20190906 Ver 1_Request for Additional Information_20190723

Strickland, Bev
From: Janice Olsen <[e-mail]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 23, 2019 1:09 PM
To: Pullinger, Robert C
Subject: [External] Fwd: Request for Additional Information
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---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Janice Olsen <[e-mail]>
Date: Tue, Jul 23, 2019 at 11:22 AM
Subject: Request for Additional Information
To: <[e-mail]>
Mr. Pullinger,
I received your certified letter re my application for wetlands fill at my home in NC - 206 Waterside Drive,
Harbinger.
The letter was to advise me that my application is on hold pursuant to the receipt of additional information;
specifically "avoidance and Minimization/Purpose and Need.
Honestly, I am not quite sure that I understand that terminology but what I can tell you is this:
My husband was living at our NC home until early July of last year, when he passed away at home. Prior to
that, we had lived in the residence for most of the time since it was built in 2002 and July 2018. When we
purchased the property in the early 1990s we were of course aware that part of the lot was considered
wetlands. We had a building plan that respected the amount of fill permitted at that time and built the house
to fit that plan.
Several years ago, neighbors, whose property was subject to the same vagaries of the ebbing and flowing of
the water in the wetlands connecting our properties, undertook to fill their lot. As a result the situation on my
lot has become untenable.
When my husband died, I was forced to put the house up for sale; I live in Philadelphia, PA where I look after
my daughter's four children, ages 4-11, and have done since the oldest was born.
When Hurricane Michael hit last fall, I had to leave Philadelphia and rush to NC to evaluate the damage and
set about making repairs. The lower level of the house had about 18" of standing water, so much had to be
done to salvage and replace that area. Additionally, about 2/3 of the bulkhead was destroyed as well as parts
of the pier and walkway. The usually small area of wetlands grew to a veritable lake, with flotsam and jetsom
collecting from around the neighborhood. I spent a lot of money to fix what needed repairing, both inside and
out, but the standing water remained an issue.

To date, I have rebuilt the bulkhead and then restored it - after waters breached the bulkhead from the sound
washing away the sand - and the area immediately adjacent to it. Despite all of my efforts, and several price
reductions, my property remains an albatross. Any buyers who have come to see the house, love it, but once
they retreat to the back area, the standing water and the looming phragmites that thrive in these waters, are
an insurmountable obstacle to a purchase.
In addition, the standing water is a breeding ground for mosquitoes and who knows what other pests, and as
such, a further deterrent to a sale. Likewise for my neighbors, these standing waters pose a health threat.
I am in my early 70s, living 400 miles away from this property; I am willing to spend the money to mitigate the
loss of this wetland, which is not so much a pristine marsh as a depression behind the bulkhead. I have been
able to obtain credits from the Great Dismal Swamp Mitigation Bank, and will pay the requisite $13000 as I
simply cannot see any other way to address the situatin in which I find myself.
If you have any further questions, please call me at 252-619-1373. 1 will be coming to NC during the week of
August 11th if you would like to meet with me and see the issue first hand.
Sincerely,
Janice Olsen