Committee approves stormwater ordinance after runoff complaints from Scuffletown-area residents

The Greenville County Road Infrastructure and Public Works Committee voted to approve a stormwater ordinance after members discussed runoff complaints from residents near a Scuffletown Road development.

Councilman Gary Collins told the committee he represents five residents with runoff problems, saying three of the cases are linked to nearby development. “The water comes off out of the retaining pond, jumps the hill, jumps the creek, comes up over her yard,” Collins said, adding that springs have appeared on the property and that one household — seniors on fixed incomes — has replaced insulation twice after water went under the house.

The committee’s staff said the county has inspected the site and that the development’s stormwater features are operating to the standard for which they were designed. A Greenville County staff member, Ms. Campbell, said staff would continue to meet with residents and investigate specific cases. “Absolutely. We’ll do whatever is within our power,” Campbell said when the chair asked that the matter be treated as a top priority.

Why it matters: Residents described property damage and ongoing quality-of-life impacts tied to altered drainage and a large retaining wall at the development. The committee’s approval of the ordinance moves the county’s stated regulatory framework forward while staff pledged follow-up on the specific neighborhood complaints.

Committee discussion and staff response

Collins said the development raised ground elevations by about 40 feet and that a retaining wall there is “twice as tall as I am,” creating a concentrated flow of water toward adjacent yards. He said an inspector suggested an affected homeowner construct a 5-foot berm, and he submitted videos and photos documenting repeated water intrusion and erosion.

A county staff member and another staff speaker described construction-related conditions such as a temporary skimmer pipe and an emergency spillway that can overload during storms stronger than the design storm. Staff said they had cleared a low spot at the back of a pond and believed, based on their inspection, the pond’s skimmer and spillway were functioning as designed. Staff also said some resident concerns appeared to reflect opposition to the commercial development in the neighborhood rather than a design defect in stormwater infrastructure.

Actions and next steps

A committee member moved to “approve the ordinance as presented to us.” The chair restated the motion, the committee voted by voice, and the chair declared the motion passed. Committee members asked staff to prioritize additional inspections and efforts to resolve the residents’ drainage complaints where county authority allows.

The committee did not identify changes to the stormwater ordinance during the meeting; staff told members they did not believe the ordinance required additional edits to address the specific cases raised, but staff committed to continue site visits and to work with affected homeowners.

Context and scope

The discussion named locations including Scuffletown Road, the development referred to in the meeting as 5 Forks Athletics (also referenced variably in the transcript as 5 Forks Plantation and My Forks Fitness), and Sparrows Point. The committee and staff repeatedly distinguished between temporary construction conditions and completed, stabilized stormwater infrastructure. The meeting transcript does not specify a timetable for staff follow-up or any enforcement actions beyond further inspections and remediation that are within county authority.

Ending

The committee moved on after approving the ordinance and directing staff to prioritize work with the affected residents. No formal enforcement actions or permit modifications were announced at the meeting; staff said they would return to affected homeowners and continue to monitor and address site-specific concerns.