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: Ronald A. and Darlene M. Brown Family Trust
c/o Ronald Brown
P.O. Box 6321
Navarre, Florida 32566
WATERWAY AND LOCATION: The project would affect waters of the United States associated with East Bay. The project site is located at 6537 Liberty Street, Lot 11, Block 55, in Holley by the Sea Subdivision, in Section 15, Township 2 South, Range 27 West, Navarre, Santa Rosa County, Florida.
Directions to the site are as follows: Travel west from the intersection of State Highway 87 (Hwy 87) and U.S. Highway 98 for 4.25 miles. Turn right on Edgewood Drive, travel north1.1 miles and turn left on Liberty Street. The site is located 0.1 mile from Edgewood Drive and is on the south side of Liberty Street.
APPROXIMATE CENTRAL COORDINATES: Latitude 30.418326°
Longitude -86.949570°
PROJECT PURPOSE:
Basic: Residential development
Overall: Construct a single-family residence in Navarre, Santa Rosa County, Florida.
EXISTING CONDITIONS: The wetland system consists of a freshwater system. The onsite vegetation consists of a tree stratum dominated by Pinus elliottii, and Magnolia virginiana. The sapling/shrub stratum is dominated by Cliftonia monophyla, Ilex glabra and Ilex vomitoria, with Pinus elliottii, Magnolia virginiana and Ilex coriacea also present. The herbaceous stratum is dominated by Ilex glabra and Ilex coriacea, with Eriocaulon decangulare also present. The area surrounding the project site consists of residential development and undeveloped lots zoned for residential development.
PROPOSED WORK: The applicant seeks authorization to fill 0.262 acres of wetlands to construct a single-family residence.
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 total wetland area for this property is 0.38 acres and the total off-site (ROW) wetland area is 0.037 acres (0.417 acres total). The applicant is only requesting fill for the placement of a normal sized residence (2,425 sq.ft.) and dual septic field (900 sq.ft.) in a platted subdivision. Out of 0.38 acres of wetlands, only 0.225 acres will be impacted for the residence and septic field. A remaining 0.155 acres of on-site wetlands will be avoided. Little less than half the total wetland area will be avoided. We believe this constitutes successful avoidance and minimization.
COMPENSATORY MITIGATION – The applicant has offered the following compensatory mitigation plan to offset unavoidable functional loss to the aquatic environment: The applicant proposes to purchase 0.20 palustrine wetland credits from Pensacola Bay 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 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) has made the following determinations regarding threatened and/or endangered species with a known range that includes the vicinity of the proposed project:
a. Eastern Indigo snake (Drymarchon couperi): The Corps utilized the Jacksonville District Corps/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Eastern Indigo Snake Programmatic Effect Determination Key to determine that the proposed project may affect, but is not likely to adversely affect the Eastern Indigo snake. Based on use of the key, the USFWS concurs with this finding and no further consultation is required.
b. Wood stork (Mycteria Americana): The Corps utilized The Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Jacksonville Ecological Services Field Office and State of Florida Effect Determination Key for the Wood Stork in Central and North Peninsular Florida, September 2008, to determine that the proposed project may affect, but is not likely to adversely affect the Wood stork. Based on use of the key, the USFWS concurs with this finding and no further consultation is required. By letter dated May 1, 2013, the USFWS Panama City Ecological Service Office approved use of this key within its area of responsibility, which includes the project area.
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 proposed project would not be located within surface waters or EFH. Our initial determination is that the proposed action would have no effect on EFH or Federally managed fisheries in East Bay. 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 not 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 Pensacola Permits Section, 41 North Jefferson Street, Pensacola, Florida 32502 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, Daniel L. Irick, in writing at the Pensacola Permits Section, 41 North Jefferson Street, Pensacola, Florida 32502; by electronic mail at daniel.l.irick@usace.army.mil; by facsimile transmission at (850)433-8160; or, by telephone at (850)433-8732.
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.