Chesterfield Homeowners Seek Solutions to Property Flooding
TL;DR: A Chesterfield County family is seeking relief after years of property flooding following heavy rain, with county and state agencies proposing a collaborative review.
Quick facts
- Who: Chesterfield County homeowners on Oak Lawn Street; Stacey Ferrer representing her adult children who own the property
- What: Recurring property flooding after heavy rainfall, with water damaging driveway, garage, yard, and causing mold
- When: First occurred December 2018; ongoing, with annual flooding now typical
- Where: Oak Lawn Street, Chesterfield County, Virginia
The story
Homeowners on Oak Lawn Street in Chesterfield County are confronting a persistent flooding problem that has worsened over nearly eight years. The family moved into their property in December 2018, when the first major flood occurred. Since then, heavy rainfall has repeatedly sent water over multiple culverts on the property, flowing into the front yard, garage, and under the house itself.
The flooding has caused visible damage: uneven concrete on the driveway, mold growth on the back of the house, and repeated yard damage. Trash has been deposited in the front yard by floodwaters. Stacey Ferrer, representing her adult children who own the property, notes that what were once considered "once-in-a-hundred-year rainfalls" now occur yearly on the property.
In 2020, Ferrer contacted Chesterfield County for assistance. The county referred the matter to VDOT, which maintains the culverts. That same year, VDOT cleaned out a culvert on the property, but the work provided no relief from the flooding. Ferrer reported that VDOT has indicated they are in contact with the county and proposed "a collaborative field review to evaluate the concern," but no timeline or outcome from that review has been announced.
A complicating factor: the property is not located on a designated flood plain, making flood insurance unavailable to the owners. This leaves them without an insurance safety net for recurring damage.
Key players
- Stacey Ferrer: Homeowner advocate seeking solutions for flood damage
- Chesterfield County: Referred matter to VDOT; coordinating on potential field review
- VDOT (Virginia Department of Transportation): Responsible for culvert maintenance; proposed collaborative field review
Why it matters: The family faces mounting property damage and mold issues with limited options for relief, highlighting a gap in assistance for properties that flood repeatedly but fall outside official flood zones. The prolonged lack of a solution raises questions about how county and state agencies coordinate on stormwater infrastructure problems affecting residents.
Places
Development timeline
- 2018-12-01Family moves in; first major flood occurs: Homeowners on Oak Lawn Street experience initial flooding after heavy rain following move-in [[source]](https://www.12onyourside.com/2026/07/21/homeowners-search-solution-chesterfield-property-floods-after-heavy-rain/)
- 2020-01-01Homeowner contacts Chesterfield County for assistance: Stacey Ferrer reaches out to county after years of recurring flooding damage [[source]](https://www.12onyourside.com/2026/07/21/homeowners-search-solution-chesterfield-property-floods-after-heavy-rain/)
- 2020-01-01VDOT cleans culvert but provides no relief: VDOT performs culvert maintenance on the property, but flooding continues at same frequency [[source]](https://www.12onyourside.com/2026/07/21/homeowners-search-solution-chesterfield-property-floods-after-heavy-rain/)
- 2026-07-21VDOT proposes collaborative field review: VDOT indicates willingness to collaborate with county on reviewing the stormwater concern, outcome pending [[source]](https://www.12onyourside.com/2026/07/21/homeowners-search-solution-chesterfield-property-floods-after-heavy-rain/)
Related links
Read the original at NBC12 / WWBT News →