20080880 Ver 1_Public Comments_20080801

aa-rIF 08-o88D
Ms. Cindy Karoly
North Carolina Department of Water Quality
2321 Crabtree Blvd.
Raleigh, North Carolina 27604-2260
Ms. Karoly,
Attached please find my letter sent to the USACE requesting a public hearing regarding the
Cliffs at High Carolina Development in Fairview, North Carolina. We would certainly appreciate
any support scientifically and policy-wise that you could offer in presenting our concerns
regarding our water.
Thank you in advance for your attention in this matter.
io
N ' o 17e PdJ oe
552 Old Fort Road
Fairview, NC 28730
(828)6282329
[e-mail]
a??RDWIN P
AUG 1 _ 2008
DENR - WATER QUALITY
WE?IANDS AND STORMWATER BRANCH
United States Army Corps. of Engineers
Attn: Ms. Lori Beckwith
151 Patton Avenue
#208
Asheville, North Carolina 28801
Dear Madam:
Please accept this letter as my "Request for a Public Hearing" for the Cliff
'sof High Carolina Community Development, Corps action ID # 200701619. 1
am a resident of the area in which the development is proposed, and I am
gravely concerned over the almost certain negative impact on the health,
safety and welfare of the existing community.
The development in question, according to plans, represent an influx of
residents that is greater than the entire population of the nearby town of
Black Mountain. We can fully expect all of the associated urban and
ecological complications. How can this action possibly approved without
the full and open disclosure to all current residents regarding all of the
potential dangers and complications related to this plan. The public has a
right to be heard.
There are multiple layers of concern that many citizens who live in this area
share, including, but not limited to the following:
Well Water Quality and Quantity
- Due to the topographic aspect of the development (a plateau), We are
very concerned about the chemicals used on the golf course, and feel that
anything less than total organic management is unacceptable.
-Chemicals used to winterize the roads leading to the development would
almost certainly affect the safety of our well water. Our well is situated on
the slope beneath the development-We want guarantees, not reassurances,
that our water resources will not be reduced in quality or volume. We have
suffered drought conditions in this area for the last 2 years- our water
supplies are already severely diminished- we cannot share the already
strained resources to water the greens of a golf course.
Road Traffic/Safety
- We are concerned that the added traffic on Old Fort Road will destroy the
natural beauty and quietude of the area. This road was not designed for
high flow traffic, and as residents, we chose this area for the beauty of the
rural country. We do not want Old Fort Road turned into a highway.
Land Slide Concerns
- It is our understanding that the area the Cliffs is being developed on has a
designation as a Landslide area-we are very concerned about the danger
building large numbers of homes and excavation will pose to an already
designated landslide area. We feel that it is unacceptable to allow the
desires of the few (the developers) outway the safety of the many (the
established residents).
Application Process
- In reading the application I have noticed a policy that is unacceptable to
me as a current resident of the immediate area of the development- "in
lieu" payment to be performed outside of Buncombe county to repay the
damage related to the streams, runoff silt and other developmental hazards
that could destroy our delicately balanced ecosystem.
- We feel that the Cliff's application does not demonstrate a thorough
enough effort of avoiding impact on the road, streams, wetlands, open
water and water resources.
We respectfully insist on a public hearing to allow the current citizens,
many of whom have family history's in this area exceeding 100's of years,
to have their voices and concerns heard.
We thank you in advance for you careful consideration, we hope you will
understand what is at stake.
Sincerely,
Nicole and Joseph McKeon
552 Old Fort Road
Fairview, North Carolina 28730
[phone]
[e-mail]
cc. Cindy Karoly
North Carolina Department of Water Quality
2321 Crabtree Blvd.
Raleigh, North Carolina 27604-2260