<br />
<br />The recovery effort for Kinston-Lenoir County following
<br />Hurricane Fran was guided by two objectives: I) To
<br />snbstantially or permanently reduce flood hazards in
<br />Kinston-Lenoir County; and 2) To revitalize existing residential neighhorhoods and husiness development in a
<br />long-ternl effort lO empower citizens to be self-sufficient, and in the process to improve their quality of life."
<br />
<br />structure sustained major flood damages, with total iosses
<br />estimated in the tens of millions of dollars, The community
<br />also experienced major environmental problems, caused in
<br />part by the fallure of the sewage treatment piant, which
<br />resuited in major spills of raw and partially treated sewage
<br />into the Neuse River, In short, the unprecedented property
<br />damage and economic iosses, coupled with the substantial
<br />social, economic, and environmental problems, created
<br />enOnTIOUS challenges for locai officials who have accepted
<br />the responsibility for developing a recovery stl"Jtegy for
<br />Kinston-Lenoir County,
<br />
<br />Acquisition/Relocation Strateb'Y
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<br />Figure 2.6 Acquisiliou !'roper/ies ill tbe Ci(r of Killstoll
<br />
<br />The centerpiece of the recovery and redevelopment strateb,), for Kinston-Lenoir County from Fran and Floyd is
<br />the acquisition of more than 400 residential structures, three mobile home parks, aod 68 vacant lot" The
<br />goal is to pennanently eliminate repetitive flood hazards and public safety risks in Kinston-Lenoir County,
<br />
<br />The acquisition project, among the largest ever undertaken, is a muiti.year effort that will cost approximately
<br />$31 million, of which $15 million will he funded through the Hazard ~litigation Gmnt Progmm, $12 million
<br />in Community Development Biock Grant (CDBG) funds ,wd IIUD Disaster Recovery Initiative (DRI) funds,
<br />and $4 million in state funds,
<br />
<br />Improving the Quality of Life
<br />
<br />At the outset, the goal of this initiative has been
<br />to improve the quality of life of the citizens of
<br />Kinston-I.enoir County through a muiti-objective
<br />approach to hazard mitigation and sustainable
<br />development. The strateb'Y has been to integrate
<br />and leverage federal, state and community-hased
<br />resources to carry out progmms that not only
<br />move families out of the floodplains, but also
<br />addresses affordabie housing. employment, job
<br />training, tbe economical use of renewable
<br />resources, and self-sufficiency,
<br />
<br />
<br />Figure 2,7
<br />rbis Kinston bOllse
<br />wllsjlooded during
<br />Frail. acqllired and
<br />mcated witb illlGP
<br />fitllds (photo lit
<br />le}I), and sllhse-
<br />quently j/ooded in
<br />Flo}'d
<br />
<br />Hurricane Floyd: An Opportunity to Measure tosses Avoided
<br />'nlrollgh the Acquisition of Flood-Prone Properties
<br />
<br />On September 22, 1999, the Neuse River crested at 38,6 feet or II feet
<br />above normal river levels, and the citizens of Kinston-I.enoir County once
<br />again experienced the full impact of torrential rains and flooding - the by-
<br />products of Hurricane Floyd, The flooding from Hurricane Floyd (and
<br />Hurricane Dennis), which crested over three feet higher than Hurricane
<br />Fmn, is considered to be hetween a 50-year and a I OO-year fluod event."
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<br />27
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