Residents press county over Woods Creek pollution; staff say engineering review and DEQ meetings are underway

Several residents told the Board of Supervisors on Feb. 23 that Woods Creek is running muddy and chemically contaminated downstream of grading at the Lexington Golf and Country Club project.

Deborah Woodcock and Barbara Walsh presented photographs and described persistent high turbidity, noting that side streams below the golf course appear clear while the main channel is heavily silted. Walsh said she had requested the county’s stormwater and erosion plan two months earlier and had not received it. Both speakers asked the county to enforce erosion‑and‑sedimentation controls and said the scale of the project (staff cited approximately $30 million and more than 100 acres) demands more staff and technical resources.

County staff responded in a board comment period with a timeline: plans were reviewed by the county’s contracted engineering reviewer (AMT); the developer’s contractor installed the approved erosion and sediment controls but a dewatering method failed during heavy runoff leading to silt releases. Staff said the contractor subsequently switched to piping water through filtration bags, tested outflow to DEQ standards, reinforced silt fencing and added pumps. County staff said inspections continue, a follow‑up meeting with DEQ is scheduled and a formal determination about whether 'construction' has begun is being prepared by zoning staff.

Staff acknowledged that no civil penalties have yet been assessed and that larger sites may require engineering oversight beyond a single county stormwater employee. Supervisors asked staff to ensure affected residents receive stormwater plans and to continue coordinating with DEQ and the developer to prevent future releases.