After a portion of the parking lot at Redbone’s Grill & Bar gave way, Trent Alford, the restaurant’s owner, was first told by officials with the City of Jackson he would have to repair the damage, because the property – which belongs to Alford – is private.
“We found out since then there is a storm drain pipe, a 48-inch pipe that runs from the Wiley Parker (Road) side of our lot down to Carriage House (Drive),” Alford said, “It lines up at about the west side of Wiley Parker Road that meets on Carriage House Drive across the street.”
Redbone’s Grill & Bar is located at 584 Carriage House Drive.
“I’ve contacted the City about the storm drainage pipe and they basically said since it’s on private property it’s my responsibility,” Alford said, “Upon further research, I found out the City has a drainage easement running across the property.”
He also learned repairs to the parking lot range from $45,000 to $80,000.
“We contend this is a city problem and not an individual landowner’s problem since the main drain of the City’s storm drain system goes across the property,” Alford said, “I would say, approximately January 1, we noticed an indention in our parking lot … the parking lot fell through about a foot deep, and it took over a couple of parking spots,” Alford said, “People who were on site in approximately 1989 who did work for JEA (Jackson Energy Authority), then Jackson Utility Division, had lowered the utility lines that run across where the previous Wiley Parker Road once crossed the corner of our property.”
Alford said that’s when the water lines were lowered.
“A guy who used to work for JEA is telling me … the city came in and installed the storm drain when they did the modification of Wiley Parker Road to accommodate the construction of Carriage House (Drive) from its original end to the (U.S. Highway 45) Bypass,” Alford said, “Right now, I’m hoping the city will step up and take care of the problem, but at the same time I’m proceeding to get it fixed myself.”
City officials did not return calls to WNWS-FM.
(PHOTO: Trent Alford)
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