SW1220701_Email_20220317

Peck, Kaitlin
From:Farkas, Jim J
Sent:Thursday, November 17, 2022 7:37 AM
To:Tommy Karnes
Subject:RE: \[External\] RE: SW1220701 All About Plumbing Building Addition
You can have an extension. Please note that if you are switching to low-density, all of the submittal items (Application,
Supplement-EZ, O&M Agreement, etc…) will need to be updated to reflect low-density prior to resubmission.

Jim Farkas
State Stormwater Engineer
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
Office: [phone]
[e-mail]

From: Tommy Karnes <[e-mail]>
Sent: Wednesday, November 16, 2022 1:27 PM
To: Farkas, Jim J <[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: \[External\] RE: SW1220701 All About Plumbing Building Addition

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Jim,

Thank you for the response. We will be pursuing the low-density concept. In your comment letter, it states that the
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resubmittal is due prior to November 17. Is there a way we could get a reprieve on this date to early next week?

Thanks,

Tommy Karnes, P.E.
McCutchen Engineering Associates, PC
898 West Saint John Street
Spartanburg, SC 29301
864-582-0585(o), 864-582-0581(f), 731-608-1063(c)

From: Farkas, Jim J <[e-mail]>
Sent: Monday, November 14, 2022 2:17 PM
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To: Tommy Karnes <[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: \[External\] RE: SW1220701 All About Plumbing Building Addition

Jim Farkas
State Stormwater Engineer
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
Office: [phone]
[e-mail]

From: Farkas, Jim J
Sent: Monday, November 14, 2022 2:16 PM
To: Tommy Karnes <[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: \[External\] RE: SW1220701 All About Plumbing Building Addition

That design could work as LD. The overland flow lengths over the gravel areas appear short enough that flow
concentration will be avoided. You may wish to add a level spreader type device in the area where you are removing the
curb and gutter to prevent flow concentration/erosion going into the swale (if that will be an issue) and/or extend the
swale to the north/remove the curb & cutter along the east side of the gravel area so that can sheet flow into the swale
(without getting concentrated in the center area).

Jim Farkas
State Stormwater Engineer
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
Office: [phone]
[e-mail]

From: Tommy Karnes <[e-mail]>
Sent: Friday, November 4, 2022 4:31 PM
To: Farkas, Jim J <[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: \[External\] RE: SW1220701 All About Plumbing Building Addition

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Jim,

Thank you for the quick response. See attached annotated revised concept.

If we allowed the downspouts from the building to sheet flow into a grass swale and regraded the site to allow the
gravel area to sheet flow into the vegetated swale would this meet the low-density requirements? We would remove all
stormwater pipe infrastructure from the project.

Thanks in advance,

Tommy Karnes, P.E.
McCutchen Engineering Associates, PC
898 West Saint John Street
Spartanburg, SC 29301
864-582-0585(o), 864-582-0581(f), 731-608-1063(c)

From: Farkas, Jim J <[e-mail]>
Sent: Friday, November 4, 2022 2:02 PM
To: Tommy Karnes <[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: \[External\] RE: SW1220701 All About Plumbing Building Addition

No. Piping is not permitted on low-density projects (15A NCAC 02H .1003(2)(c)) and concentrating the runoff (in a pipe
network) is not permitted on low-density projects (15A NCAC 02H .1003(2)(b)). The project could meet low-density
requirements if the gravel/building areas sheet flow to vegetated areas and/or swales that then remove the runoff from
the site, but collecting the runoff in a pipe network like that is not acceptable for low-density projects.

Jim Farkas
State Stormwater Engineer
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
Office: [phone]
[e-mail]

From: Tommy Karnes <[e-mail]>
Sent: Thursday, November 3, 2022 11:25 AM
To: Farkas, Jim J <[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: \[External\] RE: SW1220701 All About Plumbing Building Addition

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Jim,

Thanks for the explanation. I have attached a revised concept utilizing a grass swale to convey the stormwater. Would
this enable the project to be considered low density?

Thanks,

Tommy Karnes, P.E.
McCutchen Engineering Associates, PC
898 West Saint John Street
Spartanburg, SC 29301
864-582-0585(o), 864-582-0581(f), 731-608-1063(c)

From: Farkas, Jim J <[e-mail]>
Sent: Wednesday, November 2, 2022 4:06 PM
To: Tommy Karnes <[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: \[External\] RE: SW1220701 All About Plumbing Building Addition

I don’t have the plans for this project handy with me right now, but density is just one aspect of what makes a low-
density project low-density (the list of requirements can be found in 15A NCAC 02H .1003(2)). One common issue that
prevents sites like this from being considered as low-density (even if the calculated % BUA is less than 24%) is that low-
density projects cannot use pipes to transport stormwater, they must do so via vegetated conveyances (there are
exemptions for certain situations, like existing pipes and culverts under driveways, but it is generally prohibited). If you
think that this project meets (or can meet) all of the low-density requirements, we can discuss (and I can look at the
plans).

If required, the SHWT information does need to be provided prior to approval (if for example, the SHWT boring came
back and it showed the SHWT too close to the bottom of the SCM, it would require the SCM design to be modified or the
use of a different SCM altogether).

Jim Farkas
State Stormwater Engineer
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
Office: [phone]
[e-mail]

From: Tommy Karnes <[e-mail]>
Sent: Wednesday, November 2, 2022 3:54 PM
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To: Farkas, Jim J <[e-mail]>
Subject: \[External\] RE: SW1220701 All About Plumbing Building Addition

CAUTION: External email. Do not click links or open attachments unless you verify. Send all suspicious email as an attachment to
Report Spam.

Jim,

Thank you for your review comments on this project. We have a couple of questions regarding your comments.

Optional Comment (a): While not required, you may utilize the methodology outlined in 15A NCAC 02H .1003(1)(b) to
calculate the project density since this project has Existing BUA.

Total BUA: 1.33 Ac
Existing BUA: 1.00 Ac
Total Project Area: 3.15 Ac

Project Density = (1.33 Ac – 1.00 Ac) = 15.35%
(3.15 Ac – 1.00 Ac)
Considering this methodology; the project density is 15.35% which is lower than the maximum %BUA for MS4
Stormwater Program (24%). Can this project be considered a low-density project by utilizing this method?

General Design Comments (e): Please provide a SHWT boring so that the elevation of the SHWT can be determined and
the minimum separation verified.

Does this boring & SHWT information need to be obtained before permit approval?

Feel free to give me a call to discuss,

Tommy Karnes, P.E.
McCutchen Engineering Associates, PC
898 West Saint John Street
Spartanburg, SC 29301
864-582-0585(o), 864-582-0581(f), 731-608-1063(c)

From: Farkas, Jim J <[e-mail]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2022 4:26 PM
To: [e-mail]; [e-mail]
Cc: Aiken, Stan E <[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: SW1220701 All About Plumbing Building Addition

Good Afternoon,
The Division of Energy, Mineral and Land Resources (DEMLR), received additional information for a Stormwater
st
Management Permit Application for the subject project on July 21, 2022. A review of that information has determined
that the application is not complete. Attached is a letter describing the items that need to be submitted. If you have any
questions, please feel free to contact me. My contact information is listed below.
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Thank you,

Jim Farkas
State Stormwater Engineer
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
Office: [phone]
[e-mail]

From: Tran, Kieu M <[e-mail]>
Sent: Thursday, August 4, 2022 9:06 AM
To: [e-mail]; [e-mail]
Cc: Farkas, Jim J <[e-mail]>; Aiken, Stan E <[e-mail]>
Subject: SW1220701 All About Plumbing Building Addition

Good morning,

We received your post-construction stormwater permit for the above mentioned project on 7/21/2022. Reviews under
the standard permitting process generally take 45 calendar days, but can take up to 90 calendar days per statute (our
other reviewer, Corey Anen, no longer works for the State, so this review may exceed 45 days). Please upload all
documents that you mailed into our office through the link provided below. Be sure to choose the Central Office as the
Primary Contact office.

https://edocs.deq.nc.gov/Forms/SW-Supplemental-Upload

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please ensure that each file is uploaded under its appropriate file type. Additional file types can be
entered into the electronic form by clicking on the “Add Another Post-Construction File Upload” link directly below the
“State Stormwater Information Uploads” section of the form. Please do not upload entire plan sets through this form,
but rather upload the relevant individual sheets under the appropriate file type. Selecting the correct file type ensures
that the files are properly named in the electronic repository and it helps expedite the review process.

Please type in permit #: SW1220701

If you have any questions, please contact Jim Farkas [e-mail] 919-707-3646.

Thank you,

Mrs. Kieu Tran
Stormwater Program Administrative Assistant
Office: (919) 707- 3640
[e-mail]

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North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
Division of Energy, Mineral, and Land Resources Stormwater Program

512 N. Salisbury Street, Raleigh, NC 27604 (location)
1612 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1612 (mailing)
Website: http://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/energy-mineral-land-resources/stormwater

Email correspondence to and from this address is subject to the North Carolina Public Records Law and may be disclosed
to third parties

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