CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Neighbors near Mountain Island Lake are concerned after a sinkhole has popped up—again.
Resident Rick Schroeder says it started after crews hit a water line when putting in a Google Fiber Optic Cable.
The 5 to 6-foot-deep hole on Overlook Mountain Drive is technically on Schroder's property, though it's on a sidewalk behind his home, so he didn't notice until a neighbor pointed it out. Since then, he's been trying everything to get it fixed for good.
"I had been tracking it since May, going back and forth between Charlotte City Water and storm water people, as well as we contacted Google to get to get them involved," Schroeder said.
While he says the city has been out multiple times to fix it, the hole reopens usually within a few days, especially if there's rain.
"It should be a priority because, again, it's a safety concern. What they need to do is figure out where the water is going," Schroeder said. "I'm concerned there's a long-term, a bigger problem."
His safety concerns led him to surround the sinkhole with caution tape himself ahead of Halloween, worried that kids would fall in.
"You don't want somebody to step in it, right? That'll break a leg, for sure," Schroeder said.
WCNC Charlotte also spoke with Schroeder's neighbor who originally found the pothole who says he's frustrated that it takes up the whole sidewalk, making it unsafe to walk his dogs in that area.
At this point, they both just want a permanent solution from the city.
"If they won't fix it, I'll throw bags of concrete," Schroeder said. "But that's not the right way to fix this problem."
WCNC Charlotte has reached out to both Charlotte Water and Google but has not heard back, likely because of the holiday.