Development of the West Entrance Garden is another significant step in the due diligence, and as a result of the USFW Wetland Inventory, we are required to secure a Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Permit to cross the stream with our intended driveway and utilities. It is one thing to have an updated easement from the county to access the property, but its entirely another to have an environmental permit to cross a stream in the wetlands and actually get there. This task alone is the most significant with respect to the due diligence. Regardless of the survey, easement, wetlands, successful preapplication conference with the village…..if we can’t get the environmental permit, the property is unbuildable for our home, and the value is cut by at least 50% if not more.
The environmental permit application is a very comprehensive document that most landowners would not typically complete themselves. In our case we engaged ASTI Environmental to submit the entire package and liaison with the State. The package includes the complete application, drawings of the driveway, and a Biologist’s environmental impact study to determine if there is any endangered species impact. Specific to our project the particular concern was if the stream in question held any freshwater mussels?
The stream in question is a combination of the spring from the north in the gardens, and from the creek that drains the pond. We were fortunate the environmental report came back favorable, and just over three months after submission of our package, we received our DEQ permit for the driveway!
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