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A dam that regulates water levels in Lake Glenwood in Eastern Pines needs repairs. The Greenville City Council on Thursday unanimously voted against a rezoning request because runoff from the property would flow into the lake and likely put additional stress on the dam.

A dam that regulates water levels in Lake Glenwood in Eastern Pines needs repairs. The Greenville City Council on Thursday unanimously voted against a rezoning request because runoff from the property would flow into the lake and likely put additional stress on the dam.

Fears that runoff from a proposed apartment complex could place additional stress on a deteriorating dam prompted the Greenville City Council to unanimously deny a developer’s rezoning request.

Bill Clark Homes wanted to rezone 13.8 acres east of L.T. Hardee Road and between the Norfolk Southern Railroad and Leon Drive from residential-agricultural to residential, high-density multi-family.

During a presentation to the council on Thursday, Chief Planner Chantae Gooby said staff found the request in compliance with the city’s Horizons 2026 community plan and future land use and character map. Gooby said since the property was in the Hardee Creek watershed, a 10-year retention area would be required if stormwater rules applied.

The neighbors feared runoff from the property would flow into Lake Glenwood south of the development off Eastern Pines Road. The lake is contained by a dam that has received notices of deficiency from the state Dam Safety Program.

The speakers feared additional stormwater runoff would cause the dam to fail and flood Eastern Pines Road and neighborhoods downstream. Council members raised concerns a breach could be catastrophic and threaten lives.

“What tool does council have or staff have to ensure development on this parcel isn’t going to create a disaster downstream,” Councilman Rick Smiley asked. What could the city require Bill Clark Homes to do to avoid overloading Lake Glenwood and its dam.

Increased water retention requirements are based on known water quantity issues, said City Engineer Lisa Kirby. Historically, the city has relied on issues identified in the city’s stormwater master plan to justify the extra retention.

Lake Glenwood wasn’t included in the last stormwater study because it is outside Greenville’s city limits, Kirby said. When the city conducts a new plan it will be included because of the annexations and development that has occurred in recent years.

Smiley said it doesn’t sound like there is anything readily available that the city can do to require additional retention. Smiley also asked Landon Weaver, who represents Bill Clark Homes, what he knew about the lake and the dam.

“I think it’s been in disrepair for quite some time,” Weaver said. “Whether we develop this area or not, the problem is still going to be there.”

Contacted Friday, Weaver said staff at Bill Clark Homes is reviewing the council’s vote and the situation and didn’t want to comment.

Representatives of the Lake Glenwood Property Owners Association went to the Pitt County Board of Commissioners in April seeking help with the dam’s repairs. It was proposed that the county assume ownership of the lake and some surrounding property so it could become a county park. It was suggested the county could then pursue grants to repair the dam.

A consultant who worked with the county said repairing the dam would cost an estimated $751,000. Obtaining the permit to make the repairs would take two years. The county took no action in April but voted 5-4 to keep discussions open.

County staff talked with the N.C. Department of Transportation about contributing some money to the dam’s repairs. County Manager Janis Gallagher said transportation officials believe a drainage pipe that runs from the lake under Eastern Pines Road and further downstream is the correct size and doesn’t need upgrading so the department doesn’t need to be involved.

No further discussion or action has been taken by county staff since the NCDOT discussion, Gallagher said.

Jeff Bair, a Lake Glenwood resident who has undertaken the job of managing the lake, told the council repairing the dam isn’t as simple as replacing the deteriorating piping.

The state has declared it a “high hazard” and is mandating larger piping be installed, Bair said. Bair said many times he’s found himself in near hurricane-strength winds monitoring the dam and making adjustments to prevent a breach.

When the lake was created, the surrounding area was rural and undeveloped and could handle runoff. Given the growth that has occurred, it would be better described as a stormwater reservoir, Bair said.

Mark and Delene Posey, who live in a nearby neighborhood, were told their home was outside the floodplain when they purchased it even though a ditch that ran into Lake Glenwood was nearby.

The couple described how water was an inch away from flooding their home during a storm. They fear runoff from the apartment complex would close that gap.

Ron Lancaster said the Lake Glenwood dam has been breached twice in a 23-year period. It was nearly breached several other times but it was avoided thanks to the work of residents and local emergency responders.

Lancaster also said he believed putting a high-density development in a community of single-family homes would be a detriment to the area’s quality of life.

Other neighbors expressed worries over increased traffic and that the only entrance into the proposed development is located at the vertex of a 90-degree curve.

“This road, L.T. Hardee Road, was not made for high impact traffic,” Wanda Smith said.

Dennis Campbell, who echoed the concerns about drainage, also raised questions about noise and light pollution coming from an apartment complex.

He said he had researched data that showed that between June 2021 and June 2022, 200 car crashes occurred at the intersection of L.T. Hardee Road and N.C. 33 East, which would be used by most of the increased traffic generated by the apartment complex.

Weaver said Bill Clark Homes is having discussions with Norfolk Southern Railroad about utilizing an access road that connects the property to the Walmart property on East 10th Street as a secondary access.

He said Norfolk Southern had already agreed that the road could be accessed by emergency vehicles that might need it when the development is complete.

Contact Ginger Livingston at glivingston@reflector.com or 252-329-9570.

www.Reflector.com 1150 Sugg Pkwy Greenville, NC 27834 Main Phone: 252-329-9500 Customer Care Phone: 252-329-9505

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