20070958 Ver 1_WRC Comments_20070615

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North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission ~
Richard B. Hamilton, Executive Director
MEMORANDUM
To:
From:
Brad E. Shaver
USACE
Ian McMillan
NC DENR/DWQ
Steven H. Everhart, PhD, CWB
Southeastern Permit Coordinator
Habitat Conservation Program
Date: June 15, 2007
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RE: Deuce Investments, Inc. -Morris Landing, Onslow Co., DWQ#07-0958
Biologists with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) have reviewed
the subject application for impacts to wildlife and fishery resources. Our comments are provided
in accordance with provisions of the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (48 Stat. 401, as
amended; 16 U.S.C. 661 et. seq.), and Sections 401 and 404 of the Clean Water Act (as
amended).
The project is located on the northeast side of Morris Landing Rd. (SR 1538), southeast of its
intersection with Holly Ridge - Sneads Ferry Rd. (SR 1534) in Onslow County. The property
totals approximately 147 acres including approximately 54 acres of jurisdictional wetlands and
waters hydrologically connected to Hardison Creek and thence to Spicer Bay and the AIWW.
An un-named tributary to Hardison bisects the property and wetland fingers extend into the
project area. Waters in this area are classified SA by the Division of Water Quality (NCDWQ).
The applicants propose to impact approximately 0.2615 acre of forested wetlands and 1001inear
feet of intermittent stream through filling/culverting to construct access roads and provide
infrastructure for 130 homesites. The applicant proposes to mitigate for these impacts by NC
EEP buy-in.
We have the following concerns/recommendations:
Mailing Address: Division of Inland Fisheries 1721 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1 72 1
Telephone: [phone] Fax: [phone]

Deuce Investments -Morris Landing
June 15, 2007
• We recommend that utility crossings at all streams be directionally bored or suspended
above the stream.
We recommend 100 ft and 50 ft native forested buffers are maintained or created on each
side of on-site perennial and intermittent streams, respectively. Directional bores for
utilities must begin and end outside the appropriate forested buffer. If utilities are to
parallel streams, they must be outside the appropriate forested buffer or the 100-year
flood plain, whichever is greater.
~ The NCWRC does not support the filling of wetlands to generate high ground for
development and any required permit authorization will receive a recommendation for
denial unless the project has significant public benefits and all wetlands or aquatic habitat
impacts are fully mitigated. To fully mitigate for wetland impacts, we recommend that
the EEP buy-in credits be in the Onslow County portion of the Cape Fear River Basin.
We also recommend that all remaining wetlands be preserved through conservation
easement using language consistent with U. S. Army Corps of Engineers (USAGE)
guidelines for the preservation of wetlands. This language prohibits cutting, pruning,
mowing, or burning of vegetation; construction of any kind; use of herbicides; any land
disturbing activities; dumping or storing of soil, trash, or other waste; and the pasturing,
grazing or watering of animals, or any other agricultural or horticultural purpose within
wetlands.
We have no objection to the project provided our recommendations are included as permit
conditions. Thank you for the opportunity to review and comment on this application. If you
have any questions or require additional information regarding these comments, please call me at
[phone] or steve.everhart~a ncwildlife.org .
CC: Joanne Steenhuis, NCDWQ
Howard Hall, USFWS