Dear Residents,
We are well into Day 12 of Hurricane Matthew Recovery, and our Landings Association team and contractors remain fully engaged in community cleanup and repairs, as are many residents of our community.
We have created a new Hurricane Matthew Resource and Information page on the Association’s website. The content is divided into two areas. One is geared toward providing resources for those residents with damage requiring information and assistance in obtaining and dealing with contractors for home repairs, debris removal, etc. The second area is general information for everyone. I strongly urge residents to review the contents of this new website section to learn more about available resources for residents as well as the myriad of relevant community issues post-Matthew. In the meantime, below are some pressing updates on post Matthew issues.
Association Damage Permits
The Community Development Department soon will complete the process of surveying and evaluating property damage, and issuing restoration permits for damaged homes. To date, 243 restoration permits have been issued. If your home sustained structural damage as a result of Hurricane Matthew and you do not see this permit on your mailbox, please contact he Community Development Department so that one may be issued. Standard permitting and other normal business operations will resume on Wednesday, October 26. The next scheduled Architectural Review Committee meeting will occur on November 4, with all completed submissions due one week prior to the meeting date.
Association Cleanup Status
Landings Association crews began removing storm debris from all rights-of-way and common property on Monday, October 10th , after the streets were cleared. The Association hired MTS and R&D Tree and Storm Services on October 12 to supplement our crews in the cleanup. As noted previously, our contractor (with ten 70 cubic yard grapple trucks) is easily distinguishable by the large black dump bodies with rear-mounted cranes. Crews started at the gates and have now completed a first pass on all main streets and are currently working on the first pass on the loop (secondary) streets, such as Log Landing, Romerly, Mercer, Bartram, Delegal, Shellwind Drive, and Yam Gandy. Two trucks per phase have been assigned to the largest areas of the community. Thereafter, crews will continue to work on our longest dead-end streets, followed by hammer-heads and cul-de-sacs. If a crew has skipped your property while on a street, it is likely that the equipment (each has specific capabilities and limitations depending on the situation) wasn’t appropriate to handle your debris. Please be patient and rest assured that a crew will return. At this juncture, we are unable to provide a timeframe for pick-up of each street but will continue to provide regular updates to provide the most accurate information possible.
Both Association crews and our contractors are also addressing potentially dangerous trees and hanging limbs on common property. Bucket trucks have been deployed to handle removal of the 700+ trees identified thus far that must be removed, in addition to those that have fallen.
Likewise, crews are busy clearing the community paths of debris and have completed Landings Way North and South and Westcross paths. Crews are expected to complete Shellwind today (October 19) and will begin working on all paths in Marshwood. Please note that we are continuing to identify areas where the paths have been lifted due to fallen trees and root upheaval. These areas are being marked with cones and caution tape that require your attentiveness and extra care until the damage can be repaired or replaced. We continue strongly to discourage use of the paths until they can be completely evaluated for your safety and well-being.
Chatham County Status
Chatham County has not performed any storm debris removal in our community, or in any of the private communities in the county. Chatham County is eligible for direct FEMA reimbursement for storm debris cleanup and has submitted an application to meet the stringent requirements imposed for funding. Private communities are not eligible for direct FEMA reimbursement, and must go through the local government application process — in our case through Chatham County. Last week, I promptly submitted the documents required by Chatham County for inclusion in their application. As of late yesterday (October 18), our County Commissioner, Pat Farrell, advised me that it could be another week or more before a FEMA determination is received.
According to County officials, they are being extremely judicious in the use of County resources to ensure that potential FEMA reimbursement is not compromised. There are numerous stories of communities receiving FEMA reimbursement and subsequently having the funding pulled. The County has, however, begun cleanup of the public streets in the County. I asked what the County will do if the FEMA reimbursement is not approved. County Manager Lee Smith advised that they anticipate FEMA will approve reimbursement, but if not, the County Commission will need to determine the next steps.
The issue of FEMA funding for private communities is one that The Landings Association, as well as the Community Associations Institute and other private communities have been lobbying elected officials to change for some time. To read more on this inequity, please see our Hurricane Matthew website tab:
Community Associations Institute (CAI) FEMA Eligibility Statement and Letter to the POTUS Regarding FEMA Eligibility
Halloween
As always, Trick or Treat is held on October 31 from 5:30 until 8:30 p.m. in The Landings. Unfortunately, much storm debris remains along our streets, in addition to the hazards posed on the community paths. We strongly encourage parents to take the necessary precautions to protect your children and prevent an accident. The storm debris piles are quite large and contain significant hazards. We also encourage parents to Trick or Treat with children in the early part of the evening to take advantage of remaing daylight. Please remember, it’s dark by 6:30 p.m.!
Many of you look forward to the biennial Haunted Halloween Trail (between Huntingwood Retreat and Cotesworth Place) provided by resident Rick Culbreath for the community every other year. Unfortunately, Hurricane Matthew has prevented this much-anticipated event from being held this year. Rick is looking forward to hosting the Haunted Trail next year.
My continued thanks for your help, cooperation, and patience during this recovery period.
Shari Haldeman
General Manger/COO
The Landings Association
