Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Drainage Pinehurst topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Pinehurst residents press River Ridge CDD after repeated flooding; engineer cites blockages, board requests written plan
Summary
Pinehurst residents urged the River Ridge CDD to prioritize repeated neighborhood flooding following a June storm; District Engineer Charlie Krebs identified blocked grates and pipe debris and said MRI will clean inlets, while the board asked for a written remediation plan and timeline.
Resident Mike Dugan and other Pinehurst residents told the River Ridge Community Development District Board of Supervisors on June 25 that repeated flooding—exacerbated by a tropical storm on June 12–14—has left streets impassable, created safety concerns and damaged confidence in the district’s handling of drainage.
“Short of a quick absolute commitment from River Ridge that Pinehurst flooding is now a #1 or co-#1 priority, regardless of cost, we will be forced to explore legal options,” resident Mike Dugan read from a prepared statement, saying neighbors may pay for temporary sandbagging when storms are forecast and demanding constant updates.
Another Pinehurst resident, Ed Nowak, told the board the redesigned drainage system shifted problems from the Masters to Pinehurst, calling the result “flawed and unacceptable” and asking the district to prioritize a “final, proper redesign” before hurricane season worsens the risk.
District Engineer Charlie Krebs said he inspected the neighborhood after watching videos sent by PSGRC General Manager Eric Long, found some blocked grates and debris in pipes, and said MRI inspected and cleaned grates and pipes starting the next day. Krebs said some Pinehurst drains may be more than 25% blocked and committed to having MRI clean the inlets.
Krebs also described the system of control structures and flow‑ways that route water toward the wetlands and said debris had been flushed out because it was not compacted. He noted, however, that homeowners observed receivers with water above outlet height and that additional cleaning and follow-up were needed.
Chair Bob Schultz asked Krebs to prepare a written plan that details how the situation will be resolved, including an estimated timeline, and to provide that plan to the board, district staff and the Pinehurst neighborhood representative (NVR). Krebs agreed to prepare the plan.
The exchange reflects residents’ frustration with repeated flooding over several years and the district’s immediate response: on-site inspection, targeted cleaning by the contractor MRI and a board request for a formal remediation plan. The engineer’s diagnosis focuses on localized blockages and inlet cleaning rather than an immediate system redesign; residents urged higher priority and more resources.
Next steps: Krebs will deliver a written plan and estimated timeline to the board and stakeholders; the board will monitor follow-up actions and related drainage projects that staff said may be funded by loan proceeds already allocated for improvements.
