Hurricane Matthew Recovery – Fair Bluff
Fair Bluff, a town of fewer than 1,000 people along the Lumber River in Columbus County, N.C., sits near the North Carolina-South Carolina border. Built in 1873, the town’s prominent features include an elevated riverwalk along the Lumber, with main street one block away. Hurricane Matthew damaged approximately 100 homes out of fewer than 600 total housing units. Much of the town lies within the 100-year floodplain.
On Oct. 13, 2016, floodwaters from Hurricane Matthew moved downstream toward the eastern coast of North Carolina, causing the Lumber River to approximately 15 feet. The North Carolina State University College of design proposed multiple housing types for relocation, elevation and further protection of future structures in town, as well as greenspace designation, through the Homeplace document.
Reports:
- Recovery Plan
- Homeplace
- Downtown Flood Retrofit Report
- Land Suitability Analysis Briefing | Technical Memo
- Market and Financial Analysis
Fair Bluff recovery in the news:
- NCSU class unveils options for rebuilding Fair Bluff by Allen Turner // The (Columbus) News Reporter (10.2.17)
- Fair Bluff Visioning Meeting by The News Reporter (video) (8.15.17)