James City business owners concerned that construction is leading to flooding issues

JAMES CITY, N.C. — Scottie Smith is the owner of Bath Concepts. His business has been located at Brittany Place in James City along Highway 70 for 26 years.

“We have never witnessed flooding like we’re witnessing with what has gone over the last couple of weeks,” says Smith.

LM Hair Studio cosmetologist Antonella Tripicano can attest.

She says, “the parking lot is always constantly getting flooded, unfortunately the nightmare has just gotten worse and worse, and worse.”

Businesses workers and owners at Brittany Place say they have not only been dealing with flooding in the parking lot, but some have had water get inside their business. Also nearby business Cayton Plumbing & Utility Contractors had about eight inches of water flood inside their business Sunday. As of Thursday clean-up crews are still working to repair the damage.

Owner James Cayton says, “destroyed everything, we took all the furniture out, cutting the walls out now.”

He adds that this has never happened before.

“We’ve been here through all the hurricanes, Dennis, Floyd, you name it we have them. Pretty bad hurricanes where the city of New Bern has flooded all out downtown, but we’ve never been flooded,” said Cayton.

Cayton and others believe the construction along the highway is the culprit.

Cayton said, “DOT is saying it’s the contractor. I don’t know I’ve talked to the contractor, the contractor says their storm drain is adequate. But where they’re tying in across the road to the DOT existing outfall, is not big enough.”

NCDOT Engineer Jordan Scott says they are reviewing the project, after what occurred Sunday and Monday.

“I know we’re investigating our drainage that we’re putting in. When we construct the project the intent is to always maintain drainage, at least to existing road. Like I said this was a very high intensity event, we don’t have all our permanent drainage in right now, so we’re kind have been in an in between phase from existing to permanent, so we’re reviewing all those devices, or where we’re at, all those connections. Making sure we do have that connectivity and that we’re not all blocked up,” said Scott.

Scott urges anyone business owners and residents that have concerns with flooding issues, to reach out to them and contact them with your concerns. For more information on how to do so click here.