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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20070237 Ver 1_Approval Letter_20070413Michael F. Easley, Governor William G. Ross Jr., Secretary North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources Alan W. Klimek, P.E. Director Division of Water Quality April 13, 2007 DWQ Project # 07-0237 vs 2 Pasquotank County Bay Island Residential, LLC Attn: Steve Peppler 113 South Colonial Road Virginia Beach, VA 23451 Subject Property: The Reserve at Heron's Ridge Pasquotank River Basin Approval of 401 Water Quality Certification with Additional Conditions Dear Mr. Peppler: You have our approval, in accordance with the attached conditions and those listed below, to place fill within or otherwise impact 202 feet of streams for the purpose of a road crossing at the subject property, as described within your application dated February 2, 2007and received. by the N.C. Division of Water Quality (DWQ) on February 12, 2007. After reviewing your application, we have decided that the impacts are covered by General Water Quality Certification Number(s) 3627 (GC3627). The Certification(s) allows you to use Nationwide Permit(s) 14 when issued by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USAGE). In addition, you should obtain or otherwise comply with any other required federal, state or local permits before you go ahead with your project including (but not limited to) Erosion and Sediment Control, Non-discharge, and DWQ Stormwater regulations. Also, this approval to proceed with your proposed impacts or to conduct impacts to waters as depicted in your application shall expire upon expiration of the 404 or CAMA Permit. This approval is for the purpose and design that you described in your application. If you change your project, you must notify us and you may be required to send us a new application. If the property is sold, the new owner must be given a copy of this Certification and approval letter and is thereby responsible for complying with all conditions. If total fills for this project (now or in the future) exceed one acre of wetland or 150 linear feet of stream, compensatory mitigation may be required as described in 15A NCAC 2H .0506 (h). This approval requires you to follow the conditions listed in the attached certification and any additional conditions listed below. The Additional Conditions of the Certification are: I . Impacts Approved The following impacts are hereby approved as long as all of the other specific and general conditions of this Certification (or Isolated Wetland Permit) are met. No other impacts are approved includingincidental impacts: Amount A roved Units Plan Location or Reference Stream 202 (feet) Plat rovided in a lication 404/CAMA Wetlands na (acres na PapeNorth Carolina Division of Water Quality Internet: h2o.enr.state.nc.us 943 Washington Square Mall Phone: 252-946-6481 Washington, NC 27889 FAX 252-946-921 ~ An Equal OpportunitylAffirmative Action Employer - 50% Recyded110% Post Consumer Paper r None Carolina aturall~ Applicant: Page 2 of 3 Date: Waters na acres na Buffers na s ware ft.) na 2. Erosion & Sediment Control Practices Erosion and sediment control practices must be in full compliance with all specifications governing the proper design, installation and operation and maintenance of such Best Management Practices in order to protect surface waters standards: a. The erosion and sediment control measures for the project must be designed, installed, operated, and maintained in accordance with the most recent version of the North Carolina Sediment and Erosion Control Planning and Design Manual. b. The design, installation, operation, and maintenance of the sediment and erosion control measures must be such that they equal, or exceed, the requirements specified in the most recent version of the North Carolina Sediment and Erosion Control Manual. The devices shall be maintained on all construction sites, borrow sites, and waste pile (spoil) projects, including contractor-owned or leased borrow pits associated with the project. c. For borrow pit sites, the erosion and sediment control measures must be designed, installed, operated, and maintained in accordance with the most recent version of the North Carolina Surface Mining Manual. d. The reclamation measures and implementation must comply with the reclamation in accordance with the requirements of the Sedimentation Pollution Control Act and the Mining Act of 1971. e. If the project occurs in waters or watersheds classified as Primary Nursery Areas (PNAs), Trout (Tr), SA, WS-I, WS-II, High Quality (HQW), or Outstanding Resource (ORW) waters, then the sediment and erosion control requirements contained within Design Standards in Sensitive Watersheds (15A NCAC 04B .0124) supercede all other sediment and erosion control requirements.. 3. No Waste, Spoil, Solids, or Fill of Any Kind No waste, spoil, solids, or fill of any kind shall occur in wetlands, waters, or riparian areas beyond the footprint of the impacts depicted in the Pre-Construction Notification and authorized by this written approval, including incidental impacts. All construction activities, including the design, installation, operation, and maintenance of sediment and erosion control Best Management Practices, shall be performed so that no violations of state water quality standards, statutes, or rules occur. 4. No Sediment & Erosion Control Measures w/n Wetlands or Waters Sediment and erosion control measures shall not be placed in wetlands or waters without prior approval by DWQ. If placement of sediment and erosion control devices in wetlands and waters is unavoidable, then design and placement of temporary erosion control measures shall not be conducted in a manner that may result in dis-equilibrium of wetlands or stream beds or banks, adjacent to or upstream and down stream of the above structures. All devices shall be removed and the natural grade restored within two (2) months of the date that the Division of Land Resources has released the project. 5. If concrete is used during the construction, then a dry work area should be maintained to prevent direct contact prevent direct contact between curing concrete and stream water. Water that inadvertently contacts uncured concrete should not be discharged to surface waters due to the potential for elevated pH and possible aquatic life/fish kills. Applicant: Page 3 of 3 Date: 6. Work in the Dry All work in or adjacent to stream waters shall be conducted in a dry work area. Approved best management practices from the most current version of the NC Sediment and Erosion Control Manual, or the NC DOT Construction and Maintenance Activities Manual, such as sandbags, rock berms, cofferdams, and other diversion structures shall be used to minimize excavation in flowing water. 7. Certificate of Completion Upon completion of all work approved within the 401 Water Quality Certification or applicable Buffer Rules, and any subsequent modifications, the applicant is required to return the attached certificate of completion to the 401 Oversight/Express Review Permitting Unit, North Carolina Division of Water Quality, 1650 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC, 27699- 1650. 8. Culvert Installation Culverts required for this project shall be installed in such a manner that the original stream profiles are not altered. Existing stream dimensions (including the cross section dimensions, pattern, and longitudinal profile) must be maintained above and below locations of each culvert. Culverts shall be designed and installed to allow for aquatic life movement as well as to prevent head cutting of the streams. If any of the existing pipes are or become perched, the appropriate stream grade shall be re-established or, if the pipes installed in a perched manner, the pipes shall be removed and re-installed correctly. Culvert(s) shall not be installed in such a manner that will cause aggradation or erosion of the stream up or down stream of the culvert(s). Existing stream dimensions (including the cross section dimensions, pattern and longitudinal profile) shall be maintained above and below locations of each culvert. Therefore, you must provide plans with adequate details that indicate that the current stability of the stream will be maintained or enhanced. You must receive written approval from this Office for the above plans before the culvert(s) is installed. Culvert(s) must be installed according to approved plans. Placement of culverts and other structures in waters, streams, and wetlands must be placed below the elevation of the streambed by one foot for all culverts with a diameter greater than 48 inches, and 20 percent of the culvert diameter for culverts having a diameter less than 48 inches, to allow low flow passage of water and aquatic life. Design and placement of culverts and other structures including temporary erosion control measures shall not be conducted in a manner that may result in dis-equilibrium of wetlands or streambeds or banks, adjacent to or upstream and down stream of the above structures. The applicant is required to provide evidence that the equilibrium shall be maintained if requested in writing by DWQ. The establishment of native, woody vegetation and other soft stream bank stabilization techniques must be used where practicable instead of riprap or other bank hardening methods. If riprap is necessary, it shall not be placed in the stream bed, unless specifically approved by the Division of Water Quality. Applicant: Page 4 of 3 Date: 9. The applicantlpermittee and their authorized agents shall conduct all activities in a manner consistent with State water quality standards (including any requirements resulting from compliance with §303(d) of the Clean Water Act), and any other appropriate requirements of State and Federal Law. If the Division determines that such standards or laws are not being met, including failure to sustain a designated or achieved use, or that State or Federal law is being violated, or that further conditions are necessary to assure compliance, then the Division may reevaluate and modify this General Water Quality Certification. Violations of any condition herein set forth may result in revocation of this Certification and may result in criminal and/or civil penalties. The authorization to proceed with your proposed impacts or to conduct impacts to waters as depicted in your application and as authorized by this Certification shall expire upon expiration of the 404 or CAMA Permit. If you do not accept any of the conditions of this Certification (associated with the approved wetland or stream impacts), you may ask for an adjudicatory hearing. You must act within 60 days of the date that you receive this letter. To ask for a hearing, send a written petition, which conforms to Chapter 150B of the North Carolina General Statutes to the Office of Administrative Hearings, 6714 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, N.C. 27699-6714. This certification and its conditions are final and binding unless you ask for a hearing. This letter completes the review of the Division of Water Quality under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act. If you have any questions, please telephone Kyle Barnes of the Washington Regional Office at 252- 948-3917 or Ian McMillan in the Central Office in Raleigh at 919-733-1786. S'ncerel , ~- Al Hodge/Supervisor Division of Water Quality Surface Water Protection Washington Regional Office Enclosures: GC 3627 Certification of Completion cc: USACE Washington Regulatory Field Office DWQ 401 Oversight/Express Unit File Copy Central Files Atlantic Environmental Consultants, LLC PO Box 3266, Kitty Hawk, NC 27949 Filename: 07-0237 vs 2 WQC #3627 This General Certification is issued in conformity with the requirements of Section 401, Public Laws 92-500 and 95-217 of the United States and subject to the North Carolina Division of Water Quality (DWQ) Regulations in 15A NCAC 2H, Section .0500 and 15A NCAC 2B .0200 for the discharge of fill material to waters and adjacent wetland areas or to wetland areas that are not a part of the surface tributary system to interstate waters or navigable waters of the United States (i.e., isolated wetlands) as described in 33 CFR 330 Appendix A (B) (14) of the Corps of Engineers regulations (Nationwide Permit No. 14 and Regional General Permit 198200031) and for the Riparian Area Protection Rules (Buffer Rules) in 15A NCAC 2B .0200. The category of activities shall include any fill activity for road crossings and is limited to fill less than one-third acre in tidal waters and less than one-half acre in non-tidal waters. This Certification replaces Water Quality Certification Number 2177 issued on November 5, 1987, Water Quality Certification Number 2666 issued on January 21, 1992, Water Quality Certification Number 2732 issued on May 1, 1992, Water Quality Certification Number 3103 issued on February 11, 1997, Water Quality Certification Number 3289 issued on June 1, 2000 and Water Quality Certification Number 3375 issued March 18, 2002 and WQC 3404 issued March 28, 2003. This WQC is rescinded when the Corps of Engineers re-authorizes Nationwide Permit 14 or Regional General Permit 198200031or when deemed appropriate by the Director of DWQ. The State of North Carolina certifies that the specified category of activity will not violate applicable portions of Sections 301, 302, 303, 306 and 307 of the Public Laws 92-500 and 95-217 if conducted in accordance with the conditions hereinafter set forth. Conditions of Certification: 1. Enumerating and Reporting of Impacts: Streams -Impacts to streams as determined by the Division of Water Quality shall be measured as length of the centerline of the normal flow channel. Permanent and/or temporary stream impacts shall be enumerated on the entire project for all impacts regardless of which 404 Nationwide Permits are used. Stream relocations and stream bed and/or bank hardening are considered to be permanent stream impacts. Any activity that results in a loss of use of stream functions including but not limited to filling, relocating, flooding, dredging and complete shading shall be considered stream impacts. Enumeration of impacts to streams shall include streams enclosed by bottomless culverts, bottomless arches or other spanning structures when a 404 Permit is used anywhere in a project unless the entire structure (including construction impacts) spans the entire bed and both banks of the stream, is only used for a road, driveway or path crossing, and is not mitered to follow the stream pattern. Impacts for dam footprints and flooding will count toward the threshold for stream impacts, but flooding upstream of the dam will not (as long as no filling, excavation, relocation or other modification of the existing stream dimension, pattern or profile occurs) count towards mitigation requirements. Wetlands -Impacts to wetlands as determined by the Division of Water Quality shall be measured as area. Permanent and/or temporary wetland impacts shall be enumerated on the entire project for all impacts regardless of which 404 Nationwide Permits are used. Any activity that results in a loss of use of wetland functions including but not limited to filling, draining, and flooding shall be considered wetland impacts. Enumeration of impacts to wetlands shall include activities that change the hydrology of a wetland when a 404 Permit is used anywhere in a project. WQC #3627 • Lakes and Ponds -Lake and Pond Impacts Enumeration- Impacts to waters other than streams and wetlands as determined by the Division of Water Quality shall be measured as area. Permanent and/or temporary water impacts shall be enumerated on the entire project for all impacts proposed regardless of which 404 Nationwide Permits are used. Any activity that results in a loss of use of aquatic functions including but not limited to filling and dredging shall be considered waters impacts; 2. Proposed fill or substantial modification of wetlands or waters (including streams) under this General Certification requires application to and prior written concurrence from the Division of Water Quality; 3. Application to and payment of a fee to DWQ is not required for construction of a driveway to a single family lot as long as the driveway impacts less than 25 feet of stream channel including any in-stream stabilization needed for the crossing; 4. Impacts to any stream length in the Neuse, Tar-Pamlico or Randleman River Basins (or any other major river basins with Riparian Area Protection Rules (Buffer Rules] in effect at the time of application) requires written concurrence for this Certification from DWQ in accordance with 15A NCAC 28.0200. Activities listed as "exempt" from these rules do not need to apply for written concurrence under this Certification. New development activities located in the protected 50-foot wide riparian areas {whether jurisdictional wetlands or not) within the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico River Basins shalt be limited to "uses" identified within and constructed in accordance with 15A NCAC 2B .0200. All new development shall be located, designed, constructed, and maintained to have minimal disturbance to protect water quality to the maximum extent practicable through the use of best management practices; 5. Irrespective of other application thresholds in this General Certification, all impacts to perennial waters and their associated buffers require written approval from DWQ since such impacts are allowable as provided in 15A NCAC 26. 0212 (WS-I), 2B .0213 (WS-II), 2B .0214 (WS-111) and 2B .0215 (WS-IV). Only water dependent activities, public projects and structures with diminimus increases in impervious surfaces will be allowed as outlined in those rules. All other activities require a variance from the delegated local government and/or the NC Environmental Management Commission before the 401 Water Quality Certification can be processed. In addition, a 30 foot wide vegetative buffer for low density development or a 100 foot wide vegetative buffer for high density development must be maintained adjacent to all perennial waters except for allowances as provided under the Water Supply Watershed Protection Rules. For the purposes of this condition, perennial waters are defined as those shown as perennial waters on the most recent USGS 1:24,000 topographic map or as otherwise determined by local government studies; 6. Additional site-specific stormwater management requirements maybe added to this Certification at DWQ's discretion on a case by case basis for projects that have or are anticipated to have impervious cover of greater. than 30 percent. Site-specific stormwater management shall be designed to remove 85% TSS according to the latest version of DWQ's stormwater Best Management Practices manual at a minimum. Additionally, in watersheds within one mile and draining to 303(d) listed waters, as well as watersheds that are classified as nutrient sensitive waters (NSW), water supply waters (WS), trout waters (Tr), high quality waters (HQW}, and outstanding resource waters (ORW), the Division shall require that extended detention wetlands, bio-retention areas, and ponds followed by forested filter strips (designed according to latest version of the NC DENR stormwater Best Management Practices Manual) be constructed as part of the stormwater management plan when asite-specific stormwater management plan is required. WQC #3627 Alternative designs may be requested by the applicant and will be reviewed on a case-by- case basis by the Division of Water Quality. Approval of stormwater management plans by the Division of Water Quality's other existing state stormwater programs including appropriate local programs are sufficient to satisfy this Condition as long as the stormwater management plans meet or exceed the design requirements specified in this condition. This condition applies unless more stringent requirements are in effect from other state water quality programs. • Unless specified otherwise in the approval letter, the final, written stormwater management plan shall be approved in writing by the Division of Water Quality's Wetlands Unit before the impacts specified in this Certification occur. • The facilities must be designed to treat the runoff from the entire project, unless otherwise explicitly approved by the Division of Water Quality. • Also, before any permanent building or other structure is occupied at the subject site, the facilities (as approved by the Wetlands Unit) shall be constructed and operational, and the stormwater management plan (as approved by the Wetlands Unit) shall be implemented. • The structural stormwater practices as approved by the Wetlands Unit as well as drainage patterns must be maintained in perpetuity. • No changes to the structural stormwater practices shall be made without written authorization from the Division of Water Quality. 7. Compensatory stream mitigation shall be required at a 1:1 ratio for not only perennial but also intermittent stream impacts that require application to DWQ in watersheds classified as ORW, HQW, Tr, WS-1 and WS-II unless the project is a linear, publicly-funded transportation project, which has a 150-foot per-stream impact allowance; 8. In accordance with North Carolina General Statute Section 143-215.3D(e), any application fora 401 Water Quality Certification must include the appropriate fee. If a project also requires a CAMA Permit, one payment to both agencies shall be submitted through the Division of Coastal Management and will be the higher of the two fees; 9. In accordance with 15A NCAC 2H .0506 (h) compensatory mitigation may be required for impacts to 150 linear feet or more of streams and/or one acre or more of wetlands. For linear public transportation projects, impacts equal to or exceeding 150 feet per stream may require mitigation. In addition, buffer mitigation may be required for any project with Buffer Rules in effect at the time of application for buffer impacts resulting from activities classified as "allowable with mitigation" within the "Table of Uses" section of the Buffer Rules or require a variance under the Buffer Rules. A determination of buffer, wetland and stream mitigation requirements shall be made for any Certification for this Nationwide Permit. The most current design and monitoring protocols from DWQ shall be followed and written plans submitted for DWQ approval as required in those protocols. When compensatory mitigation is required for a project, the mitigation plans must be approved by DWQ in writing before the impacts approved by the Certification occur, unless otherwise specified in the approval letter. The mitigation plan must be implemented and/or constructed before any permanent building or structure on site is occupied. In the case of public road projects, the mitigation plan must be implemented before the road is opened to the travelling public. Projects may also be implemented once payment is made to a private mitigation bank or other in-lieu fee program, as specified in the written concurrence of 401 Certification for a project. Please note that if a stream relocation is conducted as a stream restoration as defined in The Infernal Technical Guide for Stream Work in North Carolina ,April 2001, the restored length can be used as compensatory mitigation for the impacts resulting from the relocation; WQC #3627 10. For any project involving re-alignment of streams, a stream relocation plan must be included with the 401 application for written DWQ approval. Relocated stream designs should include the same dimensions, patterns and profiles as the existing channel, to the maximum extent practical. The new channel should be constructed in the dry and water shall not be turned into the new channel until the banks are stabilized. Vegetation used for bank stabilization shall be limited to native woody species, and should include establishment of a 30 foot wide wooded and an adjacent 20 foot wide vegetated buffer on both sides of the relocated channel to the maximum extent practical. A transitional phase incorporating coir fiber and seedling establishment is allowable. Also, rip-rap may be allowed if it is necessary to maintain the physical integrity of the stream, but the applicant must provide written justification and any calculations used to determine the extent of rip- rap coverage requested. If suitable stream mitigation is not practical on-site, then stream impact will need to be mitigated elsewhere; 11. Placement of culverts and other structures in waters, streams, and wetlands must be placed below the elevation of the streambed to allow low flow passage of water and aquatic life unless it can be shown to DWQ that providing passage would be impractical. Design and placement of culverts including open bottom or bottomless arch culverts and other structures including temporary erosion control measures shall not be conducted in a manner that may result in aggradation, degradation or significant changes in hydrology of wetlands or stream beds or banks, adjacent to or upstream and down stream of the above structures. The applicant is required to provide evidence that the equilibrium shall be maintained if requested to do so in writing by DWQ. Additionally, when roadways, causeways or other fill projects are constructed across FEMA-designated floodways or wetlands, openings such as culverts or bridges must be provided to maintain the natural hydrology of the system as well as prevent constriction of the floodway that may result in aggradation, degradation or significant changes in hydrology of streams or wetlands; 12. That appropriate sediment and erosion control practices which equal or exceed those outlined in the most recent version of the "North Carolina Sediment and Erosion Control Planning and Design Manual" or the "North Carolina Surface Mining Manual" whichever is more appropriate (available from the Division of Land Resources (DLR) in the DENR Regional or Central Offices) shall be in full compliance with all specifications governing the proper design, installation and operation and maintenance of such Best Management Practices in order to assure compliance with the appropriate turbidity water quality standard; 13. All sediment and erosion control measures placed in wetlands and waters shall be removed and the original grade restored within two months after the Division of Land Resources has released the project; 14. That additiona! site-specific condi±ions maybe added to projects proposed under this Certification in order to ensure compliance with all applicable water quality and effluent standards; 15. Measures shall be taken to prevent live or fresh concrete from coming into contact with freshwaters of the state until the concrete has hardened; 16. If an environmental document is required, this Certification is not valid until a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) or Record of Decision (ROD) is issued by the State Clearinghouse; 17. If this Certification is used to access building sites, all lots owned by the applicant must be buildable without additional fill beyond that explicitly allowed under other General WQC #3627 Certifications. For road construction purposes, this Certification shall only be utilized from natural high ground to natural high ground; 18. When written concurrence is required, the applicant is required to use the most recent version of the Certification of Completion form to notify DWQ when all work included in the 401 Certification has been completed; 19. Concurrence from DWQ that this Certification applies to an individual project shall expire three years from the date of the cover letter from DWQ or on the same day as the expiration date of the corresponding Nationwide Permit 14 or Regional General Permit 198200031, whichever is sooner. Non-compliance with or violation of the conditions herein set forth by a specific fill project may result in revocation of this Certification for the project and may also result in criminal and/or civil penalties. The Director of the North Carolina Division of Water Quality may require submission of a formal application for Individual Certification for any project in this category of activity that requires written concurrence under this certification, if it is determined that the project is likely to have a significant adverse effect upon water quality or degrade the waters so that existing uses of the wetland or downstream waters are precluded. Public hearings may be held for specific applications or group of applications prior to a Certification decision if deemed in the public's best interest by the Director of the North Carolina Division of Water Quality. Effective date: 19 March 2007 DIVISION OF WATER QUALITY By ~J~ , Alan W. Klimek, P.E. Director WQC # 3627 Certification of Comple_tio_n DWQ Project No.: Applicant: Project Name: Date of Issuance of Wetland Permit: Certificate of Comuletion Upon completion of all work approved within the 401 Water Quality Certification and Buffer Rules, and any subsequent modifications, the applicant is required to return this certificate to the 401 Oversight/Express Permitting Unit, North Carolina Division of Water Quality, 1650 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC, 27699-1650. This form may be returned to DWQ by the applicant, the applicant's authorized agent, or the project engineer. It is not necessary to send certificates from all of these. Applicant's Certification I, ,hereby state that, to the best of my abilities, due care and diligence was used in the observation of the construction such that the construction was observed to be built within substantial compliance and intent of the 401 Water Quality Certification and Buffer Rules, the approved plans and specifications, and other supporting materials. Signature: Agent's Certification I, __ _________~____ used in the t~bse--vatior. of the compliance and intent of the 401 and other supporting materials. Signature: Date: If tllis,i~3°c~ject was designed by a Certified Professional I, _ _ _ as a duly registered Professional (i.e., Engineer, Landscape Archit~c~, Surveyor, etc.) in the State of North Carolina, having been authorized to observe (periodically, weekly, foil time) thF construction of the project, for the Permiee hereby state that, to the best of my abilities, due care and diligence was ~:~ed in the observation of the construction such that the construction was observed to be built within substantial compliance and intent of the 401 Water Quality Certification and Buffer Rules, the approved plans and specifications, and other supporting materials. Date: hereby state that, to the best of my abilities, due care and diligence was construction such that the construction was observed to be built within substantial Water Quality Certification and Buffer Rules, the approved plans and specifications, County: Signature: Registration No. Date