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: EDO Zone Stormwater Master Plan
Ed Torres
Director of Public Works and Utilities
City of Altamonte Springs
225 Newburyport Avenue
Altamonte Springs, Florida 32701
WATERWAY & LOCATION: The proposed project will impact wetlands that discharge to Lake Jesup and is situated at the northeast corner of East Altamonte Drive (State Road 436) and CSX Railroad in Section 18, Township 21 South, Range 30 East, Seminole County, Florida.
Directions to the site are as follows: From Jacksonville take I-95 south and exit onto Interstate 4 toward Orlando. In Orlando exit onto State Road 436 and go east approximately 2 miles to the project site on the north side of the road.
APPROXIMATE CENTRAL COORDINATES
Latitude 28.66522 North
Longitude -81.35187 West
PROJECT PURPOSE:
Basic: Redevelopment
Overall: The overall project purpose is pedestrian-oriented multi-use redevelopment, supported by an urban multi-modal transportation system, within the City of Altamonte Springs, Florida.
EXISTING CONDITIONS: The project area consist of residential and commercial properties, recreational fields and buildings, wetlands and created surface waters.
PROPOSED WORK: The applicant is requesting a 10 year permit to dredge and fill 8.11 acres of wetlands (6.10 Corps jurisdictional wetlands) to facilitate the implementation of the Altamonte Springs EDO (Economic Development Opportunity) Zone Stormwater Master Plan to serve approximately 79.09 acres of proposed future use redevelopment for an area designated by the City of Altamonte Springs as the East Town Activity Center. The East Town Activity Center’s purpose is to develop a pedestrian-oriented, multi-use development supported by an urban multi-modal transportation system within the City of Altamonte Springs. Design standards incorporate multiple transportation choices within, or supporting, an efficiently designed development. The development proposed with this application capitalizes on the new adjacent Sunrail Train Station and combines it with bus, car and walking modes of transportation. The proposed development will generally be constructed within about a ¼ mile of the train station, which is the established distance of an efficient, walk-able community. The first phase of the project is the development and construction of Amanda Street which will fill 1.98 acres of the 6.10 acres of wetlands proposed for impact.
AVOIDANCE AND MINIMIZATION INFORMATION: In order to create the required density within the quarter-mile radius of the Sun Rail station and near existing commercial parcels, the need exists to create a master storm water system associated with the redevelopment. If the proposed stormwater ponds were located within the upland areas, then residential development densities adjacent to the Sunrail station, commercial center, and existing park could not be achieved and the project would not work. By siting the stormwater ponds within the wetland areas, the project maintains the proper densities within the quarter-mile walkable area for multi-modal redevelopment, provides affordable multi-family housing, avoids the need for costly land acquisition, avoids displacement of current residents and businesses, and maintains the existing park amenities.
COMPENSATORY MITIGATION: The applicant has proposed the purchase of 1.71 forested mitigation credits from a federally approved mitigation bank. The wetland boundaries and the quality of the wetlands to be impacted have not been reviewed by the Corps.
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 property is located within the United States Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) Consultation Area for the Everglades Snail Kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis plumbeus), Florida Scrub-jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens), Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon corais couperi) and Wood Stork (Mycteria americana). Based on applicant’s wildlife surveys, habitat preferences for these species, location of the project site and surrounding development, the Corps has determined that the project as proposed would have no effect on the Snail Kite or Scrub Jay.
The Corps completed an evaluation of the project based upon the August 13, 2013 updated addendum to the January 2010 North and South Florida Ecological Services Field Offices Programmatic Concurrence for use with the Eastern Indigo Snake. Use of the Key for the Eastern Indigo Snake resulted in the following sequential determination: A (not in open water or salt marsh.) >B (conditioned for use of the Service’s standard Protection Measures for the Eastern Indigo snake during site preparation and project construction.) >C (no gopher tortoise burrows, hole, cavities, or other refugia where a snake could be buried or trapped and injured during project activities.) = (Not Likely to Adversely Affect (NLAA) with the applicant adherence to the standard protection measures for the Eastern Indigo Snake. Based upon the NLAA determination for the Eastern Indigo Snake no further coordination is required.
The Corps also completed an evaluation of the project based upon the September 2008 Central and North Peninsular Florida Ecological Services Field Offices Programmatic Concurrence for use with the Wood Stork. Use of the Key for the Wood Stork resulted in the following sequential determination: A (Project more than 2,500 feet from a colony site) >B (Project impacts SFH) > C (Project impacts to SFH are greater than 0.5 acres) > D (Impacts to SFH are within CFA) > E (Project provides SFH Compensation) =NLAA (Not Likely to Adversely Affect). Upon Corps receipt of a general concurrence issued by the Jacksonville Ecological Services Field Office (JAFL) through the Programmatic Concurrence on this key, “NLAA” determinations for projects made pursuant to this key require no further consultation with the JAFL.
ESSENTIAL FISH HABITAT (EFH): The project involves impacts to an inland freshwater wetlands within an interior county. A review of the National Marine Fisheries Service EFH Habitat Protection Mapper Web site the project does not occur in the vicinity of EFH designated by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council of NMFS. The Corps has determined that the proposed project will not have an impact on EFH.
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: The project is currently under review by the St. Johns River Water Management District.
COMMENTS regarding the application should be submitted in writing to the District Engineer at the above address 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, Jim Carr at the letterhead address, by electronic mail at james.l.carr@usace.army.mil , or by telephone at 321-504-3771, extension 26.
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.