Exclusive: Chimney Rock outlines next recovery phase

Village Administrator Stephen Duncan sits down with WCAB News as utility, river and downtown projects move toward 2027

Nearly two years after Hurricane Helene devastated Chimney Rock Village, Village Administrator Stephen Duncan sat down exclusively with WCAB News on Sept. 15 to discuss what has been rebuilt, what remains unfinished, and what residents and visitors can expect next.

Duncan said the village’s immediate priority is closing out the replacement of its water and sewer system, a roughly $2.85 million project completed less than a year after the storm.

Once the project is formally closed, Duncan said state and federal funding should allow the village to repay the approximately $2.851 million used to finance the work.

“We were able to reopen our town” nine months after the disaster, Duncan said. “Without that, our village would be dead, and because of that, we’re alive and we’re well and we’re kicking.”

Duncan said the financing carried no interest or required payments before 2030, but village leaders intend to repay it once reimbursements are finalized.

The village also has approximately $5.5 million in Department of Commerce grants for future improvements.

Duncan said those funds cannot be mixed with FEMA repair money, meaning damaged infrastructure must first be repaired before enhancement projects begin.

Planned work includes the downtown plaza, storm drains, sidewalks and other public infrastructure.

Duncan said he has asked project partners to identify what remains under FEMA-funded repairs and what improvements can follow, with a goal of beginning additional construction by early 2027 and completing as much work as possible by May 31.

Highway reconstruction advances

Chimney Rock is also continuing to work with the North Carolina Department of Transportation on reconstruction along the village’s main corridor.

Duncan said the first approximately 1,200 feet has been approved, extending from downtown toward the Best View Inn area and the former Chimney Rock Country Fair site.

Water and sewer infrastructure will be incorporated into the project.

The village also has a roughly $1.7 million grant that Duncan said will help fund landscaping, grass, trees and sidewalks above the rebuilt roadway infrastructure.

The goal, he said, is to make the corridor pedestrian-friendly while continuing to strengthen infrastructure damaged by Helene.

“We’re making progress,” Duncan told WCAB News.

Downtown remains open

Duncan emphasized that downtown Chimney Rock remains open for business despite ongoing construction.

“Every business is open,” he said.

The village is charging $5 for all-day parking, with that revenue supporting village operations.

Several businesses are also rebuilding or preparing to reopen.

Duncan said part of Bubba O'Leary's General Store is being rebuilt, the Hickory Nut store is continuing work on its property, and a new brewery may open by next spring.

The village has already completed water and sewer connections needed for the brewery, he said.

$10.6 million river work moves forward

Duncan also told WCAB News that a roughly $10.6 million Emergency Watershed Protection effort is moving forward along the river.

The program is expected to allow work on private property bordering the river, including projects intended to stabilize damaged areas and reduce future risk.

Duncan said Foothills Regional Commission will help manage the program, engineers will design the projects, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will review the work before contractors move forward.

The village believes the funding should cover repairs on numerous riverfront properties.

Trout stocking resumes, hazards remain

Duncan also confirmed that the Broad River is again being stocked with trout by the state.

Fishing is allowed from appropriate public access areas or from private property with the owner’s permission.

But Duncan cautioned that the river remains physically changed from the storm.

“The rocks are still moving around; it's not safe,” he said.

He said unstable rocks can create hazards for people entering the water and urged visitors to use designated public access areas and avoid trespassing on private property.

Emergency response can involve multiple agencies

Duncan also explained how emergency response currently works inside the small village.

Anyone facing an emergency should call 911, he said.

Depending on the incident, responders could include the Chimney Rock Volunteer Fire Department, Rutherford County EMS, the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office, Lake Lure Police Department or the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.

Other nearby agencies may also respond through mutual-aid agreements.

But Duncan said geography remains a challenge even with multiple agencies available.

“We may be small; we have access to a lot of agencies, but the question is, how long will it take those agencies to get to our location in Rutherford County?” he said.

The village also continues to use a private contractor, Apex Security, approved for FEMA reimbursement.

Duncan said they assist with traffic control, including tractor-trailers entering areas where temporary bridges cannot accommodate them. He emphasized they need to come from the east only, not the west. 

NC State Highway Patrol recently coordinated with the NC Department of Transportation to ensure commercial GPS units reflect that information with the temporary one-lane short bridges near the Esmeralda Inn along the Rocky Broad River near the Bat Cave border of Henderson County.

The permanent road will take a few more years to complete, NCDOT Secretary Daniel Johnson told WCAB News on July 30.

Updates for the public are available on DriveNC.gov.

Recovery enters another year

As Chimney Rock approaches the second anniversary of Hurricane Helene, Duncan said the milestone remains emotional for residents and village officials.

He also discussed a recent visit by FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton, who met with local leaders about ongoing recovery needs.

Duncan called the meeting one of the most substantive Chimney Rock has had with a federal agency head during the recovery.

“We felt like he heard us,” Duncan said.

Nearly two years after Helene tore through the Hickory Nut Gorge, Chimney Rock’s recovery is increasingly shifting from emergency repairs toward longer-term rebuilding.

“We’re making progress,” Duncan said.