Pinehurst residents press River Ridge CDD for immediate action after June flooding

Resident Mike Dugan told the River Ridge Community Development District board on June 25 that Pinehurst residents are "galvanized in one voice" after routine flooding and a June 12–14 tropical storm produced "unprecedented flooding in Pinehurst," and demanded the district make Pinehurst flooding its top priority "regardless of cost," warning residents would explore legal options and pay for temporary sandbagging if necessary.

Resident Ed Nowak also read a prepared statement, saying the redesigned drainage system shifted problems from the Masters to Pinehurst and describing safety issues including impassable streets and water bubbling up from a receiver a week after the storm. "The bottom line is the current redesigned system as far as we can see is flawed and unacceptable," Nowak said.

District Manager Chuck Adams asked for a drainage update. District Engineer Charlie Krebs said he inspected the neighborhood after PSGRC General Manager Eric Long sent video of the flooding, reported that debris and blockages at grates and in pipes were found and flushed, and said some drains in Pinehurst may have more than 25% blockage that require cleaning. "The problem is the blockage and perhaps some of the drains along Pinehurst have blockages above 25% that need to be cleaned," Krebs said, and said MRI would clean the inlets.

Chair Bob Schultz asked Krebs to prepare a written plan with an estimated timeline for resolving the situation and to provide it to the board, Mr. Long and the Pinehurst neighborhood representative (NVR). The board did not adopt a new project schedule at the meeting but instructed staff and the engineer to follow up.

Why it matters: Pinehurst residents said repeated flooding has created public‑safety and access problems and that prior fixes for neighboring subdivisions have not protected Pinehurst. The engineer's identification of debris and partially blocked inlets points to remediation steps (cleaning and, if necessary, redesign), but residents pressed for an expedited, funded timeline during hurricane season.

What happens next: Charlie Krebs will prepare and deliver a written remediation plan and estimated timeline to the board, Eric Long and Pinehurst representatives; MRI Construction was identified as the contractor to perform inlet cleaning. The board will review the plan and next steps at a future meeting.

Quotes used in this article are drawn directly from public comments and staff responses recorded in the meeting transcript.