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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20051175 Ver 1_More Info Letter_20050719OF \NArF,? Michael F. Easley, Governor p ? 0 G retar G R J S Willi ` ec . oss r., y am V) North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources O Alan W. Klimek, P.E. Director Division of Water Quality July 19, 2005 O S 111 S DWQ Project #-05rT2S0"' Hyde County CERTIFIED MAIL: RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED Ms. Delores Fearing c/o David Pharr 533 West Ocean Acres Drive Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Subject Property: Jackson Dunes Lot 6, Fearing Property SR1371 Ocracoke, NC REQUEST FOR MORE INFORMATION Dear Ms. Fearing and Mr. Pharr: On June 28, 2005, the Division of Water Quality (DWQ) received your application dated June 23, 2005 to impact 0.1999 acres of wetlands to prepare a lot for residential development, providing prep for septic to meet setbacks. The DWQ has determined that your application was incomplete and/or provided inaccurate information as discussed below. The DWQ will require additional information in order to process your application to impact protected wetlands and/or streams on the subject property. Therefore, unless we receive the additional information requested below, we will have to move toward denial of your application as required by 15A NCAC 211.0506 and will place this project on hold as incomplete until we receive this additional information. Please provide the following information so that we may continue to review your project. Additional Information Requested: 1. Plan Detail Incomplete • Please provide the location of any proposed stormwater management practices as required by GC3404 • Please provide detail for the stormwater management practices as required by GC3404. • Please specify the percent of project imperviousness area based on the estimated built-out conditions. • Please indicate all stormwater outfalls on the site plan. Please respond within three weeks of the date of this letter by sending this information to me in writing and Tom Steffens of the DWQ Washington Regional Office. If we do not hear from you within three weeks, we will assume that you no longer want to pursue this project and we will consider the project as withdrawn. 401 Oversight/Express Review Permits Unit 1650 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1650 2321 Crabtree Boulevard, Suite 250, Raleigh, North Carolina 27604 Phone: 919.733-1786 / FAX 919-733-6893 / Internet: http://h2o.enr.state.nc.us/ncwetlands o Carolina Ne Naturallff An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer - 50%a Recycled/10% Post Consumer Paper Ms. Delores Fearing: Page 2 of 2 July 19, 2005: This letter only addresses the application review and does not authorize any impacts to wetlands, waters or protected buffers. Please be aware that any impacts requested within your application are not authorized (at this time) by the DWQ. Please call Ms. Cyndi Karoly or Mr. John Dorney at 919-733-1786 if you have any questions regarding or would like to set up a meeting to discuss this matter. Sincerely, sor Re iew Permits Unit CBKlijm Enclosures: GC3402 cc: Tom Steffens, DWQ Washington Regional Office USACE Washington Regulatory Field Office File Copy Central Files Filename: 051175JacksonDunesLot6(Hyde)OnHold WQC #3404 OR REPAIR CONDUCTED BY NCDOT OR OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES) AND RIPARIAN AREA PROTECTION RULES (BUFFER RULES) This General Certification is issued in conformity with the requirements of Section 401, Public Laws 92-500 and 95-217 of the United States and subject to the North Carolina Division of Water Quality (DWQ) Regulations in 15A NCAC 2H, Section .0500 and 15A NCAC 26 .0200 for the discharge of fill material to waters and adjacent wetland areas or to wetland areas that are not a part of the surface tributary system to interstate waters or navigable waters of the United States (i.e., isolated wetlands) as described in 33 CFR 330 Appendix A (B) (14) of the Corps of Engineers regulations (Nationwide Permit No. 14 and Regional General Permit 198200031) and for the Riparian Area Protection Rules (Buffer Rules) in 15A NCAC 2B .0200. The category of activities shall include any fill activity for road crossings and is limited to fill less than one-third acre in tidal waters and less than one-half acre in non-tidal waters. This Certification replaces Water Quality Certification Number 2177 issued on November 5, 1987, Water Quality Certification Number 2666 issued on January 21, 1992, Water Quality Certification Number 2732 issued on May 1, 1992, Water Quality Certification Number 3103 issued on February 11, 1997, Water Quality Certification Number 3289 issued on June 1, 2000 and Water Quality Certification Number 3375 issued March 18, 2002. This WQC is rescinded when the Corps of Engineers re- authorizes Nationwide Permit 14 or Regional General Permit 198200031 or when deemed appropriate by the Director of DWQ. The State of North Carolina certifies that the specified category of activity will not violate applicable portions of Sections 301, 302, 303, 306 and 307 of the Public Laws 92-500 and 95-217 if conducted in accordance with the conditions hereinafter set forth. Conditions of Certification: 1. Enumerating and Reporting of Impacts: Streams - Impacts to streams as determined by the Division of Water Quality shall be measured as length of the centerline of the normal flow channel. Permanent and/or temporary stream impacts shall be enumerated on the entire project for all impacts regardless of which 404 Nationwide Permits are used. Stream relocations and stream bed and/or bank hardening are considered to be permanent stream impacts. Any activity that results in a loss of use of stream functions including but not limited to filling, relocating, flooding, dredging and complete shading shall be considered stream impacts. Enumeration of impacts to streams shall include streams enclosed by bottomless culverts, bottomless arches or other spanning structures when a 404 Permit is used anywhere in a project unless the entire structure (including construction impacts) spans the entire bed and both banks of the stream, is only used for a road, driveway or path crossing, and is not mitered to follow the stream pattern. Impacts for dam footprints and flooding will count toward the threshold for stream impacts, but flooding upstream of the dam will not (as long as no filling, excavation, relocation or other modification of the existing stream dimension, pattern or profile occurs) count towards mitigation requirements. Wetlands - Impacts to wetlands as determined by the Division of Water Quality shall be measured as area. Permanent and/or temporary wetland impacts shall be enumerated on the entire project for all impacts regardless of which 404 Nationwide Permits are used. Any activity that results in a loss of use of wetland functions including but not limited to filling, draining, and flooding shall be considered wetland impacts. Enumeration of impacts to wetlands shall include activities that change the hydrology of a wetland when a 404 Permit is used anywhere in a project. WQC #3404 • Lakes and Ponds - Lake and Pond Impacts Enumeration- Impacts to waters other than streams and wetlands as determined by the Division of Water Quality shall be measured as area. Permanent and/or temporary water impacts shall be enumerated on the entire project for all impacts proposed regardless of which 404 Nationwide Permits are used. Any activity that results in a loss of use of aquatic functions including but not limited to filling and dredging shall be considered waters impacts; 2. Proposed fill or substantial modification of wetlands or waters (including streams) under this General Certification requires application to and prior written concurrence from the Division of Water Quality; 3. Application to and payment of a fee to DWQ is not required for construction of a driveway to a single family lot as long as the driveway impacts less than 25 feet of stream channel including any in-stream stabilization needed for the crossing; 4. Impacts to any stream length in the Neuse, Tar-Pamlico or Randleman River Basins (or any other major river basins with Riparian Area Protection Rules [Buffer Rules] in effect at the time of application) requires written concurrence for this Certification from DWQ in accordance with 15A NCAC 26.0200. Activities listed as "exempt" from these rules do not need to apply for written concurrence under this Certification. New development activities located in the protected 50-foot wide riparian areas (whether jurisdictional wetlands or not) within the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico River Basins shall be limited to "uses" identified within and constructed in accordance with 15A NCAC 2B .0200. All new development shall be located, designed, constructed, and maintained to have minimal disturbance to protect water quality to the maximum extent practicable through the use of best management practices; Irrespective of other application thresholds in this General Certification, all impacts to perennial waters and their associated buffers require written approval from DWQ since such impacts are allowable as provided in 15A NCAC 2B. 0212 (WS-1), 213.0213 (WS-11), 2B .0214 (WS-III) and 2B .0215 (WS-IV). Only water dependent activities, public projects and structures with diminimus increases in impervious surfaces will be allowed as outlined in those rules. All other activities require a variance from the delegated local government and/or the NC Environmental Management Commission before the 401 Water Quality Certification can be processed. In addition, a 30 foot wide vegetative buffer for low density development or a 100 foot wide vegetative buffer for high density development must be maintained adjacent to all perennial waters except for allowances as provided under the Water Supply Watershed Protection Rules. For the purposes of this condition, perennial waters are defined as those shown as perennial waters on the most recent USGS 1:24,000 topographic map or as otherwise determined by local government studies; 6. Additional site-specific stormwater management requirements may be added to this Certification at DWQ's discretion on a case by case basis for projects that have or are anticipated to have impervious cover of greater than 30 percent. Site-specific stormwater management shall be designed to remove 85% TSS according to the latest version of DWQ's Stormwater Best Management Practices manual at a minimum. Additionally, in watersheds within one mile and draining to 303(d) listed waters, as well as watersheds that are classified as nutrient sensitive waters (NSW), water supply waters (WS), trout waters Jr), high quality waters (HQW), and outstanding resource waters (ORW), the Division shall require that extended detention wetlands, bio-retention areas, and ponds followed by forested filter strips (designed according to latest version of the NC DENR Stormwater Best Management Practices Manual) be constructed as part of the stormwater management plan when a site-specific stormwater management plan is required. WQC #3404 Alternative designs may be requested by the applicant and will be reviewed on a case-by- case basis by the Division of Water Quality. Approval of stormwater management plans by the Division of Water Quality's other existing state stormwater programs including appropriate local programs are sufficient to satisfy this Condition as long as the stormwater management plans meet or exceed the design requirements specified in this condition. This condition applies unless more stringent requirements are in effect from other state water quality programs. • Unless specified otherwise in the approval letter, the final, written stormwater management plan shall be approved in writing by the Division of Water Quality's Wetlands Unit before the impacts specified in this Certification occur. • The facilities must be designed to treat the runoff from the entire project, unless otherwise explicitly approved by the Division of Water Quality. • Also, before any permanent building or other structure is occupied at the subject site, the facilities (as approved by the Wetlands Unit) shall be constructed and operational, and the stormwater management plan (as approved by the Wetlands Unit) shall be implemented. • The structural stormwater practices as approved by the Wetlands Unit as well as drainage patterns must be maintained in perpetuity. • No changes to the structural stormwater practices shall be made without written authorization from the Division of Water Quality. 7. Compensatory stream mitigation shall be required at a 1:1 ratio for not only perennial but also intermittent stream impacts that require application to DWQ in watersheds classified as ORW, HQW, Tr, WS-I and WS-II unless the project is a linear, publicly-funded transportation project, which has a 150-foot per-stream impact allowance; 8. In accordance with North Carolina General Statute Section 143-215.3D(e), any application for a 401 Water Quality Certification must include the appropriate fee. If a project also requires a CAMA Permit, one payment to both agencies shall be submitted through the Division of Coastal Management and will be the higher of the two fees; 9. In accordance with 15A NCAC 2H .0506 (h) compensatory mitigation may be required for impacts to 150 linear feet or more of streams and/or one acre or more of wetlands. For linear public transportation projects, impacts equal to or exceeding 150 feet per stream may require mitigation. In addition, buffer mitigation may be required for any project with Buffer Rules in effect at the time of application for buffer impacts resulting from activities classified as "allowable with mitigation" within the "Table of Uses" section of the Buffer Rules or require a variance under the Buffer Rules. A determination of buffer, wetland and stream mitigation requirements shall be made for any Certification for this Nationwide Permit. The most current design and monitoring protocols from DWQ shall be followed and written plans submitted for DWQ approval as required in those protocols. When compensatory mitigation is required for a project, the mitigation plans must be approved by DWQ in writing before the impacts approved by the Certification occur, unless otherwise specified in the approval letter. The mitigation plan must be implemented and/or constructed before any permanent building or structure on site is occupied. In the case of public road projects, the mitigation plan must be implemented before the road is opened to the travelling public. Projects may also be implemented once payment is made to a private mitigation bank or other in-lieu fee program, as specified in the written concurrence of 401 Certification for a project. Please note that if a stream relocation is conducted as a stream restoration as defined in The Internal Technical Guide for Stream Work in North Carolina, April 2001, the restored length can be used as compensatory mitigation for the impacts resulting from the relocation; WQC #3404 10. For any project involving re-alignment of streams, a stream relocation plan must be included with the 401 application for written DWQ approval. Relocated stream designs should include the same dimensions, patterns and profiles as the existing channel, to the maximum extent practical. The new channel should be constructed in the dry and water shall not be turned into the new channel until the banks are stabilized. Vegetation used for bank stabilization shall be limited to native woody species, and should include establishment of a 30 foot wide wooded and an adjacent 20 foot wide vegetated buffer on both sides of the relocated channel to the maximum extent practical. A transitional phase incorporating coir fiber and seedling establishment is allowable. Also, rip-rap may be allowed if it is necessary to maintain the physical integrity of the stream, but the applicant must provide written justification and any calculations used to determine the extent of rip- rap coverage requested. If suitable stream mitigation is not practical on-site, then stream impact will need to be mitigated elsewhere; 11. Placement of culverts and other structures in waters, streams, and wetlands must be placed below the elevation of the streambed to allow low flow passage of water and aquatic life unless it can be shown to DWQ that providing passage would be impractical. Design and placement of culverts including open bottom or bottomless arch culverts and other structures including temporary erosion control measures shall not be conducted in a manner that may result in aggradation, degradation or significant changes in hydrology of wetlands or stream beds or banks, adjacent to or upstream and down stream of the above structures. The applicant is required to provide evidence that the equilibrium shall be maintained if requested to do so in writing by DWQ. Additionally, when roadways, causeways or other fill projects are constructed across FEMA-designated floodways or wetlands, openings such as culverts or bridges must be provided to maintain the natural hydrology of the system as well as prevent constriction of the floodway that may result in aggradation, degradation or significant changes in hydrology of streams or wetlands; 12. That appropriate sediment and erosion control practices which equal or exceed those outlined in the most recent version of the "North Carolina Sediment and Erosion Control Planning and Design Manual" or the "North Carolina Surface Mining Manual" whichever is more appropriate (available from the Division of Land Resources (DLR) in the DENR Regional or Central Offices) shall be in full compliance with all specifications governing the proper design, installation and operation and maintenance of such Best Management Practices in order to assure compliance with the appropriate turbidity water quality standard; 13. All sediment and erosion control measures placed in wetlands and waters shall be removed and the original grade restored within two months after the Division of Land Resources has released the project; 14. That additional site-specific conditions may be added to projects proposed under this Certification in order to ensure compliance with all applicable water quality and effluent standards; 15. Measures shall be taken to prevent live or fresh concrete from coming into contact with freshwaters of the state until the concrete has hardened; 16. If an environmental document is required, this Certification is not valid until a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) or Record of Decision (ROD) is issued by the State Clearinghouse; 17. If this Certification is used to access building sites, all lots owned by the applicant must be buildable without additional fill beyond that explicitly allowed under other General WQC #3404 Certifications. For road construction purposes, this Certification shall only be utilized from natural high ground to natural high ground; 18. When written concurrence is required, the applicant is required to use the most recent version of the Certification of Completion form to notify DWQ when all work included in the 401 Certification has been completed; 19. Concurrence from DWQ that this Certification applies to an individual project shall expire three years from the date of the cover letter from DWQ or on the same day as the expiration date of the corresponding Nationwide Permit 14 or Regional General Permit 198200031, whichever is sooner. Non-compliance with or violation of the conditions herein set forth by a specific fill project may result in revocation of this Certification for the project and may also result in criminal and/or civil penalties. The Director of the North Carolina Division of Water Quality may require submission of a formal application for Individual Certification for any project in this category of activity that requires written concurrence under this certification, if it is determined that the project is likely to have a significant adverse effect upon water quality or degrade the waters so that existing uses of the wetland or downstream waters are precluded. Public hearings may be held for specific applications or group of applications prior to a Certification decision if deemed in the public's best interest by the Director of the North Carolina Division of Water Quality. Effective date: March 2003 DIVISION OF WATER QUALITY By Alan W. Klimek, P.E. Director WQC # 3404