News

Subscribe

County applies for flood buyout funds

  • Print
  • •
  • •
  • 2 Comments
  • •
  • Favorite
  • •
  • Report an error Report error
    • Thank you for your submission.
      Error report or correction
      Contact name (optional) Contact phone/e-mail (optional)  
      Sending report
    • Close
  • •
  • David Tewes •
  • Originally published January 5, 2009 at 11:42 p.m., updated January 5, 2009 at 11:42 p.m.

Property owners on Garcitas Creek near Inez could recoup some of their losses from the 2007 flooding that ravaged their houses.

The Victoria County Commissioners Court voted Monday to apply for a $405,361 federal grant.

That money and a $135,120 match from the county would be used to buy the severely flood damaged homes from the three owners, allowing them to abandon the flood-prone property.

"It got to be too much and it was flooding all the time," said Tim Doelle. "It was like seven times in 30 years."

Doelle owns the house at 1342 Rodeo Drive that his 69-year-old mother lived in.

That house and two others in the area were flooded by the July 2, 2007 flash flood. They were also damaged in earlier floods, causing substantial damage to the structures.

The three houses will be razed and the eight acres will be owned by the county.

"It's a shame because it's a beautiful house," Doelle said of the 3,000-square-foot structure he owns.

County Commissioner Wayne Dierlam said the primary benefit of the buyout program is that the owners won't have to worry about the houses flooding again.

"It took the people time to figure out what they really wanted to do - whether they wanted to go back and rebuild or whatever," he said. "But they found out the best thing for them to do is take part in the buyout."

  • The addresses of the flood-damaged houses are 234 Weitz Road, 1342 Rodeo Road and 200 Weitz Road.



  • Print
  • •
  • •
  • 2 Comments
  • •
  • Favorite
  • •
  • Report an error Report error
    • Thank you for your submission.
      Error report or correction
      Contact name (optional) Contact phone/e-mail (optional)  
      Sending report
    • Close
  • •

Comments

  • unbelievable unbelievable Report a ViolationReport a Violation Permalink  | 

    I am from that area and I believe all those houses are at least 20 years old. I know that the ones on Weitz Road are older than that. The flood plain out there has changed in the last 14 years. My parents house has never flooded until 1994 and it got 4' in it. It was built about 30 years ago. So, they might not have known when those houses were built that they would flood. If the county wants to do something really constructive, they should go in and clear out the Garcitis Creek so that the flooding will not be as great.

    January 5, 2009 at 9:22 p.m.
  • Danoutex Danoutex Report a ViolationReport a Violation Permalink  | 

    Flooded in 2007 and it is 2009 now? Yes, bad news on the flood however .... wouldn't you think the owners knew this was in a flood plain when they built their homes? Why should the government be buying them out IF the owners build in a major flood prone area?

    January 5, 2009 at 9:08 p.m.