously question the design integrity of the so-called "retaining wall" in that neighborhood. Have any of you ever noticed how the highway department builds retaining walls where overpasses meet the ground? They compact the heck out of the soil. They mask off the vertical walls of soil to prevent erosion. They install huge metal beams and run them horizontally and deep into the soil. Then they attach the retaining wall sections to the horizontal beams that protrude from the side of the wall of soil.

I have seen no evidence that the alleged retaining wall in that neighborhood is anything more than an aesthetic facade that scaled the vertical soil surface. I cannot understand how anyone would think a narrow rock wall could any way hold back or support the thousands of tons of soil behind it, stand up to water runoff and other environmental elements.

It doesn't pass the smell test, IMO.

[coffeepotbend]

A lady from the neighborhood (Retama Springs in Selma) was on the news this morning showing the cracks and some temp fixes in their retaining walls. Centex has been telling them it was OK (this had been going on before the landslide at Rivermist). Now this neighborhood is REALLY worried to say the least. Centex said they will be inspecting that neighborhoood.....uh huh....

Retama Springs:
Centex Homes - Community

[SanAntonianByChoice]

Re:
[LEFT]The article quoted Roderick Sanchez, director of the city's Planning and Development Services Department. Sanchez said "Such retaining walls require permits but are not inspected by the city."

So who IS in charge of such inspections? And are they conducted at the onset of a project, during the project, and finally at its completion?

Just trying to understand the process and trying to understand the story of how these hard-working folks became unwilling riders of this rollercoaster.

Thanks..


[/LEFT]

[coffeepotbend]

On the Centex website they have a page called "What makes Centes better" I don't have to click on that tab because I know what makes Centex better. Their retaining walls of course!!!!! Ha Ha

Centex Homes - Community

[majormadmax]

Any updates on how these rains have affected the situation? It's be coming down pretty hard for several hours now, and hopefully they will have some measure in place to prevent things from getting even worse!

I would like to go by there and see what's been done, but I won't have time this afternoon plus I am not sure if SAPD is still controlling traffic into that neighborhood...

Cheers! M2

[hadleyzoo]

I heard on the news this morning that the city hasn't issued a mandatory evacuation; but the police did go around to about 20 homes last night asking people to voluntarily evacuate.

[scuba steve]

Wish we could get some updated pics since it's raining over there!