TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: The Jacksonville District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) has received an application for a Department of the Army permit pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. §1344) as described below:
APPLICANT: Alsop
Mr. Andrew Norgart
77 Almeria Street
St. Augustine, Florida 32084
WATERWAY AND LOCATION: The project would affect waters of the United States associated with Blockhouse Creek. The project site is located in Section 3, Township 1 South, Range 26 East, Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida.
Directions to the site are as follows: From Jacksonville travel north on Interstate 295, take exit for Dunn Avenue/FL-104, turn north on Duval Road, and then turn left on Alexandra Drive. The proposed project site can be accessed from Victoria Preserve Phase I.
APPROXIMATE CENTRAL COORDINATES: Latitude 30.447910°
Longitude -81.695508°
PROJECT PURPOSE:
Basic: The basic project purpose is a residential subdivision.
Overall: The overall project purpose is to construct a residential subdivision with associated stormwater and roadway infrastructure in northern Jacksonville, FL.
EXISTING CONDITIONS: The vegetation communities consist of a 6.7 acre mixed forested freshwater wetlands, 18.32 mesic pine/oak uplands, and 0.71 acre of Blockhouse Creek. The mesic pine/oak community consists of a mixed canopy of laurel oak (Quercus hemispherica), slash pine (Pinus elliottii) and scattered southernmagnolia (Magnolia grandiflora). The understory is vegetated with scattered saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) and bitter gallberry (Ilex glabra). Groundcover is limited with scattered bracken fern. The mixed forested freshwater wetland community consists of a mix of cypress, red maple (Acer rubrum), laurel oak (Quercus laurifolia), tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica var. aquatica), silver bay (Magnolia virginiana), and other species. Subcanopy dominants include fetterbush (Lyonia lucida), cinnamon fern (Osmunda cinnamomea), and black stem chain fern (Woodwardia virginiana). The area surrounding the proposed project site includes residential development and a mesic pine/oak uplands and forested freshwater wetlands preserved in a conservation easement.
PROPOSED WORK: The applicant seeks authorization to discharge fill material over 0.71 acre of forested freshwater wetlands and 0.09 acre of Blockhouse Creek for the construction of a residential subdivision with associated roadway and stormwater infrastructure.
AVOIDANCE AND MINIMIZATION INFORMATION: The applicant has provided the following information in support of efforts to avoid and/or minimize impacts to the aquatic environment:
The applicant stated that wetland impacts could not be completed avoided. The applicant proposes wetland impacts to access developable uplands and to lower quality wetlands.
COMPENSATORY MITIGATION: The applicant has offered the following compensatory mitigation plan to offset unavoidable functional loss to the aquatic environment:
The applicant proposes to mitigate for the proposed impacts by purchasing federal mitigation bank credits from Longleaf Mitigation Bank.
CULTURAL RESOURCES: The Corps is not aware of any known historic properties within the permit area. By copy of this public notice, the Corps is providing information for review. Our final determination relative to historic resource impacts is subject to review by and coordination with the State Historic Preservation Officer and those federally recognized tribes with concerns in Florida and the Permit Area.
ENDANGERED SPECIES: The Corps has determined the proposal would have no effect on any listed threatened or endangered species or designated critical habitat.
ESSENTIAL FISH HABITAT (EFH): This notice initiates consultation with the National Marine Fisheries Service on EFH as required by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 1996. Our initial determination is that the proposed action would not have a substantial adverse impact on EFH or Federally managed fisheries in the Atlantic Ocean. Our final determination relative to project impacts and the need for mitigation measures is subject to review by and coordination with the National Marine Fisheries Service.
NOTE: This public notice is being issued based on information furnished by the applicant. This information has not been verified or evaluated to ensure compliance with laws and regulation governing the regulatory program. The jurisdictional line has been verified by Corps personnel.
AUTHORIZATION FROM OTHER AGENCIES: Water Quality Certification may be required from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and/or one of the state Water Management Districts.
COMMENTS regarding the potential authorization of the work proposed should be submitted in writing to the attention of the District Engineer through the Jacksonville Permits Section, P.O. Box 4970, Jacksonville, FL 32232 within 30 days from the date of this notice.
The decision whether to issue or deny this permit application will be based on the information received from this public notice and the evaluation of the probable impact to the associated wetlands. This is based on an analysis of the applicant's avoidance and minimization efforts for the project, as well as the compensatory mitigation proposed.
QUESTIONS concerning this application should be directed to the project manager, Shannon White, in writing at the Jacksonville Permits Section, P.O. Box 4970, Jacksonville, FL 32232, by electronic mail at shannon.c.white@usace.army.mil, by telephone at (904) 232-1681.
IMPACT ON NATURAL RESOURCES: Preliminary review of this application indicates that an Environmental Impact Statement will not be required. Coordination with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Marine Fisheries Services, and other Federal, State, and local agencies, environmental groups, and concerned citizens generally yields pertinent environmental information that is instrumental in determining the impact the proposed action will have on the natural resources of the area. By means of this notice, we are soliciting comments on the potential effects of the project on threatened or endangered species or their habitat
EVALUATION: The decision whether to issue a permit will be based on an evaluation of the probable impact including cumulative impacts of the proposed activity on the public interest. That decision will reflect the national concern for both protection and utilization of important resources. The benefits, which reasonably may be expected to accrue from the proposal, must be balanced against its reasonably foreseeable detriments. All factors which may be relevant to the proposal will be considered including cumulative impacts thereof; among these are conservation, economics, esthetics, general environmental concerns, wetlands, historical properties, fish and wildlife values, flood hazards, floodplain values, land use, navigation, shoreline erosion and accretion, recreation, water supply and conservation, water quality, energy needs, safety, food, and fiber production, mineral needs, considerations of property ownership, and in general, the needs and welfare of the people. Evaluation of the impact of the activity on the public interest will also include application of the guidelines promulgated by the Administrator, EPA, under authority of Section 404(b) of the Clean Water Act of the criteria established under authority of Section 102(a) of the Marine Protection Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972. A permit will be granted unless its issuance is found to be contrary to the public interest.
The US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is soliciting comments from the public; Federal, State, and local agencies and officials; Indian Tribes; and other Interested parties in order to consider and evaluate the impacts of this proposed activity. Any comments received will be considered by the Corps to determine whether to issue, modify, condition, or deny a permit for this proposal. To make this decision, comments are used to assess impacts on endangered species, historic properties, water quality, general environmental effects, and the other public interest factors listed above. Comments are used in the preparation of an Environmental Assessment and/or an Environmental Impact Statement pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act comments are also used to determine the need for a public hearing and to determine the overall public interest of the proposed activity.
COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT CONSISTENCY: In Florida, the State approval constitutes compliance with the approved Coastal Zone Management Plan. In Puerto Rico, a Coastal Zone Management Consistency Concurrence is required from the Puerto Rico Planning Board, in the Virgin Islands, the Department of Planning and Natural Resources permit constitutes compliance with the Coastal Zone Management Plan.
REQUEST FOR PUBLIC HEARING: Any person may request a public hearing. The request must be submitted in writing to the District Engineer within the designated comment period of the notice and must state the specific reasons for requesting the public hearing.