Officials consider flood fix

Web posted September 24, 2000

 Have a thought? Go to the @ugusta Forums.

By Heidi Coryell
Staff Writer

Since flash floods swept through parts of the city June 20, the homes on Dominion Court and Dominion Way in west Augusta's Commonwealth subdivision have been at the center of flood relief activities.

No one has come forward with a firm solution, but local officials say they're on the brink of one and will have an announcement as soon as next week.

``We've got some meetings early next week, but we are working on what I consider a timely solution,'' Terri Turner, assistant zoning and development administrator for the county's planning and zoning commission, said Friday. ``I think it's not too far off.''

In the meantime, several scenarios have surfaced for the small subdivision, which also happens to be adjacent to the site of an overtopping problem at Interstate 20. At least one hydraulics study is under way that would consider the Commonwealth area as a possible location for a new detention pond in the Crane Creek basin.

And outgoing state Rep. Robin Williams, who sits on the House Appropriations Committee, said he was working to secure appropriations dollars to buy out the Dominion Way area homes. But he was defeated in a primary election a month after the flooding event, and his efforts will be cut off in January when he is replaced by Sue Burmeister.

The latest proposed answer - which officials say is temporary at best - is requiring residents who received 50 percent or more damage to their homes June 20 to elevate 3 feet.

``All those things are possible solutions for that particular area,'' Ms. Turner said. ``I think we're right on the brink ... it may be a combination of solutions. I think I'm pretty close.''

Commonwealth homeowners Thursday received a packet of information from Augusta's planning and zoning office that explained the elevation requirement of the National Flood Insurance Program's ``substantial damage/substantial improvement'' ordinance. The packet explained that if a flood-insured home is damaged to at least 50 percent or more of its fair market value, then the homeowner can receive up to $20,000 from the federal government to elevate, relocate or demolish the structure.

The catch is, homeowners don't have a choice in the matter. They must comply, or the community risks losing its right to write federally-backed flood insurance policies.

The city did not know about the program until officials from the regional flood insurance office in Atlanta notified local planning officials a few weeks ago.

Officials said it is not uncommon for a city to forget about certain aspects of the federal flood insurance program.

``It's a situation that quite often is overlooked,'' said Collis Brown, state NFIP coordinator. ``Things can fall through the cracks. We're trying to tighten the loops.''

Many Commonwealth residents balked at the notion of elevating, saying they already had spent the money to repair their homes. Elevating would mean starting over.

``I won't spend a dime to raise this house,'' said Dominion Court homeowner Heather Thompson. ``It makes no sense.''

She and several neighbors who were hardest hit last June reported more than 8 feet of water in their homes during the height of floods.

Jim Huckaby, a Dominion Way homeowner who was displaced for several weeks by the same flood, agreed.

``We're just a middle-class neighborhood,'' he said. ``We can't afford to keep doing this.''

Reach Heidi Coryell at (706) 823-3215.

Submit Your Opinion Name: Email: Enter your comments here