20080880 Ver 1_Public Comments_20080729 (3)

Public Hearing Request re Cliffs at High Carolina proposed action
Subject: Public Hearing Request re Cliffs at High Carolina proposed action
From: [e-mail]
Date: Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:34:23 -0400
To: [e-mail], cyndi. karoly@ncmail. net, loretta. a. beckwith@saw02. usace. army. mi 1,
[e-mail]
CC: [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail],
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Please see attached request.
Thank you.
Allen Hope, Katherine Cross, Carmen Wagner, Jennifer Taylor, and Concerned Residents
Alpine Mountain Homeowners' Association Task Force on Environmental Impacts of Proposed Cliffs
at High Carolina Development
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1 of 1 7/29/2008 4:27 PM
Alpine Mountain Homeowners Association, Inc.
P. O. Box 202
Black Mountain, NC 28711
July 29, 2008
Cyndi Karoly Lori Beckwith Kevin Barnett Ian McMillan
NCDWQ USACE DENR
Re: Cliffs at High Carolina 401 Certification Application; Corps Action ID# 200701619
We are writing to request a public hearing on the above referenced application by the
Cliffs at High Carolina. If you have not already received a letter from the President of our
homeowners' association dated July 26, 2008 seeking extension of the public comment
period, you will shortly. However, in that letter we did not expressly request a public
hearing, as our purpose was, and still is, to request more time in order to understand the
information in the Public Notice USACE sent to neighboring properties of the Cliffs'
development. We now understand a public hearing is the means by which to obtain that
time for information gathering.
Per your Public Notice, requests for public hearings "shall be granted, unless the District
Engineer determines the issues raised are insubstantial or there is otherwise no valid
reason to be served by a hearing". We have several valid and substantial concerns
regarding this action.
Alpine Mountain development lies immediately below the Cliffs development on the
Swannanoa side. Because we are directly downhill of the development, the Cliffs' plans
to alter waterways in their development will inevitably alter waterways in Alpine
Mountain, thus raising concerns regarding the impacts on our water quality and quantity.
Several of us have already noted reduced well water subsequent to the Cliffs developing
their roads. These impacts also raise concerns about erosion and sedimentation in our
waterways, potentially impacting their flow and habitat for wildlife.
We need information as to the exact nature and extent of the Cliffs' proposed stream and
wetland actions on our wells and waterways. We need that information from your
agencies as well as from the developer; further studies and research may be required in
order to understand and project those likely impacts. We need to understand these
potential impacts before any action is taken, not after when it is too late to exercise best
practice environmental measures. The Public Notice is entirely inadequate in providing
meaningful information regarding the potentials impacts on neighboring properties of the
Cliffs' proposed action.
Another vital concern consequent to the above noted concerns is any impact on property
values in Alpine Mountain development.
This is also a request to your agencies and the developer to promptly produce those
documents relevant to this proposed action to Mr. Allen Hope at the above address and/or
to inform us where we may examine these documents, including but not limited to the
Cliffs' 401 certification application. Your offices exist to serve and protect public
interests, and as citizen stakeholders, we are entitled to all information you have in
connection with this proposed action as well as to a good understanding of that material
as conveyed by you and the developers. We also hereby request a site visit in order to
further our understanding of the proposed action by Cliffs at High Carolina.
We understand that you will inform all those requesting a public hearing of your decision
as to whether there will be a public hearing. Please respond to all those concerned Alpine
Mountain residents copied in this e-mail who concur in seeking a public hearing because
of their compelling interest and immediate stake in these issues.
Thanking you for your attention to this matter, we are,
Sincerely,
Allen Hope, Katherine Cross, Carmen Wagner, and Jennifer Taylor
Alpine Mountain Homeowners' Task Force on the Environmental Impacts of the Cliffs at
High Carolina Development