Flooding in the area of Dukes and Hendricks streets is a citizen’s concern for the Columbia Board of Aldermen.
Stephanie Wilson, who has addressed the Board on a number of issues in the past, was on the agenda Tuesday.
“I can’t remember if this is my third time in front of the Board, but I know it’s at least my second,” Wilson said. “I cannot use the west side of my yard due to the flooding. I am unable to put a fence, yard furniture or anything out on that side of my yard. I requested (from a previous Board) that something be done to determine what could be done.”
Wilson said the problem can stem from several things.
“The first thing is that when the paving was done down Hendricks Street, they went all the way to the curb,” she said. “My curb is half to a fourth of the height that it should be. Water is flowing form the west, south and east sides and it all gathers at Dukes and Hendricks.”
Wilson said the drains on Hendricks Street often could not hold water.
“When the drains are full, the water literally makes a turn and flows down Hendricks Street where the curb has been cut in half or more by the paving,” she said “The ditches are full of vegetation. If you’re looking across from my property there was an old store on Hendricks. I remember it from my childhood.”
Wilson said the city had tried a variety of things to alleviate the problem in the past decade, but that none had worked.
“I’m requesting that you write an official letter, the mayor and the Board, about what you plan to do about it,” she said. “I want an official determination from the Board and the engineer – telling what you are going to do about it. I want something done about that.”
As Wilson continued with the discussions, she grew frustrated. Mayor Justin McKenzie spoke about the issues after Wilson discussed a city closure of an abandoned street, Hammond Avenue. Hammond runs off Dukes and is less than 50 yards from Hendricks. When closed about a decade ago, the city piled dirt to seal the street, which has no houses on it. Wilson said the dirt that was piled there clogs the drains in the area when heavy rains occur, adding to the problem. Wilson also did not like a recent city solution to her drainage problem.
“I am so disappointed that this city thought that you could come and break a piece of curb and it would solve my issue,” she said. “I had the last administration finally close in that area and I come home one day and my curb is broken up, and what I hear is because we thought that would help the drainage situation. My drainage situation would be solved by increasing the curb height, making sure that all of the drains are clear. Yet the ditches are full and Hammond Street is full of this big pile of dirt that when it rains it goes on either side of the street. I thank you for everything you’ve done, but what I’m asking of this Board is to do something about these issues.”
McKenzie said he had made numerous trips through the area, including during Saturday’s heavy rains.
“I’m well aware of the issues,” he said. “We went over there and took a chunk out of the curb. The yard is your responsibility. You have to build it up if you don’t want it to hold water. It is a mud hole right now. It is a hole below the curb. The curb is higher than your yard. If you don’t want water to fill up your yard, it has to be higher than the curb in your yard. The curb on Hendricks Street is higher than your yard. Yes, it is the standard curb.”
McKenzie said crews had spent the day Tuesday working to address the problem.
“They’ve been up there all day,” he said. “I was over there this weekend and it was flooding. I talked with Miss Anna (Evans, Ward 3 alderwoman) and I’ve seen that is is bad. I told three of the five Board members I saw earlier that worst drainage issue I found in town was when I turned on Hendricks Street and saw it was not taking water like it should.”
McKenzie explained that crews were working in the area and gave Wilson specifics about what was being done to the ditches and the drainage.
“We’ve done things,” he said. “There is also a pine tree on your property that is tearing up our catch basin. It needs to go. The one across the street on the other property needs to go because it’s got roots that are infesting our storm drains.”
McKenzie and Wilson went back and forth for several minutes over the issues.
“I really want to have a working relationship with this Board because there are things that you guys are doing that are fantastic,” she said. “But you’re blaming me because my yard is lower than the curb; my yard is equal to the curb. The curb has been diminished.”
After more discussions about the city’s options and the problem the discussion ended some 37 minutes later. On Wednesday, city trucks could be seen in the area checking around Hammond Avenue.
“We’re trying our best to do something about it,” McKenzie said.
Pictured Above: Stephanie Wilson addresses the Columbia Board of Aldermen Tuesday about flooding on Hendricks Street near Dukes Avenue. Mayor Justin McKenzie said the city is working to correct the issues. | Photo by Mark Rogers
