R-3300A_CP4A_MergerMeetingSummary

Meeting Minutes
Hampstead Bypass, STIP Project No. R-3300
NEPA/404 Merger Team Meeting – Concurrence Point 4A Revised
Date
Date: July 26, 2017, 8:30 am
Place/Time: Century Center Building A, Structures Conference Room
Attendees: Trace Howell, NCDOT Division 3
Mason Herndon, NCDOT Division 3
Kevin Bowen, NCDOT Division 3
Chad Kimes, NCDOT Division 3
Katie Hite, NCDOT Division 3 (via phone)
Jay McInnis, NCDOT Project Development
Brad Shaver, US Army Corp of Engineers
Gary Jordan, US Fish & Wildlife Service
Travis Wilson, NC Wildlife Resources Commission
Cathy Brittingham, NCDEQ Division of Coastal Management
Steven Lane, NCDEQ Division of Coastal Management (via phone)
Curt Weychert, NC Division of Coastal Management (via phone)
Joanne Steenhuis, NCDEQ Wilmington
Paul Atkinson, NCDOT Hydraulics
Mark Staley, NCDOT Roadside Environmental Unit
Tyler Stanton, NCDOT Environmental Analysis Unit
Steven Yeung, NCDOT Congestion Management
Harrison Marshall, NCDOT Community Studies
Mike Kozlosky, Wilmington Urban Area MPO (via phone)
Ricky Greene, Stantec
Amy Sackaroff, Stantec
Ted Devens, Stantec
Mike Lindgren, Stantec
Katrina Hazel, Stantec
Emily Love, Stantec
Hanna Woldemariam, Stantec
Distribution: Attendees
Renee Gledhill-Early, State Historic Preservation Office
Chris Militscher, US Environmental Protection Agency
The NEPA/404 Merger Team met on July 12, 2017 to discuss the proposed Hampstead Bypass in New
Hanover and Pender Counties. The purpose of the meeting was to reach agreement on a revised
Concurrence Point 4A (Avoidance and Minimization).
ITEMS OF DISCUSSION AND MEETING HIGHLIGHTS: Stantec reviewed the project history, including
Merger Team concurrence to date, and design refinements developed for the Preferred Alternative
since the last Merger Team Meeting 2016. Design modifications include downsizing the facility from a
combination of six- and four-lane sections to entirely four-lanes for the length of the proposed
project; refining design of the NC 210 interchange; moving the proposed interchange west of
Grandview Drive to Hoover Road; and modification of the southern and northern interchanges. The
following bullets summarize the discussion items and conclusions reached at the meeting.
Hampstead Bypass, STIP Project No. R-3300
Page 2 of 2
•At the start of the meeting, the USACE stated they would be comfortable reaching a
verbal agreement on CP4A, but could not sign a revised concurrence form at this time
due to the current status of the permit for Military Cutoff Road Extension (STIP No. U-4751).
•Stantec noted the new design reduced delineated wetland impacts by 31.65 acres and
delineated stream impacts by 543 linear feet.
•During the presentation, it was pointed out that the westward alignment shift at the
northern terminus towards existing US 17, away from the prior eastern shift of the
alignment, would possibly impact protected lands with red-cockaded woodpecker
(RCW) habitat once widened to six lanes in the future. Both NCWRC and USFWS
expressed a preference for the previous alignment, which would most likely avoid future
impacts to the protected lands which have a higher probability of maintaining future
RCW habitat over non-protected lands. USFWS also suggested taking into consideration
the practice of managed burning, which would occur in close proximity to a U-turn
bulbout if the alignment is not re-shifted to the east.
•It was noted by WRC that the packet figures don’t reflect recent additions to the Holly
Shelter Gameland. [Update: project mapping has been revised to show the three
NCDOT-owned parcels on the east side of existing US 17 as part of the Holly Shelter
Gamelands.]
•USFWS noted there is an existing biological opinion allowing for the incidental take of one
RCW cluster, and a re-evaluation will be needed prior to permitting. USFWS also stated a
new RCW foraging habitat analysis will need to be conducted.
•USFWS stated the biological conclusion for the Rufa Red Knot would be no effect, and
the Northern Long-Eared Bat is covered by the Programmatic Agreement between
NCDOT and USFWS.
•The Merger Team requested the northern terminus be shifted east as per the 2013/2016
Selected Alternative. It was agreed that the alignment would be modified to completely
avoid impacting the Holly Shelter Gamelands.
ACTION ITEMS:
•Stantec will provide the Merger Team with a copy of the Hoover Road ICE Addendum as
requested by USACE. [See attached.]
•Stantec will update Holly Shelter Gameland Mapping.
•Stantec will refine the northern terminus design to indicate right of way acquisition on the
east side of US 17 to allow future asymmetrical widening to the east to avoid impacts to
the game lands on the west side of US 17.
•Stantec will have the revised packet posted to NCDOT’s website for review by others who
were unavailable for the meeting. [Update: final meeting packet is available for download
on the NCDOT website.]
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