Removal or modification would require review.
Possibly multiple permits.
She emailed me a letter.
To Whom It May Concern:
The crossing structure located within Flood Control Access Corridor FC-17 is not authorized for removal or modification by adjacent private property owners or private associations without written approval from the relevant public agencies.
I printed it.
Sent it to Susan.
Greg.
The entire board.
Garrison & Croft.
Certified mail.
Email.
I expected the argument to end.
Susan replied the following afternoon.
Mr. Harding,
The HOA does not recognize the county’s interpretation as superseding Pinehurst Enclave architectural standards.
You remain in violation.
Regards,
Susan Whitmore
President
I stared at the message.
Then called Elena Morales.
I read it to her.
She was silent.
Finally:
“Please send me that email.”
“Gladly.”
That was the moment I stopped worrying.
Not because I believed nothing bad could happen.
Because now the public owner knew.
What happened after that was almost entirely the result of Susan refusing to understand the difference between authority and confidence.
The fines continued.
The HOA claimed I owed more than $15,000.
Garrison & Croft sent a letter threatening collection remedies.
I responded through an attorney at that point.
His name was Michael Chen.
Michael was a property and land-use attorney who spent the first twenty minutes of our consultation reading the easement.
Then he looked at me.
“This is bizarre.”
“That’s reassuring.”
He smiled.
“Their claim is weak.”
“Can they lien the house?”
“They can record something.”
“That does not mean it survives challenge.”
“What do you recommend?”
“Demand they stop enforcement.”
“And if they don’t?”
“Then we decide whether you want to litigate.”
I told him about Susan’s threat to remove the bridge.
Michael stopped smiling.
“She said that in a meeting?”
“Yes.”
“Written anywhere?”
“Not yet.”
“Get everything in writing.”
From that day forward, I treated the HOA like a project dispute.
No emotional calls.
No doorstep arguments.
Everything documented.
Whenever Susan spoke to me, I followed with email.
To confirm our conversation today...
Whenever a notice arrived, I scanned it.
Whenever someone entered the rear easement corridor, cameras recorded.
Sarah thought I was becoming obsessive.
Maybe.
But civil engineering teaches a useful rule.
If failure is foreseeable, document the condition before it fails.
October brought heavy rain.
Coho Creek rose.
The bridge became even more obviously infrastructure.
Water pushed against the abutments.
Debris gathered near the upstream bank.
I saw old survey markers and maintenance tags exposed near one footing.
I photographed everything.
Then, on October 29, I came home and found a document taped to our front door.
NOTICE OF DIRECT ACTION.
I read it twice.
Because of continued noncompliance, the Pinehurst Enclave HOA had retained Apex Contracting Services.
November 12.
Beginning at 7:00 a.m.
The contractor would enter the rear portion of our lot.
Demolish the bridge.
Remove debris.
Bill us approximately $8,500.
The amount would be added to our account.
My hands actually started shaking.
Not from fear.
Disbelief.
Sarah read the notice.
“No.”
“They’re really going to do it.”
“We stop them.”