Calera homeowner Wayne Williams brought pictures of an orange river of mud that flows through his backyard to show city council members just how bad drainage problems are in many of the city’s new developments.

Williams and several of his neighbors from Hermitage Lane in the Camden Cove subdivision said Monday night that developers are building new homes adjacent to their property, and increased runoff has created a four-foot-deep ditch swelling with muddy sediment.

Williams also showed council members a letter from an engineer that said the drainage ditch running through his property was built improperly.

Council member Tommie Lynn Morrison said homeowners from subdivisions such as Waterford, Carrington, Camden Cove and Summer Chase have all called her with drainage complaints.

Calera officials had already begun addressing the issue, as Mayor George Roy said he attended a homeowner’s association meeting in Waterford last week to discuss issues such as poor drainage.

Also, Calera Planning and Zoning official Mike Kent said the city has already developed new design and engineering standards for subdivisions. The city council is expected to review the new procedures for adoption during the next council meeting. Council member Lemoyne Glasgow said the city sometimes offers developers too many incentives.

&uot;If we continue to build all of these garden homes, we are going to have to address these issues. We are going to have to tighten up on some of these developers,&uot; Glasgow said. &uot;We want these people to come to Calera and buy homes, but we need to protect their investment.&uot;

Public works director David Jones said he and Kent are working to prevent future drainage problems.

&uot;I believe the provisions being submitted to Planning and Zoning will address these problems,&uot; Jones said.

Developer Danny Acton also attended Monday’s council meeting. Council members approved his request to rezone property adjacent to Camden Cove for 71 lots, including garden homes.

Acton submitted drawings of his proposed development. Acton said he is sacrificing five lots for a large retention pond, which he said will alleviate some drainage from neighboring Camden Cove