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Home My WebLink About20121074 Ver 1_Public Comments_20130104 (3)Strickland, Bev From: Higgins, Karen Sent: Monday, January 07, 2013 9:33 AM To: Homewood, Sue Cc: Strickland, Bev Subject: FW: Ashley Furniture Corps Action ID# SAW- 2012 -01900 Attachments: Ashley Letter.docx More public comments for DWQ# 2012 -1074. Thanks - Karen Karen Higgins Supervisor, Wetlands, Buffers, Stormwater - Compliance & Permitting Unit NCDENR - Division of Water Quality 1650 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699 -1650 Phone: (919) 807 -6360 Email: karen.higgins @ncdenr.gov Website: http: / /Portal.ncdenr.org /web /wq /swp /ws /webscape E -mail correspondence to and from this address may be subject to the North Carolina Public Records Law and may be disclosed to third parties. consider , .. From: Malorie Cook [ mailto:maloriecookCa)amail.com] Sent: Friday, January 04, 2013 9:17 PM To: juliahowardCa)nclea.net; andrewbrock(a)nlea.net; robert .wisecarver(a)co.davie.nc.us; beth.dirksCa)co.davie.nc.us; Higgins, Karen Subject: Ashley Furniture Corps Action ID# SAW- 2012 -01900 Michael E. Cook and Malorie E. Cook Re: Ashley Furniture Mr. Michael Moran Ashley Furniture Industries, Inc One Ashley Way Arcadia, WI 54612 Mr. John Thomas John.T.Thomas.JR @usace.army.mil Raleigh Regulatory Field Office 3331 Heritage Trade Drive, Suite 105 Wake Forest, NC 27587 Ms. Karen Higgins NC Division of Water Quality 1650 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699 Re: Corps Action ID #SAW- 2012 -01900 To Whom it May Concern: January 3, 2013 My wife and I own a home in a large subdivision that adjoins the property of Ashley Furniture Industries, 916 Baltimore Road, Advance, North Carolina, 27006. We have just recently become aware of the application submitted by Mr. Michael Moran of Ashley Furniture Industries seeking a Department of Army permit authorization for permanent impacts to 316 linear feet of jurisdictional stream channels and 4.089 acres of jurisdictional forested wetlands adjacent to Buffalo Creek, associated with the proposed expanse of their existing warehouse and manufacturing facilities. As small business owners we recognize the much needed and important contribution that Ashley Furniture will make to our community. However, after reviewing the proposal we have many legitimate concerns regarding the proposed changes to our community as well as our environment. We believe that Mr. Michael Moran and Ashley Furniture Industries is equally concerned about our local community as well as our environment and would not mind proving it by granting those impacted by their proposed changes an extension to the deadline previously requested. The need for revenue in a time of economic turmoil should not be overshadowed by adequate time for due diligence into this matter. We have several concerns regarding this application; however, our concerns regarding watershed and water quality are paramount to us. Buffalo Creek - Buffalo Creek has already proven difficult for our community during heavy rains. Shortly after our community was developed we had to replace the culvert on Baltimore Trails Rd. due to damage. Last year Buffalo Creek flowed over the giant culvert on Baltimore Trails Road and breached its banks overflowing and damaging the section of road that encircles our riding arena at an expense our HOA will have to absorb. The damage has yet to be repaired so the evidence of the damage that I describe is still present. Our equestrian trails cross Buffalo Creek in two different areas. Baltimore Trails HOA is regularly repairing these crossings throughout the year as these heavy rains continue to damage the footing. There is current evidence of the outstanding issue where the proposed land adjoins our equestrian trails. Ashley furniture's current boundary fence continues to be washed away during these times of heavy rain leaving a lot of debris on our trails, often times their entire fence. This boundary fence is a well maintained six foot tall chain linked fence set in a concrete footing. Unless very recently repaired this fence is again currently washed away. I am definitely not an engineer but from our communities ongoing issues with Buffalo Creek throughout the year, year after year, I have some reservations about the reduction of wetlands and the paving of large parking lots and docking stations due to the watershed. Since Buffalo Creek currently cannot adequately handle its water flow throughout the year, it would be worth the additional effort to reevaluate the idea of increasing the amount additional water added to Buffalo Creek. Without any information of the studies already conducted we really have no idea what has been planned. Maybe the US Army Corp of Engineers has actually reduced the water flow and has the water routed elsewhere. We just don't know. There is a tributary that adjoins Mr. And Mrs. Kohl's property that also consistently floods over the culvert during these downpours as well. Again, is more or less water routed to that stream? We just don't know. Since Buffalo Creek and its tributaries give our community such difficulty throughout the year a strong argument could be made that others downstream are also, adversely effected by the current water flow. Again, we just don't know. We are equally concerned about surface water contamination as well. Our community is adjacent to and downstream of Ashley Furniture Industries on Buffalo Creek. Our horses along with livestock drink this water on a regular basis. Adjacent fields are also turned into hay providing food to many animals. We are also concerned about the aquifers that provide the water that our families consume. All of the homes in our community are on a well system. I am confident that after reviewing our concerns that you will also agree that the application should be delayed while more research is conducted. Thanks for your consideration, Mr. And Mrs. Cook 197 Browder Lane Advance, NC 27006 336- 391 -9160 Cc: Senator Richard Burr United States Senator 200 W. First Street, Suite 508 Winston Salem, NC 27104 Senator Kay Hagan United States Senator 701 Green Valley Road, Suite 201 Greensboro, NC 27408 Representative Julia C. Howard NC House of Representatives 16 W. Jones Street, Rm 1106 Raleigh, NC 27601 State Senator Andrew C. Brock NC Senator 300 N. Salisbury St. Rm 623 Raleigh, NC 27603 Honorable Robert Wisecarver Chairman of Davie County Board of Commissioners 388 Fort Bixby Road Advance, NC 27006 Ms. Beth Dirks Manager of Davie County 123 S. Main St. Mocksville, NC 27028 Baltimore Trails Homeowners Baltimore Downs Homeowners Advance, NC 27006