BOLIVIA, NC (WWAY) — A week has passed since a powerful storm unleashed multiple inches of rain on the Cape Fear region, hitting Brunswick County particularly hard.
In their first meeting since the storm, Brunswick County commissioners faced a significant outcry from residents regarding the issue. More than 20 residents addressed the board, voicing their frustration and anger over what they see as excessive development contributing to the recent flooding.
Haile Buggi and Garrett Baugher, residents of the Country Walk community in Winnabow, reported that their home, along with several others in their neighborhood, experienced flooding during the storm, a situation they attribute in part to developments near swampland. Buggi stated, “Five of our homes have been flooded; their backyard floods, too. If they fix that issue, it’s just going to add more water to us. We have active swamps in our community where the trees are all dead—you can tell it’s a swamp, with four or five of them here. How is it allowed to develop with swampland in the community? It doesn’t make any sense to me.”
Buggi and Baugher expressed uncertainty about their next steps, contemplating whether they should rebuild or absorb financial losses and relocate. During the meeting, Linda Baker shared her perspective, stating that while she is not opposed to development, it must be strategically planned. “I’m not against development; I’m looking for planned intelligent development,” Baker said. “We saw tonight what happens when you don’t have intelligent planning.”
Board chairman Randy Thompson acknowledged the residents’ concerns, noting that the Board of Commissioners intends to review various issues in the coming months, including evacuation plans, road conditions, and the county’s flood management strategies.
