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: The Country Club at Woodfield, Inc.
3650 Club Place
Boca Raton, Florida 33484
WATERWAY AND LOCATION: The project would affect waters of the United States associated with an existing pond dug from hydric soils. The project site is located at 3650 Club Place, Boca Raton (Section 4, Township 47 south, Range 42 east), Palm Beach County, Florida.
Directions to the site are as follows: Exit I-95 onto Yamato Road and head west to Woodfield Circle. Turn right and the project is located on the left side of at the southwest corner of Club Place and Woodfield Circle.
APPROXIMATE CENTRAL COORDINATES:
Latitude: 26.399917°
Longitude: -80.160011°
PROJECT PURPOSE:
Basic: The basic project purpose is for the expansion of an existing recreational facility.
Overall: The overall project purpose is for the expansion of the existing Woodfield Country Club in Boca Raton, Florida.
EXISTING CONDITIONS: The site is an existing residential community. The 7.33 acre lake is interconnected to approximately ten other lakes that discharge offsite to the L-42 canal managed by the Lake Worth Drainage District. The lake system is maintained therefore only is vegetated on the banks by St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum). The lake was historically excavated from Immokalee and Myakka soils. Both of which are categorized as partially hydric soils.
PROPOSED WORK: The applicant seeks authorization to place fill within 2.85 acres of an existing lake to expand an existing residential recreational center.
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 is proposing the minimum amount of fill required to accomplish the basic project purpose for the recreational areas while maintaining stormwater management capacity.
COMPENSATORY MITIGATION –The applicant has provided the following explanation why compensatory mitigation should not be required:
No compensatory mitigation is being proposed as there are no impacts to any special aquatic resources.
CULTURAL RESOURCES: The Corps has determined the permit area has been extensively modified by previous work and there is little likelihood a historic property may be affected; therefore, the proposed project would have “No Potential to Cause Effect”.
ENDANGERED SPECIES: The project is within the range and known consultation areas for the following species: Eastern indigo snake (Drymarchon corais couperi), wood stork (Mycteria americana), Everglade snail kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis plumbeus), and Florida scrub jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens).
Based on information available from the applicant our initial determinations for the above listed species for the project is listed below:
• No Affect the Eastern indigo snake (Drymarchon corais couperi). By use of the FWS Eastern Indigo Snake Key dated August 1, 2017, the following key sequence A would result in a “No Affect” determination as the project occurs solely in open water.
• Not Likely to Adversely Affect the wood stork (Mycteria americana). By use of the FWS Wood Stork Key dated January 25, 2010 and the May 18, 2010 addendum, the following key sequence A>B>C>E would result in a “Not Likely to Adversely Affect” (NLAA). Any loss of wood stork foraging biomass resulting from the proposed activity will be compensated on site by the creation of a surface water management system. A wood stork foraging biomass analysis was not required.
• No effect on the Everglade snail kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis plumbeus) and Florida scrub jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens). The project area does not contain suitable snail kite or scrub jay habitat therefore the Corps has determined the proposal would have no effect on the these species.
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. The project site contains 2.85 +/- acres of open palustrine water. Our initial determination is that the proposed action would not have a substantial adverse impact on EFH or Federally managed fisheries in the South Atlantic region. 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 Palm Beach Gardens Permits Section, 4400 PGA Boulevard, Suite 500, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33410 within 15 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, Samantha L. Rice, in writing at the Palm Beach Gardens Permits Section, 4400 PGA Boulevard, Suite 500, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33410; by electronic mail at Samantha.L.Rice@usace.army.mil; by facsimile transmission at (561) 626-6971; or, by telephone at (561) 472-3536.
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.