20150503 Ver 1_Other Documents_20150514 (159)

_ Pat McCrory
Governoc
May 11, 2015
MEMORANDUM:
TO
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SUBJECT:
Applicant:
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NC�E�IR
North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resaurce
Karen Higgins
401 & Buffer Permitting Unit
DWR/Water Quality Permitting
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DENR-WAiE:<F?�:�ni:ar�C�, �
Donald R. van der Vaart
Secretary
Jonathan Howell, NC DENR-DCM Assistant Major Permits Coordinator
400 Commerce Avenue, Morehead City, NC 28557 (Courier 11-12-09)
CAMA Permit Application Review
City of Wilmington (Trask Bridge Walkway)
Project Location: under the Heide Trask Drawbridge (NC DOT Bridge No. 12), on US Hwy 74/76, over
the AIWW, in Wilmington, New Hanover County
Proposed Project: Applicant proposes to construct an elevated public walkway
Please indicate below your agency's position or viewpoint on the proposed project and
return this form to Jonathan Howell at the address above by June 4, 2015. If you
have any questions regarding the proposed project, contact Robb Mairs' at [phone]
when appropriate, in depth comments with supporting data is requested. �
REPLY:
SIGNED
This agency has no objection to the project as proposed.
This agency has no comment on the proposed project.
This agency approves of the project only if the recommended changes
are incorporated. See attached.
This agency objects to the project for reasons described in the attached comments.
DATE
N.C. Division of Coastal Management
127 Cardinal Drive Ext.; Wilmington, NC 28405
Phone: [phone] \ FAX: [phone] Internet: www.nccoastalmanagement.net
An Equal Opportunity \ Affirmaiive Action Employer

2.
DIVISION OF COASTAL NiANAGEMENT
FIELD IMVESTIGATION REPORT
APPLICANT'S NAME: City of Wilmington c/o Amy Beatty
PROJECT NAME: Walkway Under the Heitle Trask Drawbridge (Cross, City Trail)
LOCATION OF PROJECT SITE: Site is located under NC DOT Bridge No. 12 (Heide Trask Drawbridge) on US HWY 74/76
adjacent to over AIWW in Wilmington, New Hanover County.
Photo Index — 2006: 22-7424 I-L,10-11 2000: 22-273 I-K,10-11 1995: 22-255 V-11
State Plane Coordinates - X: 2359016 Y: 172501
Lat:34°13'05"N Long:77°48'45"W
3. INVESTIGATION TYPE: CAMA ,
4. INVESTIGATIVE PROCEDURE: Dates of Site Visit — 9/11/2013 and 5/7/2015
UVas Applicant Present — Yes (agent), No
5. PROCESSING PROCEDURE: Application Received — 4/17/2015 (complete)
Office — Wilmington
6. SITE DESCRIPTION: �
(A) Local Land Use Plan—.Wilmington - New Hanover County
Land Classification From LUP — Residential, Conservation
(B) AEC(s) Involved: CW, PT, EW, ES
(C) Water Dependent: Yes
(D) Intended Use: Public
(E) Wastewater Treatment: Existing- Municipal Sewer
. Planned- N/A
(F) Type of Structures: Ezisting- Bridge No. 12 US HWY 74176(Heide Trask Drawbridge)
Planned- Elevated public walkway under bndge
(G) Estimated Annual Rate of Erosion: N/A
7. HABITAT DESCRIPTIOiV:
E:l
[AREA]
DREDGED FILLED OTHER
(A) Vegetated Wetlands (Coastal Wetland) 200 sq. ft.
(Shading)
(B) Non-Vegetated Wetlands (Open Water)
960 sq. ft.
(C) Other - Highground disturbance
1,030 sq. ft.
(D) Total Area Disturbed: 2,190 sq. ft. (0.05 acres)
(E) Primary Nursery Area: No .
(F) UVater Classification: SB Open: NO
PROJECT SUMMARY: The applicant proposes to construct an etevated public walkway under the Heide Trask Drawbridge.
G

City of lhlilmington
Page 2
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The project site is located on the City of Wilmington side of the existing Heide Trask Drawbrige located over the Atlantic Intracoastal
Waterway (AIWW) to the Town of Wrightsville Beach, in New Hanover County. To get to the site from the Wilmington regional office
take US Hwy 74/76 towards Wrightsville Beach just before crossing the drawbridge to Wrightsville Beach. The project is located
entirely within the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NC DOT) right-of-way.
The existing bridge was constructed in 1957 and is approximately 731' in length by 69' in width. The bridge approaches have a
concrete deck supported with concrete T-Beams and concrete pilings and caps. The bascule leafs are opened and closed by a bridge
tender via electric controls located in the bridge tender house over the bascule piers on the southwest sitle of the channel. Several
utility lines parallel the south side of the britlge in a utility corridor located approximately 15' to 35' south of the existing bridge, which
include electric, telephone, cable TV and water lines. Sanitary sewer (Northeast Interceptor) and communications lines parailel the
north side of the bridge at approximately 50' to 100' no�th of the bridge. There is also an existing public sidewalk on the northern side of
US Hwy 74/76.
The project site has approximately 69' of shoreline frontage along the AIWW. Coastal Wetlands on-site consist primarily of'Smooth
Cordgrass (Spartina alferniflora) antl Glasswort (Salicomia spp.) in an area ranging from approximately 20' to 50'in width. Upland
vegetation consists primarily with Wax Myrtles, Cedar Trees and native grasses.
The Wilmington-New Hanover County 2006 Land Use Plan classifies adjacent waters and high ground portion of the property as
Conservation. The waters of the project area are classified SB by the Division of Water Resources. They are NOT tlesignated as a
Primary Nursery Area (PNA) by the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries and they are CLOSED to the harvest of shellfish.
PROPOSED PROJECT
The applicant proposes to construct an elevated public walkway under the Heide Trask Drawbridge. The proposed walkway, through
cooperation with the NC DOT, would begin on the northern sitle of US 74176, which would tie into the existing sidewalk. A new asphalt
sidewalk, measunng approximately 100' in length by 8' in width would extend in an easterly tlirection and would be constructed up to
the Coastal Shoreline 30'Biaffer. At this point a new elevated timber/composite walkway would be constructetl a distance of
approximately 260' in length by 8' in width from the north side of the bridge to the south side, of which approximately 70' of the walkway
would be located under the drawbridge running parallel to the shoreline. The elevated walkway would tie into a new asphalt walkway
on'the southern side of the bridge, measu�ing approximately 80' in length by 8' in width, which would then_lead to another sidewalk,
measuring approximately 110' in length by 8' in width running along the US Hwy 74/76 antl Airlie Road right-of-way. The applicant also
proposes to construct an octagonai covered platform, measuring approximately 18' in length by 17' in width, which would be located on
the northern side of the bridge and partially within the Coastal Shoreline 30' Buffer. The application states that the elevated structure
would be associated with the public City of Wilmington Cross City Trail and .would meet the Americans with Disability Acts (ADA)
requirements. The application also states the structures would be entirely within the NCDOT right-of-way requirements (See attached
sheets and Project Narrative).
10. AfdTICIPATED IMPACTS
The proposed structures would incorporate approximately 960 sq. ft. of Estuarine Waters and Pubic Trust Area and shade
approximately 200 sq. ft. of coastal wetlands. The proposed structures would impact approximately 1,030 sq. ft. of highground area
within the 75' Coastal Shoreline Area of Environmental Concem. The proposed structures would not encroach into the adjacent 15'
Riparian Corritlor Setback Area requirement or the USACE 80 ft. setback from the federal channel requirement. Minor increases in
turbidity should be expected during construction.
Submitted by: Robb L. Mairs Date: May 11, 2015 Office: Wilmington