Flood-weary residents to Beaufort officials: ‘People are tired of being pushed around’

A young woman cried as she talked about efforts to protect a new garage and a couple’s first home.

Beaufort residents described how flooding has been a problem in the city’s Mossy Oaks area for decades — a problem they say numerous politicians and administrators have addressed largely with finger-pointing.

They told a gathering of city, county and state officials Thursday night about ruined furniture tossed to the road after Hurricane Matthew and again after Irma and offered anecdotal evidence of the perceived causes of the rising water.

And for the first time, everyone was listening in the same room. And, for perhaps the first time, concerned residents heard a comprehensive plan to alleviate the flooding.

“We’ve never had every jurisdiction in the same room, focused on the same problem,” Republican state Rep. Shannon Erickson said. “And it’s about time.”

A longterm construction project to improve drainage could begin as early as next summer. Before then, engineers must identify the problems, design the projects and find money for the estimated $3 million needed to overhaul pipes, ditches and ponds.

A city official noted the cost estimate is a “wild guess,” without knowing more about the cause. Drainage problems can’t be pinned to one feature of the 800 acres being studied, engineers said.

“If it was easy, it would have been taken care of some time ago,” Beaufort public projects director Neal Pugliese said.

Among the possible fixes:

▪ building new drainage systems

▪ relocating or installing new pipes

▪ larger pipes in key areas

▪ dredging areas that have filled in.

The work could also include digging out a key retention pond at First Boulevard and Battery Creek Road, and building new ponds in other areas like Southside Park.

Much of the blame from residents targeted the construction of the Spanish Moss Trail between Broome Lane and Rodgers Drive. The berm supporting the trail traps water in the marsh during high tides and heavy rains and easily pushes it into yards and homes on West Royal Oaks, numerous residents said.

One man described the feeling of awe he felt watching waves on the street during Hurricane Matthew in October.

Others pointed to trees and trash in key drainage ditches, where lawn furniture, old bicycles and even golf carts impede the flow of water.

The complaints were civil, but some were pointed in predicting political consequences for continued inaction.

“People are tired of being pushed around ... . We are going to hold you accountable,” said Pete Godbey, a First Boulevard resident who brought letters of his past dealings with the city.

A task force of city, county and state engineers, community members and affected residents will regularly meet to craft a solution. They plan to have an engineering analysis by March; engineering and building plans by May; and a ground breaking by July.

The work will be done in phases. And more immediate problems will still be addressed in the meantime, officials promised.

“This is going to be a big deal, and it’s going to cost a lot of money” Pugliese said. “Some people may call this a very ambitious plan and some may ask why can’t you do this tomorrow.”

This story was originally published September 29, 2017 at 8:33 AM with the headline "Flood-weary residents to Beaufort officials: ‘People are tired of being pushed around’."