20201428_West Blvd Ext- 401 Letter Response 6-25-2021_20210625

CITY OF
CHARLQTTE GENERAL SERVICES
Mr. S. Daniel Smith
Director, Division of Water Resources
NC Department of Environmental Quality
512 North Salisbury Street/1716 Mail Service Center/Raleigh, North Carolina 27699
06/25/2021
Subject: Proposed Extension of West Boulevard in Mecklenburg County
Project Number: PMES171515
DWR#20201428
Dear Mr. Smith:
In response to your request for documentation and explanation to the review comments, we are respectfully providing
the following responses and attached exhibits.
The responses are in the same order as the review comments.
• The revised PCN is enclosed noting the partial City funding is included in this project.
• It is unclear as to why the requirement for NEPA is being requested as previous City roadway projects similar in
nature (i.e. length of roadway, proposed connectivity, and use of public funds) did not require this level of
documentation. No Federal funds or State funds are involved with this project. The implementation of this project is
a component of the City's adopted Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP) and is a Thoroughfare Roadway
providing a necessary link of connectivity between Interstate 485 and Dixie River Road supporting the adopted Dixie
Berryhill Community Investment Corridor(Designated in 2014). Within the CTP,the roadway ultimately may create
linkage to the Catawba Crossings Roadway currently under study by the GLCMPO(Gaston Lincoln Cleveland
Metropolitan Planning Organization). While it was included in the rezoning for the River District as approved by the
City, it's support is based on the interpretation and USACE permitting conclusion as a separate roadway project
from that development as a new Thoroughfare. Meetings with USACE representatives(David Schaeffer, Scott Jones,
Crystal Amschler, Catherine Janiczek) on March 20, 2017 and again with David Schaeffer on February 19, 2020
discussed separating out thoroughfares from the overall River District and all agreed they will be handled separately
but will be reviewed as they relate to the overall cumulative impacts for River District plan. These discussions also
discussed other CIP infrastructure projects related to River District(i.e. sewerline and watermains) and it was
agreed that these will be permitted separately. These meetings represented the discussions that resulted in
support for and ultimate issuance of the 404 permit for the roadway.
• In 2016, initial potential alignments were considered as shown on the attachment"West Blvd Alignment Options ".
During the final design process which included multiple meetings with City Staff and NCDOT,the point of departure
from 1-485 was confirmed and approved by the NCDOT CA Committee (Controlled Access Committee).This point of
departure and the first 1000' of the roadway were determined to be subject to NCDOT control of access and
maintenance of the first 850'just short of the proposed culvert which will be maintained by CDOT(Charlotte
Department of Transportation).The alignments identified in 2016 were further studied during final design after
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CITY OF
CHARLOTTE GENERAL SERVICES
delineation of Waters of the US.This led to the current alignment which, while seeking the approval of the culvert
crossing at the first stream crossing, avoided any impacts to Beaverdam Creek(proposed bridge) and the tributary
to Beaverdam Creek just south of the roadway and east of Beaverdam Creek. Horizontal and vertical control
requirements restricted the alignment such that a shift south in the first 1000'feet would not completely avoid
impact to the first stream crossing and would shift the road at the Beaverdam Creek crossing south resulting in
impact to this tributary and a more challenging bridge crossing. Further,the current alignment, as developed during
final design, shifted the terminus point at Dixie River Road further south allowing minimization or potential
avoidance of any stream or wetlands impacts should West Blvd be further extended in the future for connection to
the possible future Catawba Crossings roadway project. The current alignment has allowed for a bridge design for
the crossing of Beaverdam Creek with no impacts.
• The USACE 404 authorization for the NWP 14 and JD approval is attached.
• The Stormwater Plan and the proposed culvert and associated hydraulics have been approved by the City and will
be maintained by CDOT.The City approval is attached.
• While the River District(RD) is a planned development, it consists of multiple landowners within the approved
rezoning who are all subject to the specific requirements of the rezoning. The RD is located with in the greater Dixie
Berryhill area, a roughly six thousand-acre area.The area outside of the RD is not subject to the entitlements of the
RD nor controlled by the RD. Thus, it is not feasible at this point to provide phasing for all the River District nor the
Dixie Berryhill area where the proposed West Blvd Extension is located.
NCDOT will not be approving the culvert, hydraulics of the crossing, nor maintaining the culvert. NCDOT has
completed review of all plans for the roadway and once the road R/W has been dedicated will issue the final
approval and encroachment.
• As noted above it is both unclear why this is being requested when previous City funded projects were not required
to provide this documentation and, as explained, exact future development is not known. However the
commitments and designs associated with the River District have been carefully adopted and approved toward
implementing a very aggressive set of Environmental " Pillars "during development including such commitments as
:40% open space, advanced sedimentation and erosion control measures, real time in-stream water quality
monitoring, increased stream and wetland buffers, environmental education, minimizing and to the maximum
extent possible avoiding stream and or wetland impacts, and dedication of a significant tree save conservation
easement of 112 acres around Little Paw Creek Cove for water quality protection. Also, we reference Section 2.1-
Direct and Indirect Effects Caused by the GP Activity in the Issued 404 Permit.
• The USACE 404 authorization for the NWP 14 and JD approval is attached.
• The revised PCN is included. The project studied and field evaluated the Threatened and Endangered Species listed
for Mecklenburg County.
• The sill detail has been added to the PCN Plans/Exhibits section.
We trust these responses and attachments adequately provide sufficient documentation to allow consideration for
issuance of the 401 Water Quality Certification with the condition that the request for the sill be addressed in the
construction plans.
Please contact Jeff Levi at(828)699-3697 or [e-mail], if you have any questions.
CharlotteNC.gov 1600 East 4th Street I Charlotte, NC 28202 I PH: 704-336-2291 I FAX: [phone]

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CITY OF
CHARLQTTE GENERAL SERVICES
Respectfully Submitted,
a �f---
'mad Fakhreddin, PE
Senior Project Manager
Electronic Copy Only Distribution:
Donna Hood, [e-mail]
Bryan Roden-Reynolds, [e-mail]
Dale Stewart, [e-mail]
Jeff Levi, [e-mail]
CharlotteNC.gov 1600 East 4th Street I Charlotte, NC 28202 I PH: 704-336-2291 I FAX: [phone]