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Flooding Problems Near End Of Road For Johnston County Subdivision

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JOHNSTON COUNTY, N.C. — A rainy day is enough to make residents of one neighborhood smile -- not because they need the rain, but because it will prove a big problem is finally fixed.

Five On Your Side reported the flooding problems in the Waverly Point subdivision about 1½ years ago. Since then, the Johnston County homeowners have struggled to get the problem corrected. Now, it looks like it is.

Most people would not want to watch construction crews digging up their property, but TinaBarnard prefers the view to what she has been seeing every time a hardrain falls -- a river of storm water rushing through her front yard.

She and three of her neighbors in the Waverly Point Subdivision have dealtwith the flooding problem for almost two years.

The homeowners repeatedly tried to get the builder, Greg Johnson, and the developer,Son-Lan Development, to fix it. Neither did.

In the fall of 2001, Barnard called Five on Your Side. After a callto Son-Lan, Sonny Johnson told Five On Your Side he was simply "not going to talk about it."

Johnston County leaders told Five On Your Side they could not get involved,because the neighborhood was permitted before storm water regulations were inplace. They said they could not make the developer do anything.

All the publicity and dozens of vocal homeowners made a difference.

In July, county leaders realized Waverly Point

is

covered under theregulations. Soon after, they told Son-Lan to fix the problems or stopdevelopment in the neighborhood.

"I'm really excited about how it's going to turn out," Barnard said.

Work began a few weeks ago. Crews are installing a large drainage system andre-sodding yards. Barnard said she could not be happier.

"It's been a long road, but I think it's a well-traveled road and it had a very good outcome," she said.

Now when it rains, she will not mind looking outside.

"If I can walk across my driveway, I'll probably be dancing across there,hands up all excited, because that will be the first time I'll actually getto walk across my drive without having the rain or water build-up in itwhich will be wonderful," Barnard said.

Why the confusion over whether the neighborhood was covered under the county's storm water regulations or not? The problem was Waverly Point was originally permitted under a different name. When county staff checked the file for the name Waverly Point, it was not listed. Months later, the county made the connection.

Representatives from Son-Lan did not return Five On Your Side's calls about this.

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