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: VK Avalon Groves
701 South Olive Ave., Suite 104
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
WATERWAY AND LOCATION: The project would affect waters of the United States associated with Reedy Creek. The project site is located off of Sawgrass Boulevard, in Section 13, Township 24 South, Range 26 East, Lake County, Florida.
Directions to the site are as follows: From Clermont Florida, travel south on US Highway 27, and turn left on Sawgrass Boulevard. The project site is located at the end of Sawgrass Boulevard.
APPROXIMATE CENTRAL COORDINATES:
Latitude 28.400350º
Longitude -81.665664º
PROJECT PURPOSE:
Basic: Housing
Overall: Construct an age-restricted residential development in south-east Lake County.
EXISTING CONDITIONS: The 322 acres site is largely upland characterized as pine plantations, sand live oak, and coniferous plantations. The site also consists of both forested and herbaceous wetland systems totaling 102.91 acres. Of these wetlands, 65.31 acres have been determined to be Corps jurisdictional while 37.6 acres are isolated, non-jurisdictional. The existing area surrounding the project area consists of improved pasture, pine flatwoods, xeric oak and pine plantation.
PROPOSED WORK: The applicant seeks authorization to construct an age-restricted residential development in the Avalon Groves area of Lake County. Work will include fill placed in 0.94 acres of jurisdictional wetlands and 7.92 acres of non-jurisdictional wetlands.
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:
“In considering alternative site plans with respect to the elimination or reduction of wetland impacts, it is believed that the provisions of the Corps’ requirements have been met. The proposed project design will include certain unavoidable impacts to wetland systems. These impacts are required to facilitate basic design requirements, including roadway access to major roadways, roadway alignments with existing and previously approved roadways, minimum roadway turning radii to meet minimum safety requirements, and other design characteristics necessary to meet local, regional and other agency requirements.
The submitted design requires some wetland impacts that are unavoidable. These impacts are limited to small and isolated wetland systems and the minimal amount of impact for an entrance road from the existing Avalon Groves Roadway. The majority of these proposed wetland impacts are to low quality systems that have been severely impacted by the agricultural activities on the subject property. To minimize impacts to resources, the project design was modified several times so as to preserve the higher-functioning wetland areas and direct any unavoidable impacts to lower-quality wetlands and smaller wetlands that would be extremely difficult to maintain in any post-development setting. Focusing any unavoidable impacts are minimized in this manner because these lower-quality systems are typically difficult to maintain in the post development condition. The small and isolated systems become land-locked within development and access for non-avian species is virtually eliminated. Additionally, smaller systems or systems with pre-development hydrology that is already impaired most often lose what remaining functional values exist after development of the surrounding areas.”
COMPENSATORY MITIGATION – The applicant has offered the following compensatory mitigation plan to offset unavoidable functional loss to the aquatic environment:
The proposed wetland impacts will be offset by the purchase of mitigation bank credits from Reedy Creek 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 proposed project may affect, but is not likely to adversely affect the Florida Scrub Jay, Wood Stork, or the Audubon’s Crested Caracara. The Corps will request U.S. Fish and Wildlife concurrence with this determination pursuant to Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act.
The Corps has determined the proposal may affect the Eastern Indigo Snake, Sand Skink and Blue Tailed Mole Skink. The Corps will request initiation of formal consultation with the Fish and Wildlife Service pursuant to Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act by separate letter.
The Corps has determined the proposal would have no effect on the Everglades Snail Kite.
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 as the project is inland of Fisheries resources. 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 Tampa Permits Section, 10117 Princess Palm Avenue, Suite 120, Tampa, Florida 33610 within 21 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, Candice Wheelahan, in writing at the Tampa Permits Section, 10117 Princess Palm Avenue, Suite 120, Tampa, Florida 33610; by electronic mail at Candice.M.Wheelahan@usace.army.mil; by facsimile transmission at (813)769-7061; or, by telephone at (813)769-7064.
IMPACT ON NATURAL RESOURCES: 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.
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 or 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 determination, comments are used to assess impacts to endangered species, historic properties, water quality, general environmental effects, and the other public interest factors listed above. 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.