A picture sure would help us to visualize your problem, jtd. Am I right in thinking the cleared area that used to be wild is across the road and uphill from your property? How steep is the slope? Is the cleared area draining muddy water i.e. eroding the soil away?
If you can document (with pictures) the runoff during a wet time flowing across the road and onto your property, and take the pictures to your town council meeting, they might actually require the community across the street to re-plant the area.
If not, how about building a small berm on your side of the road to again 'deflect' the runoff, or at least slow it down so more of it soaks in before it gets to your back lawn area. Even a berm with a rise of a few inches will deflect or slow down a lot of water.
