20061953 Ver 1_More Info Received_20070306

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February 28, 2007
Mr. Ian McMillan
BLUE RIDGE ENGINEERING PLLC
529 Main Street Phone: [phone]
North Wilkesboro, NC 28659 Fax: [phone]
N.C. Division of Water Quality
Wetlands/401 Certification Unit
1650 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1650
Subject: 401 Certification for access road with stream disturbance
Tropicana Investors, Inc. DWQ# 06-1953
Watauga County, NC
Dear Mr. McMillan:
MAR G 2007
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We are responding in behalf of Mr. Alan Grosman to Mr. Steve Tedder's letter of February 1, 2007.
Blue Ridge Engineering PLLC (BRE) confirms that the construction conducted on the site is for a
single home site for Mr. Grosman. Although the contractors completed changes to culverts and
installation of the new culverts in fall 2006 prior to permitting, it appears that they employed
practices to minimize environmental impacts of the construction. Mr. Daryl Lamb of the Winston-
Salem office visited the site on February 7, 2007 and discussed the letter with me after his
inspection. I hope the following will provide the additional information that you require.
Items From Letter
Road location
The alignment of the access road and side road follow an existing road bed that has been in place for
many years. The applicant is proposing improvements to the existing road. Three of the culverts
were existing features of the road.
Property use
The proposed land use is private residential and only one house site is proposed. Approximately
200 acres is set aside as a conservation easement. There are no plans for further development of the
property.
Stub road
The side road that forks to the northwest and crosses at Stream Impact #4 is a side driveway that
provides additional access to other parts of the property. This is not a stub road as sometimes
occurs in phased housing developments. It was an existing "jeep trail" with a simple stream
crossing.

Permitting
After learning of permit requirements for the work on the site the Owner directed the Engineers to
met with USACOE and pursue "after the fact" permitting of the improvements to stream crossings.
Other Information
BRE met with the USACE representative, Amanda Jones, on January 24, 2007 on site regarding the
stream disturbance permit. In follow-up telephone conversations with Ms. Jones, she indicated that
she would draft the permit and she has a preliminary decision that the total extent of the stream
disturbances is 140 feet.
Please use the results of Mr. Lamb's inspection to the maximum extent possible to resolve the
questions concerning this site. If necessary, BRE can provide "as built" vertical profile drawings of
the culverts. We appreciate your consideration in this matter and look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
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W. Ronald Haynes, P.E.
Cc: Steve Tedder, Reg. Supervisor, Winston-Salem Regional Office, DWQ
Daryl Lamb, P.G.,
Amanda Jone, USACOE
Alan Grosman
Allen C. Moseley, Esq.
Randy Woodrow, Watauga County
Terry Jones
Job file 6099