CARLISLE TWP. — Township officials Thursday closed the bridge over the dam at Brentwood Lake Village to traffic after safety officials said the dam could fail.

The state ordered Spitzer Management Inc., the owner of the lake, dam and bridge, to begin excavation of the dam by June 19 to let the water flow out of the lake.

The trustees closed the bridge on Waterfall Drive at the recommendation of Lorain County Engineer Kenneth Carney and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, according to a letter sent to residents.

“ODNR is concerned a large rain over two or three days could damage the bridge,” Carney said.

An inspection shows the dam is in danger of failing as a result of two damaged spillways — a deteriorated concrete chute and a pipe and riser system that was damaged and abandoned, according to documents prepared by ODNR.

Spitzer Management has hired an engineering company to prepare plans to breach the dam, said ODNR spokeswoman Beth Ruth.

That will drain the lake of water and leave the area a wetland, said Ed Enyedy, president of the Brentwood Lake Homeowners Association.

It is “the worst-case scenario,” but that doesn’t mean the area would remain that way forever, Enyedy said.
For years, homeowners have been pursuing two other ways to resolve the problem: persuading Spitzer to do the work or sharing the costs with the help of zero-interest loans, Enyedy said.

If the dam is breached and all the water drains out, that doesn’t mean it has to remain that way, he said. The dam and bridge could be rebuilt, he said.

In their letter to residents, township trustees said they were advised on Wednesday that the dam, spillway and bridge were no longer safe for traffic.

Trustees invited residents to attend their next meeting at 7 p.m. Monday at Town Hall, 11969 LaGrange Road.

Once the bridge is gone, there will be only one road into and out of the 212-home subdivision.

Carney said the subdivision was designed for two ways in and out, and there would be safety issues if the bridge over Waterfall Drive is removed and not replaced.

“You need a new bridge, and the owner is Spitzer Management,” Carney said.

He said he reduced load limits on the bridge to 10 tons in recent years because of its condition.

Anthony Giardini, an attorney for Spitzer, said he had not yet reviewed the ODNR orders and could not comment.

“Quite honestly, we have bigger fish to fry,” said Giardini, who is working on issues relating to Chrysler and General Motors bankruptcies. “We’ll get to it when we get to it.”

The homeowners association has retained an attorney, Richard Lavinsky, who specializes in laws dealing with lakes, Enyedy said.

The five-member board of the homeowners association will meet Tuesday to decide on a plan of action, but Enyedy said he did not personally support filing a lawsuit now.

“My hope is Spitzer Management — they’re going through a stressful time and this is a little item — but I would hope they would take responsibility and do right by the homeowners,” Enyedy said.

He said he still is hoping for a resolution that will restore the dam and bridge and allow the lake to remain a lake.

A marsh is esthetically less attractive than a lake, and property values would be affected if the area becomes a wetland, Enyedy said.

Resident Andy Teiberis said he wants to hear about possible legal options.

Teiberis said he still can’t get the image of dying fish out of his mind after the lake became a mudflat last year due to the damaged drainage pipe.

“They were all at the drain end trying to live as long as possible,” he said. “One guy had his garden hose out trying to save them and we sandbagged the drainage pipe.”

Another resident, Fran Weber, said she is resigned to the water being drained from the lake as long as it leads to an eventual resolution.

“It’s Step 1 in what has to happen,” she said. “I don’t want anybody hurt going over the bridge — it’s been a worry for us for a long time.”

Like Enyedy, she hopes the dam and bridge can be replaced and Brentwood Lakes would remain the beautiful place it is today.

“It’s a charming, charming neighborhood,” she said.

Contact Cindy Leise at 329-7245 or cleise@chroniclet.com.

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