20211213 Ver 1_01_BUILD Proj G_CoverLetter_20210803_20210805

kimley-horn.com 421 Fayetteville Street, Suite 600, Raleigh, NC 27601 919 677 2000

August 3, 2021

Mr. Garcy Ward
NC Division of Water Resources
401 & Buffer Transportation Permitting
512 North Salisbury Street
Raleigh, NC 27604

RE: Buffer Authorization Request – TASC BUILD Grant, Project G – Town Common Connector
Greenville, Pitt County, North Carolina

Dear Mr. Ward:
On behalf of our client, the City of Greenville, in coordination with the Federal Highway Administration
(FHWA), Kimley-Horn is submitting the attached buffer authorization request for the above referenced linear
transportation project located in the Tar-Pamlico River Basin in Pitt County, NC. The proposed Town
Common Connector project is part of the Transportation, Accessibility, Safety, and Connectivity (TASC)
Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant and includes the construction of
approximately 0.4-mile of new greenway from East 1st Street to East 5th Street between Reade Street and
S Summit Street in downtown Greenville, Pitt County, NC. The proposed greenway section will be a 10-
foot wide multi-use path with 2-foot shoulders on either side. The FHWA is partially funding this project
through the BUILD grant program and additional funds will be provided by the City of Greenville and other
local partners.
The purpose of the project is to improve non-vehicular mobility and connectivity between the east side of
Uptown, Town Common Park, the East Carolina University (ECU) Downtown District, and ECU’s Main
Campus. The project vicinity consists of dense commercial and residential areas, retail centers, and
municipal parks, with pockets of undeveloped, forested land surrounding the Tar River. The majority of the
project is located outside of the protected riparian buffer zones and impacts to riparian buffers have been
minimized to the greatest extent practical.

Kimley-Horn staff conducted a delineation of the project study area on August 19, 2020. One perennial
stream (Stream S1) was identified within the project study area. Emily Thompson of the USACE confirmed
the Project G delineation and issued a Jurisdictional Determination dated December 16, 2020 (SAW‐2020-
02023). Additionally, a buffer determination request was submitted to NCDWR on November 16, 2020. A
field review and official buffer determination documentation is still pending.
Unavoidable impacts to the protected riparian buffer zones associated with Stream S1 will result from the
construction of the proposed project. At Site 1, 3 and 4, permanent impacts to the riparian buffer zones will
result from the necessary paving and grading required to construct the new greenway as well as the
permanent easement to be acquired by the City. At Site 2, permanent impacts to the riparian buffer zones
will result from the construction of an observation deck with educational placards associated with the new
greenway facility. At Site 5, permanent impacts to the riparian buffer zones will result from the construction
of new curb and gutter and permanent easement associated with the crosswalk and greenway facility along
East 1st Street. Temporary impacts to the riparian buffer of Stream S1 will result from the temporary

kimley-horn.com 421 Fayetteville Street, Suite 600, Raleigh, NC 27601 919 677 2000

construction access areas necessary to construct the project. All temporarily impacted areas will be
restored to pre-construction conditions upon completion of the project.

In total, the project proposes 2,175 square feet of temporary Buffer Zone 1 impacts, 1,811 square feet of
temporary Buffer Zone 2 impacts, 3,065 square feet of permanent Buffer Zone 1 impacts, and 11,482
square feet of permanent Buffer Zone 2 impacts. Buffer impacts resulting from the construction of a 10-foot
wide greenway with 2-foot wide shoulders are considered “Allowable Upon Authorization” under the Tar-
Pamlico River Basin Buffer Rules Table of Uses, therefore compensatory mitigation is not proposed as part
of this application.

To assist with the processing of this application, the following information is included:

• Buffer Authorization Form
• Signed Agent Authorization Form
• Figures
• NCDWR Stream Data Form
• Buffer Determination Request Package
• USACE Jurisdictional Determination
• Buffer Impact Drawings
• Plan Sheets
• Erosion Control Sheets

If there is any additional information you need to assist in the processing of this buffer authorization, please
do not hesitate to contact me at [phone] or [e-mail].

Sincerely,

Emma Radford, WPIT
Environmental Analyst