County commissioners discuss cost of flooding cleanup

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — After months of rain that led to flooding across Mecklenburg County, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services gave the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners an update on its response.

Storm Water Services told the board that the flooding we've seen over the past few months is a result of the wettest summer we've seen in 70 years, the seventh-wettest on record.

Canaan told the board that right now, Storm Water Services does three main things to reduce flood loss. It continuously updates its flood maps, it encourages residents to have flood insurance and raise their homes and it has a buyout program to buy and take down flood-prone houses. In fiscal year 2014, it's planning to buy up to 52 houses in seven neighborhoods.

After the latest flooding, Canaan told the board that there are still hundreds of homes that could be bought up. But there's limited outside funding and flexibility with funding.

"If we want to continue at $5.5 million level of service for our flood mitigation program, we're going to run out of money this year," said Canaan.

Canaan said that means storm water fees may have to be increased, or the buyout program may have to be reduced.

He also suggested a third option, to try to avoid those outcomes. He recommended that the board push for legislation in the General Assembly next session to give Storm Water Services more flexibility in how it uses revenue. He says a bill was introduced this session but didn't pass.

"A bill to allow flexibility on the use of storm water revenue. Instead of storm water revenue going to buy someone's home or going to work on the creek, we'd use the revenue to elevate the HVAC system," he explained.

Canaan says other options may be less expensive and therefore stretch the money further than just buying out flood-prone homes.

It was just a report that was presented Tuesday night; no decision about changes were made.

"My truck sits adjacent to the back yard and the water got so high it went over the cab of the truck," said Larry Harris, from Charlotte.

Harris is one of the flood victims living near Stewart Creek who came to speak at Tuesday night's meeting. He and others asked the county to look at ways to prevent more flooding in that area in the future.

Mecklenburg County Water and Land Resources Director Dave Canaan told Eyewitness News that a study will be done starting next week on Stewart Creek. It will look at whether work in that area could lessen the impact of flooding and improve the environment.

WSOC