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Residents press Tega Cay council over sediment in Nivens Creek, mayor schedules town hall
Summary
Several waterfront homeowners told the City Council that sediment buildup in Nivens Creek and low lake levels are blocking dock access and reducing property value; the mayor said staff has met with DES and set a town hall for April 30 to discuss mitigation options.
Several Tega Cay residents urged the City Council on April 20 to act after saying sediment in Nivens Creek and drought-driven low lake levels have made boat access impossible for some waterfront properties. Mayor Carmen S. Miller said staff has met with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (DES) and announced a town hall on April 30 to give residents more time to explain concerns.
Homeowners described reduced water depth and increased sediment near docks. Gus Matchunis said sediment accumulation around his Serenity Pointe lot is creating ‘‘dockable’’ challenges and asked why the turbidity curtain was not addressed when it was installed. Katherine Thornsberg said she bought her lot in 2023 and previously could kayak from her property; she told council erosion and post-construction sediment are eroding the value of premium lakefront lots and questioned whether developers are required to conduct post-construction mitigation.
Other residents echoed those worries. Mike Becker said the water near his lot has become so shallow he can nearly walk to the Beach Club and recommended that the city require measurements before and after construction to evaluate impacts from nearby townhome projects. Lisa Prondzinskey said sediment at her dock has replaced the three feet of water she expects, preventing boat use; Allison Scardino asked the city to consider placing shallow-water buoys to prevent personal watercraft from stirring sediment deeper into the cove.
Mayor Miller said staff has held meetings with DES on mitigation strategies and invited affected residents to an April 30 town hall with herself and City Manager Charlie Funderburk to discuss Nivens Creek, deer population concerns and questions about The Grove development without the three-minute public comment limit.
The council did not take formal action on the specific remediation requests during the meeting. Residents asked for clearer post-construction follow-up and monitoring to protect waterfront access and for short-term measures, such as markers or buoys, to reduce further disturbance while longer-term solutions are studied.
Next steps: Mayor Miller scheduled the town hall for April 30 at 6:00 p.m. to gather more input; the council did not set a timeline for any specific remediation or funding at the April 20 session.
