20170816 Ver 1_Riparian Buffer Authorization_20170703

DWR
State of North Carolina
Department of Environmental Quality
Division of Water Resources Division of Water Resources
15A NCAC 02B .0233 (8)(b), .0243 (8)(b), .0250 (11)(b), .0259 (8)(b), .0267 (11)(c), .0607 (e)(2) - Buffer Authorization
FORM: BA 10-2013
Riparian Buffer Authorization Form
A.
Applicant Information
1.
Project Information
1a. Name of project:
Trails at Walnut Hill Nature Preserve
1 b. County:
Wake and Johnston Counties
1c. Nearest municipality:
Clayton
1 d. Subdivision name:
N/A
1e. Is the project located in any of North Carolina's twenty coastal counties?
If yes, answer 1f below.
❑ Yes ® No
1f. Is the project located within a NC Division of Coastal Management Area of
Environmental Concern (AEC)?
❑ Yes ® No
2.
Owner Information
2a. Name on Recorded Deed:
Triangle Land Conservancy
2b. Deed Book and Page No.
Wake Co Book 15480 Page 1977-1983, Johnston Co Book 4371 Page 767-774
2c. Map Book and Page No.
(include a copy of the
recorded map that indicates
when the lot was created):
Wake Co Book of Maps 2013 Pages 1445-1447, Johnston Co Book 70 Pages
100-102
2d. Responsible Party
(for Corporations
Matt Rutledge
2e. Street address:
514 South Duke Street
2f. City, state, zip:
Durham, NC 27701
2g. Telephone no.:
919-908-8809
2h. Fax no.:
919-908-6240
2i. Email address:
[e-mail]
3.
Applicant Information (if different from owner)
3a. Applicant is:
❑ Agent ❑ Other, specify:
3b. Name:
RE IVU)
3c. Business name
(if applicable):
JUL03 2017
3d. Street address:
3e. City, state, zip:
-QUALITY
3f. Telephone no.:
3g. Fax no.:
3h. Email address:
4.
Agent/Consultant Information (if applicable)
4a. Name:
4b. Business name
if applicable):
4c. Street address:
4d. City, state, zip:
4e. Telephone no.:
4f. Fax no.:
4g. Email address:
FORM: BA 10-2013 Page 1 of 5

B. Project Information and Prior Project History
1. Property Identification
1a. Property identification no. (tax PIN or parcel ID):
Wake Co: 1761388207; Johnston Co: 176100-
33-6719, 176100-30-9783
1b. Site coordinates (in decimal degrees):
Latitude: 35.719287 Longitude: -78.445665
1c. Property size:
736 acres
2. Surface Waters
2a. Name of nearest body of water to proposed project: Neuse River
2b. Water Quality Classification of nearest receiving water: WS -V; NSW
2c. River basin: Neuse
3. Project Description
3a. Describe the existing conditions on the site and the general land use in the vicinity of the project at the time of
this application:
The site is composed of forests and some old agricultural fields. The steep sections of the property are
forested. The land use in the area is a mixture of agriculture and forest, as well as several subdivisions that
have been developed in recent years.
3b. Attach an 8'/ x 11 excerpt from the most recent version of the USGS topographic map indicating the location
of the site
3c. Attach an 8'/ x 11 excerpt from the most recent version of the published County NRCS Soil Survey Map
de cting the project site
3d. List the total estimated linear feet of all existing streams (intermittent and perennial) on the property:
25900
3e. Explain the purpose of the proposed project:
The project will construct 4.8 miles of hiking and biking trails for Walnut Hill Nature Preserve and the adjacent
Riverwalk property.
3f. Describe the overall project in detail, including the type of equipment to be used:
Triangle Land Conservancy will construct 4.8 miles of natural surface trails on the property. The trails will be
constructed by a professional trail builder, who uses a small excavator to remove the topsoil and large roots
and then compact the tread.
4. Jurisdictional Determinations
4a. Have jurisdictional wetland or stream determinations by
❑ Yes ® No ❑ Unknown
the Corps or State been requested or obtained for this
Comments:
property/ project(including all priorphases) in thepast?
4b. If yes, who delineated the jurisdictional areas?
Agency/ Consultant Company:
Name (if known):
Other:
4c. If yes, list the dates of the Corps jurisdictional determinations or State determinations and attach
documentation.
5. Project History
5a. Have permits or certifications been requested or obtained
❑ Yes ® No ❑ Unknown
for this project(including all priorphases) in thepast?
5b. If yes, explain and detail according to "help file" instructions.
6. Future Project Plans
6a. Is this a phased project? ® Yes ❑ No
6b. If yes, explain.
This is the first phase of a 10 -mile trail project. The second phase will take place once funding is secured and
will be entirely within Johnston County.
FORM: BA 10-2013 Page 2 of 5

C. Proposed Impacts Inventory
1. Buffer Impacts
1a. Project is in which protected basin?
® Neuse ❑ Tar -Pamlico ❑ Catawba
❑ Randleman ❑ Jordan ❑ Goose Creek
1 b. Individually list all buffer impacts below. If any impacts require mitigation, then you MUST fill out Section D of
this form.
Buffer impact
Reason for
Type of impact
Stream name
Buffer
Zone 1
Zone 2
number —
impact
(exempt, allowable,
mitigation
impact
impact
Permanent (P)
allowable w/
required?
(sq ft)
(sq ft)
or Temporary
mitigation)
T
131 ® P ❑ T
Footbridge
Allowable
Unnamed
❑ Yes ® No
48
0
tributary
B2 ® P ❑ T
Footbridge
Allowable
Unnamed
❑ Yes ® No
48
0
tributary
63 ®P El T
Natural surface
Allowable
Unnamed
El Yes ®No
1476
1962
trail
tributaries
B4 ❑ P ❑ T
❑ Yes F1No
B5 ❑ P ❑ T
El Yes No
B6 ❑ P ❑ T
❑ Yes ❑ No
Total buffer impacts
1c. Comments:
D. Impact Justification and Mitigation
1. Avoidance and Minimization
1a. Specifically describe measures taken to avoid or minimize the proposed impacts in designing project.
The trails are desinged using sustainable trail design following IMBA standards to minimize redirection of
water and erosion. All footbridges span the entire stream and the final approach is always undertaken at a
right angle.
1b. Specifically describe measures taken to avoid or minimize the proposed impacts through construction
techniques. Trail construction only uncovers approximately 100-200 linear feet of soil in a 3 ft corridor at a
time. Any material that is removed is covered by leaf litter and the tread is compacted. No uncompacted loose
soil is left exposed at the end of each day.
FORM: BA 10-2013 Page 3 of 5

2. Buffer Mitigation
All buffer impacts and high ground impacts require diffuse flow or other form of
2a.
Will the project result in an impact within a protected riparian buffer that
requires buffer mitigation?
❑ Yes ® No
2b.
If yes, then identify the square feet of impact to each zone of the riparian buffer that
calculate the amount of mitigation required in the table below.
requires mitigation and
Zone
Reason for impact Total impact
(square feet
Multiplier
Required mitigation
square feet
Zone 1
❑ Yes ❑ No
3 (2 for Catawba)
Zone 2
1.5
2a. Is the site in violation of DWR Wetland Rules (15A NCAC 02H .0500), Isolated
❑ Yes ® No
Total buffer mitigation required:
2c.
If buffer mitigation is required, is payment to a mitigation bank or NC DMS
proposed?
❑ Yes ❑ No
2d.
If yes, attach the acceptance letter from the mitigation bank or NC DMS.
2e.
If no, then discuss what type of mitigation is proposed.
2f.
Comments:
E. Diffuse Flow Plan
All buffer impacts and high ground impacts require diffuse flow or other form of
® Diffuse flow
stormwater treatment. Include a plan that fully documents how diffuse flow will be
❑ Other BMP
maintained. If a Level Spreader is proposed, attach a Level Spreader Supplement Form.
1 b. If you answered "yes" to the above, does the project require preparation of an
If due to site constraints, a BMP other than a level spreader is proposed, please provide a
environmental document pursuant to the requirements of the National or State (North
plan for stormwater treatment as outlined in Chapter 8 of the NC Stormwater BMP
Carolina) Environmental Policy Act NEPA/SEPA ?
Manual and attach a BMP Supplement Form.
1c. If you answered "yes" to the above, has the document been finalized by the State
F. Supplementary Information
1. Environmental Documentation
1 a. Does the project involve an expenditure of public (federal/state/local) funds or the
® Yes ❑ No
use of public federal/state land?
1 b. If you answered "yes" to the above, does the project require preparation of an
❑ Yes ® No
environmental document pursuant to the requirements of the National or State (North
Carolina) Environmental Policy Act NEPA/SEPA ?
1c. If you answered "yes" to the above, has the document been finalized by the State
❑ Yes ❑ No
Clearing House? (If so, attach a copy of the NEPA or SEPA final approval letter.)
Comments:
2. Violations
2a. Is the site in violation of DWR Wetland Rules (15A NCAC 02H .0500), Isolated
❑ Yes ® No
Wetland Rules (15A NCAC 02H .1300), DWR Surface Water or Wetland Standards,
or Riparian Buffer Rules 15A NCAC 02B .0200)?
2b. Is this an after -the -fact permit application?
❑ Yes ® No
2c. If you answered "yes" to one or both of the above questions, provide an explanation of the violation(s):
Applicant/Agent's Prided Name ApplicaAUgent's eignature / Ddte
(Agent's signature is valid only if an authorization letter from the applicant is provided.)
FORM: BA 10-2013 Page 4 of 5

Send 3 complete sets of this form and accompanying documents to the following:
For government transportation projects sent by
First Class Mail via the US Postal Service:
NC DWR, Transportation Permitting Unit
1617 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699 - 1617
For ail other projects sent by First Class Mail via
the US Postal Service
For government transportation projects sent by
delivery service (UPS, FedEx, etc.):
OR NC DWR, Transportation Permitting Unit
512 N. Salisbury Street
Raleigh, NC 27604
For all other projects sent by delivery service
(UPS, FedEx, etc.):
Karen Higgins Karen Higgins
NCDWR — 401 & Buffer Permitting Branch OR NCDWR — 401 & Buffer Permitting Branch
1617 Mail Service Center 512 N. Salisbury Street
Raleigh, NC 27699 - 1617 Raleigh, NC 27604
FORM: BA 10-2013
Page 5 of 5

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Triangle Land Conservancy
Sustainable Trail Design
Buffer Impacts
Riparian Buffer Application
Division of Water Resources
Sustainable Trail Design at Walnut Hill Nature Preserve
Triangle Land Conservancy (TLC) uses sustainable trail design on all trail construction.
Sustainable trail design targets the reduced ongoing maintenance and cost of new trails by
controlling how the trail interacts with water. Traditional trail design often featured fall line trails
that used water bars and other techniques to divert water. Sustainable trail design seeks to stay on
contours and ascend or descend slowly in order to avoid diverting water, which concentrates
flow and causes erosion.
TLC and its contractors use the sustainable trail building methods described in the
International Mountain Biking Association's Trail Builders Guide. Specifically, sustainable trail
is built on the contour, stays away from floodplains and wet areas, and relies on grade reversals
to traverse steep slopes. The maximum grade should be 15% and only for short sections. The
trail grade should also not exceed one half of the grade of the side slope. By removing steep
sections of trail, water flowing down the hill is not diverted and concentrated flow never forms.
The trail should also maintain an approximate 5% outward slope to allow water to sheet across
the trail and continue down the slope. During trail construction, all loose soil is covered with leaf
litter and the trail tread is compacted in approximately 100 ft sections in order to minimize any
erosion of loose soil. No loose soil is left uncovered.
The trail design for the Walnut Hill property seeks to avoid riparian areas to the extent
possible. Where stream crossings are necessary, the disturbance to the riparian buffer is kept to a
minimum. The small areas of disturbance in the riparian buffer, which is a linear disturbance,
coupled with the sustainable trail design minimizes the impacts on the Neuse River Basin. The
current trail design will not increase sediment or nutrient runoff into the intermittent or perennial
streams on the property (please see attached trail plan).