Hmmm, that's a bummer, but makes sense with the setup. I'm not sure I remember anything sticking it if the ground like this at any of the houses I lived in as a kid. Guess I'll still be calling Thornton building Dept to check for sure.
I've been wanting to build a decorative well around this for a while, but that's so low priority. Had I done so already, ole Danika Patrick wouldn't have been able to run it over in the first place.
I'd prefer going flush if possible though.