While Burnet’s in flood recovery mode, some residents are at standstill
Piles of flood debris are being left out for city crews to pick up as part of flood recovery efforts in Burnet. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
Burnet is recovering from a hard hit by the Fourth of July weekend flood, with the city taking emergency measures to put itself back together. However, some homeowners have been bound by government red tape.
“On July 5th, the city of Burnet experienced the most severe flooding event in its
recorded history,” reads a July 22 statement from Burnet City Manager David Vaughn. “In response, city crews immediately began recovery operations to restore essential services, ensure public safety, and support impacted residents and businesses.”
Enormous amounts of rain fell across Central Texas just before and on July 5, when the normally subdued Hamilton Creek and its tributaries began rapidly flooding.
At least two people were killed in the city of Burnet and dozens of others displaced after floodwaters damaged or destroyed their homes. Around 10 homes along Oak Street were damaged or destroyed; 38 out of 40 Burnet Housing Authority living units were damaged; several businesses, including Consolidated Water and The Thirsty Penguin were flooded; and residences all along Hamilton Creek, Haynie Branch, and Daugherty Branch had some level of destruction.
So far, the city of Burnet has authorized up to $1 million for emergency repairs and curbside debris pickups, waived building permit fees for flood-damaged homes and businesses, established a $75,000 utility assistance program for impacted residents, and approved a new business grant program to help affected commercial property owners.
Burnet work crews are scouring the city, picking up debris and using heavy equipment to haul it off. These pickups will continue until at least Aug. 1.
“As we transition from response and recovery to rebuilding, we understand the frustration of residents eager to begin repairs,” the city manager’s statement continued. “Our top priority as a city is to work with homeowners and business owners to get them the information and support they need to return to their properties as soon as possible.”
The recovery process involves support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which has strict guidelines for rebuilding and repairing homes that have been damaged in a flood. If a damaged or destroyed home is in a floodplain, it might have to be rebuilt to certain standards, meeting modern safety requirements and avoiding future flood issues.
To fall into compliance, Burnet hired outside consultant Streamline Engineering to conduct FEMA-required substantial damage estimations, which began July 22.
According to Vaughn, the inspections should be done by Friday, July 25, and building permits could be issued early next week. However, until FEMA assessments are completed and building permits issued, many residents and property owners have had to put recovery on hold.
Debra and Tom Ashworth, whose home on Oak Street was damaged, woke up to water rising up their driveway in the dark morning hours of July 5.
“My wife woke me up. I went and looked in the driveway—an inch or two, it wasn’t bad,” Ashworth told DailyTrib.com. “But I looked up and there was a huge wall of water coming at us.”
Ashworth opened the front and back doors to their home, allowing 3 feet of water to rush through and alleviate pressure on the walls.
He, his wife, and their three dogs escaped through waist-deep water by truck and waited out the storm in the parking lot of Walgreens on the corner of Texas 29 and U.S. 281.
Following the ordeal, the Ashworths were lucky enough to have a family friend with a construction company willing to donate labor and materials to get their home back in shape, but there was a hiccup.
“(The city) said we could tear up the debris, but we couldn’t begin construction,” Ashworth explained.
While the Ashworths have been ready to rebuild since July 8, Burnet has not issued them a permit, as they cannot proceed until a full FEMA inspection is complete.
“The biggest thing I’m frustrated with about the city of Burnet is the lack of communication,” Ashworth said. “We’ve been in a holding pattern since the 8th. We’ve heard very little about how the process is going.”
The Ashworths’ biggest concern is they would have to rebuild their home to modern standards if the damage is assessed at more than 50 percent of the home’s value. Their house was built in 1939, and modernizing it would require a complete overhaul. It would have to be raised 3 feet, include wall studs every 16 inches instead of every 24 inches, and all electrical would need to be replaced.
The couple is currently staying at a home owned by a friend. They expect that, after getting the greenlight from the city, it will take two or more months to rebuild.
“The uncertainty is just killing me right now,” Ashworth said.
Many Burnet residents are in the same holding pattern, waiting to get to work on rebuilding their homes and their lives.
City Manager Vaughn acknowledged the concerns of residents.
“While we know the process is frustrating, it is essential to protect both current and future
residents and to ensure continued access to long-term federal funding support,” reads his statement.
Once all FEMA assessments have been completed, the city is prepared to contract with additional staff to help expedite the building permit process for property owners.
Residents can learn more about FEMA support online or by visiting the FEMA disaster recovery center from 8 a.m.-7 p.m. daily at the Burnet Community Center, 401 E. Jackson St.