20240533 Ver 1_01_DunnCreek_Juniper_CoverLetter_20240410

Kimley»>Horn
April 10, 2024
Mr. Dicky Harmon
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Raleigh Regulatory Field Office
3331 Heritage Trade Drive, Suite 105
Wake Forest, North Carolina 27587
Mr. Rob Ridings
NC Division of Water Resources
401 & Buffer Transportation Permitting
1617 Mail Service Center,
Raleigh, NC 27699-1617
RE: Nationwide Permit 14 Application — Dunn Creek Culvert Replacement
(SAW-2023-01945)
Wake Forest, Wake County, North Carolina
Dear Mr. Harmon and Mr. Ridings
On behalf of our client, the Town of Wake Forest, Kimley-Horn is submitting the attached application
for authorization under Nationwide Permit (NWP) 14 for the above referenced project in Wake County,
North Carolina. The project proposes to replace and extend the two failing, corrugated metal pipe
(CMP) culverts that currently exists under East Juniper Avenue with two 8' wide by 6' tall reinforced
concrete box culverts, embedded one foot into the channel of Dunn Creek (Hatters Branch). The
proposed project is necessary to relieve the failing infrastructure of the two existing culverts and to limit
the number of overtopping events ultimately to prevent future erosion and improve safety of the
roadway crossing.
Additionally, the Town is proposing roadway improvements including the addition of curb and gutter,
as well as a 5' grass strip and 10' wide multi -use path (MUP) to improve pedestrian safety along the
northern and southern sides of East Juniper Avenue. The proposed Multi -Use Path (MUP) will be
connected to the existing Dunn Creek Greenway intersecting the project corridor. These activities are
considered Phase 1 of the project. Phase 2 will be constructed as a separate project by the Town of
Wake Forest or a developer as a part of the Town's CTP Plan. Phase 2 is located wholly in uplands
and will include extending the MUPs, constructed as part of Phase 1, west along East Juniper Avenue
to Traditions Grande Boulevard.
Kimley-Horn staff delineated the project corridor on August 8, 2023, and identified one jurisdictional
stream, Dunn Creek (Hatters Branch). A Preliminary Jurisdictional Determination (PJD) concurrence
email (SAW-2023-01945) was issued by Dicky Harmon of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
on November 9, 2023. A Buffer Determination Letter was issued by Rob Ridings of the North Carolina
Division of Water Resources (NCDWR) on October 3, 2023. The issued Buffer Determination Letter
and PJD email concurrence for the project are attached as part of this permit application package. Two
Pre -Application meetings to discuss the project were held with Dicky Harmon of the USACE and Rob
Ridings of the NCDWR on February 16 and March 14, 2024.
Impacts to streams and protected riparian buffers have been avoided and minimized to the extent
practicable. At Impact Site 1, a total of 36 LF (0.01 acre) of permanent stream impacts and 46 LF (0.008
acre) of permanent -no net loss (P-NNL) stream impacts to Dunn Creek (Hatters Branch) within the
project corridor as a result of the replacement and extension of the existing, failing culverts and
associated keyed -in rip rap inlet and outlet to the channel and banks. The associated riprap will provide
bank stabilization and help prevent future erosion. The new culverts will be buried a minimum of 1 foot

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and will allow for natural flow and movement of aquatic species. Additionally, a total of 16 LF (0.003
acre) of temporary stream impacts would result from the proposed project to facilitate the construction
access necessary to install the proposed culverts and rip rap and for temporary dewatering to allow for
work in the dry.
At Impact Site 1, a total of 6,381 square feet of unavoidable permanent impacts to buffer zone 1 and
2,630 square feet of permanent impacts to buffer zone 2 of Dunn Creek (Hatters Branch) will result
from the proposed project as a result of the culvert replacement and extension, and permanent drainage
easement, as well as the perpendicular construction of the proposed MUPs along the northern and
southern side of East Juniper Avenue. Additionally, a total of 411 square feet of temporary impacts to
buffer zone 1 and 200 square feet of temporary impacts to buffer zone 2 of Dunn Creek (Hatters Branch)
will result from the construction access necessary to install the proposed culverts and riprap, and to
construct the proposed MUPs.
Compensatory mitigation is not proposed for streams as part of this permit application due to minimal
permanent impacts to streams (<0.02 acre; <300 LF) resulting from the proposed project.
Compensatory mitigation is also not proposed for impacts to the Neuse River Basin riparian buffers as
a result of this project. According to NCDWR's Neuse River Basin Buffer Table of Uses, the buffer
impacts associated with the construction of greenways, trails, sidewalks, and/or linear bike/pedestrian
transportation systems where built upon area is added to the riparian buffer, equal to or less than 10
feet wide with two foot wide shoulders are "Allowable Upon Authorization". Additinoally, buffer impacts
associated with the construction of perpendicular roadway crossings impacting greater than one -tenth
of an acre but equal to or less than one-third of an acre of riparian buffer are considered "Allowable
Upon Authorization".
To assist in your review of this NWP application, the following information has been included:
• ePCN Application Form
• Signed Agent Authorization Form
• Project Figures
• Preliminary Jurisdictional Determination Email Concurrence (SAW-2023-01945)
• NCDWR Buffer Determination Letter
• Permit Impact Drawings
• Project Site Plans
• NCDWR 401 Application Fee $323
If you need any additional information to assist in your review of this NWP application, feel free to
contact me at [phone] or [e-mail].
Sincerely,
Emma Radford, WPIT, CA
Attachments