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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20211589 Ver 1_FedEx Parking Lot Expansion Cultural Resources Letter_20211101=0 July 8, 2021 Campbell Engineering & Associates, Inc. 31 Boland Court Greenville, South Carolina 29615 Attention: Tim Campbell Reference: Cultural Resource Literature Review and Site Visit Federal Express Parking Lot Expansion Wilmington, New Hanover County, North Carolina S&ME Project No. 213904 Dear Mr. Campbell: S&ME, Inc. (S&ME) has completed a Cultural Resources Literature Review and Site Visit for Campbell Engineering & Associates, Inc., as part of the due diligence for the Federal Express Parking Lot Expansion. The project area is located south of Pennington Drive, in New Hanover County, North Carolina (Figures 1 and 2). The direct Area of Potential Effects (APE) for the proposed project includes the footprint of the project area; the indirect APE was not investigated since the parking lot will be at the ground level in an area that has been developed into a business park. Background Methods and Results A background literature review and record search was conducted in June 2021, by the OSA staff in Raleigh due to office closures to the public. The records examined by OSA and provided to S&ME staff included GIS files and site forms for archaeological sites within a one -mile search radius of the project corridor, as well as copies of the reports for previously completed surveys that cover portions of the current project corridor. A review of the information provided by OSA and HPOWEB indicated there is one archaeological site, four survey only resources, and one NRHP-listed resource within a one -mile radius of the project area (Figures 1 and 2, Table 1). None of the archaeological sies or structures are within or directly adjacent to the project area. The NRHP- listed resource is roughly 0.8-mile northwest of the project area. There are four specific soil types found within the project area; their descriptions can be found in Table 2 and their location in the project area can be seen in Figure 3 (United States Department of Agriculture [USDA] Web Soil Survey, Accessed June 29, 2021). S&ME, Inc. 1 134 Suber Road I Columbia, SC 29210 1 p 803.561.9024 1 www.smeinc.com o� NH1555 � 1 NH0546 1 + J ' r�iAr.I►i��Aa�I►�jr �� topographic quadrangle. �. i 0 0 f UIL *Previously Recorded Archaeological Site Survey Only Structure =Project Area C =One -mile Search Radius WNRHP-Listed Resource O III SCALE: 1:20,551 Topographic Map Proposed Parking Lot Expansion FIGURE NO. PROJECT NO: 213904 DRAWN BY: KJN DATE: 7/7/2021 New Hanover County, North Carolina NH1476 A 4 r A i 1i • a. ESRI Aerial Imagery. • •• !� • C .� -%Xk' i r) A =Project Area Soil Types Lynchburg fine sandy loam, 0-2% Murville fine sand Pantego loam Torhuna loamy fine sand III SCALE: 1:4,093 Soils Map Proposed Parking Lot Expansion FIGURE NO. 3 PROJECT NO: 213904 DRAWN BY: KJN DATE: 7/7/2021 New Hanover County, North Carolina Cultural Resource Literature Review and Site Visit July 8, 2021 Federal Express Parking Lot Expansion Page 5 Table 1. Cultural Resources within a one -mile search radius of the project area. 31 NH695 Prehistoric lithic scatter; 19th/20th century artifact scatter Not Eligible OSA Site Form NH0546 Blake House Survey Only HPOWEB NH0547 (former) Nixon's Grocery Store Survey Only HPOWEB NH0548 Mount Holly Baptist Church Survey Only HPOWEB NH1476 Tinga Nursery Listed HPOWEB NH1555 Hancock House Survey Only HPOWEB Table 2. Soil types and characteristics found within the project area. Lynchburg Fine sandy loam Somewhat poorly drained Marine terraces 0-2% Murville Fine sand Very poorly drained Depressions Pantego Loam Very poorly drained Flats Torhunta Loamy fine sand Very poorly drained Depressions Site Visit On July 2, 2021, a site visit was conducted to document the current conditions of the project area and document the existing disturbances of the surrounding area (Figures 4 through 7). The project area is poorly drained and the soils are hydric in nature. Two shovel tests were excavated during the site visit and confirmed the hydric soils; a typical soil profile consisted of approximately 30 cm of grayish brown (10YR 5/2) sand, followed by 25 cm (30-55 cmbs) of gray (10YR 6/1) sand, terminating with 10+ cm (55-65+ cmbs) of black (10YR 2/1) wet sand (Figure 8). Recommendations Based on the poorly drained soils within the project area, the disturbances surrounding the project area, and the fact that the NRHP-listed area is 0.8-mile from the project area with urban development between it and the resource. It is S&ME's opinion that the project will have no effect on historic properties and that no additional cultural resource investigations are necessary for the project area as currently proposed. Closing Thank you for your assistance with this project. If we can provide additional information, please do not hesitate to contact Kimberly Nagle at (803) 561-9024 or knagle@smeinc.com. Sincerely, 5&ME, Inc. Kimberly Nagle, M.S., RPA Senior Archaeologist Paul Connell, B.A. Crew Chief S&ME, Inc. Cultural Resource Literature Review and Site Visit Federal Express Parking Lot Expansion July 8, 2021 Page 6 Figure 4. Overview of project area, facing south. Figure 5. Overview of project area, facing south. S&ME, Inc. Cultural Resource Literature Review and Site Visit Federal Express Parking Lot Expansion July 8, 2021 Page 7 Figure 6. Roadway and facility to the north of the project area, facing northwest. Figure 7. Intersection and business to the east of the project area, facing northwest. S&ME, Inc. Cultural Resource Literature Review and Site Visit Federal Express Parking Lot Expansion July 8, 2021 Page 8 �L[r�y -• ��V-.T � � 1 a�.',sb i# ,'qV ry� .}fir �5.� --,.. •- f Figure 8. Typical soil profile in the project area. S&ME, Inc.