20041020 Ver 1_Other Agency Comments_20040830

North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
Charles R. Fullwood, Executive Director
MEMORANDUM
TO: John Dorney
Division of Water Quality
FROM: Bennett Wynne AX,
Habitat Conservation Program
DATE: August 26, 2004

A U G 3 0 ?[)
VVAFEk QUALI Y 5E"T10N
SUBJECT: 401 Water Quality Certification for John Koenig - Huntington Park
Subdivision, Williamsburg Plantation, north of Jacksonville, Onslow
County, North Carolina. DWQ No. 041020.
The Wildlife Resources Commission has reviewed the project for impacts to
wildlife and fishery resources. A site visit was made on August 25, 2004. Our comments
are provided in accordance with provisions of the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (48
Stat. 401, as amended; 16 U.S.C. 661 et seq.), Section 401 of the Clean Water Act (as
amended), and North Carolina General Statutes (G.S. 113-131 et seq.).
It is our understanding the applicant has modified the subject subdivision plan to
reduce wetland impacts to 0.42 acre of riparian wetland and 0.49 acre of isolated wetland.
As proposed, mitigation would be preservation of 0.44 acre of remaining riparian wetland
and 0.67 acre of remaining isolated wetland. The application indicates trees have recently
been harvested from the property, but from our site visit logging must have occurred some
years ago as the site is now covered with relatively thick early successional vegetation
with some scattered mature trees.
The project would result in the fragmentation of early successional upland and
wetland habitats and the direct loss of 0.91 acre of wetlands suitable for muskrat,
opossum, raccoon, redwing blackbird, and various amphibians. Wetland loss accompanied
by increased impervious surface is expected to reduce retention and treatment of
stormwater, contributing to surface water quality decline and degradation of downstream
aquatic habitats. Wetland area proposed for preservation is less than a 2:1 ratio to
wetlands lost, not nearly enough to be adequate mitigation in our view. Based on these
concerns, we recommend that wetland loss be avoided by not developing lots in wetlands
at Impact #4 (1 lot), Impact #3 (1 lot), and Impact # 2 (2 lots) or that wetland loss be
mitigated by payment into the Wetland Restoration Program.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment. If you have questions, please call me
at [phone].
Mailing Address: Division of Inland fisheries • 172 1 Mail Service Center • Raleigh, NC 27699-1721
Telephone: [phone] cxt. 281 • fax: [phone]