County wants money for flood-area homes

$1.4 million would buy out owners, fund relocation for people living in houses at risk of suffering damage

Web posted August 22, 1998

By Jason B. Smith
Columbia County Bureau

Columbia County will be applying for a $1.4 million Hazard Mitigation Grant through the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help purchase 10 homes in the flood-prone Forest Creek subdivision.

The grant, administered by the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, will be used to purchase homes at fair market value and offer residents a reasonable relocation fee.

``I think $1.4 million ought to just about cover it,'' said Jim Leiper, county engineer.

The 10 homes were chosen after a series of survey and flood studies. If the area gets three inches of rain, the residents become ``inconvenienced.''

``It's not something I would want to deal with every day,'' Mr. Leiper said.

The trouble -- and structural damage -- would begin if Columbia County received a 100-year event rain, one that occurs once every 100 years.

After the homes are purchased, they will be torn down and the land will be used for future flood control purposes.

Forest Creek, a subdivision of nearly 100 homes off Fury's Ferry Road, is bordered by Reed Creek.

The creek has been targeted as one of the most flood-prone in the county -- a consultant's study recommended more than $20 million in improvements in the creek's basin just last year.

The relocation program would be the second grant the county has applied for to improve the creek. The county is in the final stages of review for a $3.5 million grant for a diversion canal and other works.

While participation in the relocation program is voluntarily on the part of the property owner, officials need verbal consent from property owners by Aug. 29.

So far, four of five have said yes, and one is still deciding.

``He kind of hates the thought of parting with his house,'' Mr. Leiper said. ``He understands he can back out at any point up to closing.''

Mr. Leiper stressed the grant application is not an admission of liability on the county's part.

``Seeking this grant assistance in no way indicated that Columbia County is responsible for the flooding conditions which have occurred or has any liability to anyone in connection therewith,'' he said.