Pine Glen homeowners ready to rebuild after flood

Robbie Damron is camping in her driveway as she awaits the repair of her flood-damaged home in St. Andrews.

“You make the best of a bad situation,” she said of the prospect of living in a cramped RV until spring as she writes thank-you notes to 60 volunteers who helped clean up the initial mess.

Campers and portable storage containers are common in the Pine Glen neighborhood six weeks after nearly all of its 134 homes were inundated with between six inches and six feet when the lower Saluda River overflowed.

Most residents just received the go-ahead from Lexington County officials for repairs, three weeks sooner than expected, as insurance payments and disaster aid continue to arrive.

Many homeowners are choosing to renovate rather than abandon the homes from which some had to be rescued.

Pine Glen is home to a third of 380 residences in the county damaged by floods Oct. 4 and 5.

Its ranch-style homes generally priced at no more than $80,000 attract retirees and younger families who like its quiet setting close to good schools, stores and I-20 for job commutes.

Initial concerns that many homes would have to be raised off the ground by, in some cases, 12 feet have evaporated. Federal and county officials determined only about a half dozen suffered enough damage to warrant elevating.

Dan Gay is challenging a decision that his home of 38 years must be elevated 10 feet, less than the 14 feet originally suggested.

“Why do people think they can tell me what I can and can’t do?” he said of making repairs. “I have a problem with that.”

Other homeowners are encountering unexpected problems as repairs begin.

The discovery of mold in her floors put renovations to her home “in total limbo,” said Shafeka Carter, who is living with her father during repairs.

In contrast, a few homeowners might return by Nov. 30 after getting repairs of minor damage under way quickly.

One of them, Marsha Davidson, resolved to come back even as firefighters rescued her by boat after sunset.

“It’s our home and has been for years,” she said of a neighborhood her family has lived in since 1975.

Davidson never imagined the flood in lower parts of the neighborhood would reach her home even as her adult children who live nearby left as a precaution.

“I was very surprised, but we got out safely and that’s all that matters,” she said.

Other homeowners are waiting for walls to dry before repairs can begin. With outdoor temperatures cooling, that means in some cases that some homes have fans that are running round-the-clock and windows open.

Mark Fuge is among those making long-wanted changes as part of repairs. “It was something we wanted to do, so it makes sense,” he said of redesigning a bathroom.

Recovery is strengthening ties among neighbors who say they often waved to each other but seldom talked much.

“People who didn’t know each other much got out and started helping each other,” said Fuge, leader of the neighborhood crime watch. “It’s building a stronger community.”

Now, there’s talk of seeking a levee to protect the area, last flooded in 1965 before homes rose.

Some homeowners want South Carolina Electric & Gas Co. to pay for that after the utility released water into the river during record rain to protect the earthen dam at Lake Murray two miles upstream.

“That would be justice, making up for their mistake,” said Katie London, who has lived in Pine Glen 25 years.

Three homeowners in the nearby Coldstream neighborhood are suing SCE&G for flood damage, with more possible.

“Our hearts go out to all the families impacted by this natural disaster,” SCE&G spokesman Eric Boomhower said. “We understand the damage and disruption that this unprecedented rainfall brought into the lives of so many.”

But the dam that created the man-made lake 85 years ago isn’t designed to prevent floods, he said.

“Although the lake and dam are not licensed or operated for the purpose of providing flood control, we worked to the best of our ability, within the parameters of our operating license, to minimize the impact of lake and river levels on area residents throughout this event,” Boomhower said.

Some officials are pushing SCE&G to provide notice of floodgates opening faster and sooner than the warning of slightly more than two hours that occurred.

“Better communication in such situations is one thing we want to see when it comes to lessons learned from this,” said Irmo Fire Chief Mike Sonefeld, whose firefighters had to save about 100 people from their homes.

Meanwhile, London is advising neighbors to be patient and persistent in coping with repairs.

Dealing with water damage is a task she knows after spending nine months to fix her home when frozen pipes burst in early 2014 while she was on a trip.

“I made it through that,” London said, “and I’m making it through this one.”

This story was originally published November 14, 2015 at 5:59 PM with the headline "Pine Glen homeowners ready to rebuild after flood."