PRINCEVILLE, N.C. (AP) - Residents in the Hurricane Matthew-flooded town of Princeville have been given three choices about their property.
Commissioners in the town established by former slaves in 1865 and incorporated in 1885 decided residents should be allowed to consider all three options from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, WTVD-TV (https://abc11.tv/2ifqNWL ) reported.
Town manager Daniel Gerald said 241 homes had major damage and 229 others had less severe damage. Princeville had about 750 homes housing about 2,200 people.
FEMA says residents could chose to raise their homes above the flood plain, if possible, or rebuild homes and raise the new structures above the flood plain or take a buyout, where the federal government would buy the property and convert it to greenspace that can never be used for homes.
The commission voted 2-1 Monday night to allow residents to consider all three options.
Mayor Bobbie Jones and Commissioner Joeroam Myrick did not want the vote Monday. They wanted more time and information from the state.
Those who opposed the vote Monday said there’s concern about the buyout option.
The town has an annual budget of less than $1 million. Green space is untaxable, which would hurt Princeville’s finances. The town would also have to maintain the property.
“I am Princeville through and through. I want to see it very successful,” Jones said. “I just feel what we’ve done tonight (Monday) is just going to put a kink in our plans and our vision, because anytime you take away 40 homes from a town the size of Princeville, it’s going to have a negative impact.”
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Information from: WTVD-TV, https://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/
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