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) and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (33 U.S.C. §403) as described below:
APPLICANT: Sherisha Hills
City of Tampa, Florida
3402 W Columbus Drive
Tampa, FL 33607
WATERWAY AND LOCATION: The project would affect waters of the United States associated with Hillsborough Bay. The project site is located at 1002 Severn Ave., in Section 36, Township 29 South, Range 18 East, Tampa, Hillsborough County Florida.
Directions to the site are as follows: From I-275 take exit 45A to N Ashley Drive. Turn right onto FL-685 S/E State Rd 60 W. Drive 0.3 miles, then turn left onto South Hyde Park Ave. Continue for 0.5 miles and follow signs for Davis Boulevard. Drive on Davis Boulevard for 1.8 miles. Take first exit at the traffic circle for Severn Ave. Once on Severn Ave. drive for 1.0 miles and the project site will be on the right.
APPROXIMATE CENTRAL COORDINATES:
Latitude 27.910192
Longitude -82.44881
PROJECT PURPOSE: Basic: Public Recreation Improvements
Overall: The purpose of this project is to improve and replace an unregulated mooring field at Davis Island Seaplane Basin Mooring Field with a regulated twenty-four (24) boat mooring field, new dingy dock
EXISTING CONDITIONS: The Seaplane Basin is a publicly used basin that contains the Davis Island Yacht Club, a thirty-two (32) boat unregulated mooring field, and Davis Island Beach Park. The basin has a concrete boat ramp with two (2) L-shaped wood docks on either side. There is a navigation channel that enters the basin at the south entrance and continues northeast along the western seawall parallel to Severn Avenue. The remainder of the basin outside the channel is relatively shallow, with depths measuring around 7-8 feet. The substrate consists of sand, shell and a mud mix. On July 29, 2022 a benthic survey showed no oysters or corals but did identify 1.49 acres of shoal grass on the eastern boundary but none in the project footprint.
PROPOSED WORK: The applicant seeks authorization to create a mooring field by installing twenty-four (24) anchored mooring buoys and fourteen (14) perimeter navigation buoys. The applicant will also remove the two (2) existing docks (820 square foot (SF)) on either side of the existing boat ramp. They will then install a new dock that will consist of a concrete walkway, platform, aluminum gangway and floating dinghy dock. The floating dinghy dock will be 5 ft wide by 65 ft long (1,246 SF). Connecting to a 34 ft long by 4 ft wide aluminum gangway attached to a 30 ft long by 6 ft wide timber platform. The timber platform connects to the end of the concrete walkway.16 ft 11 in of the 44 ft 11 in concrete walkway will be below the mean high-water line (MHWL) requiring 7.5 cubic yards (CY) of fill material in 150 SF.
A total of twenty (20) pilings are to be installed for the proposed timber platform and floating dinghy dock. Twelve (12) 24 in concrete pilings will be installed via impact hammer to support the floating dinghy dock. Eight (8) timber pilings at a maximum 24 in diameter will be installed to support the timber platform. The 6 ft wide concrete walkway will be constructed with a cast-in-place concrete wall with a grade beam foundation. The interior of the walkway will be filled with gravel.
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 project has been designed in a manner to eliminate impacts to submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) and wetlands. Erosion control methods will be implemented to maintain appropriate turbidity levels and best management practices will be utilized.
COMPENSATORY MITIGATION – The applicant has provided the following explanation why compensatory mitigation should not be required: The project has been designed in a manner to eliminate impacts to submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) and wetlands. No impacts to aquatic resources are proposed so no mitigation is required.
CULTURAL RESOURCES: The Corps is evaluating the undertaking for effects to historic properties as required under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. This public notice serves to inform the public of the proposed undertaking and invites comments including those from local, State, and Federal government Agencies with respect to historic resources. Our final determination relative to historic resource impacts may be subject to additional coordination with the State Historic Preservation Officer, those federally recognized tribes with concerns in Florida and the Permit Area, and other interested parties.
ENDANGERED SPECIES: The Corps has determined the proposed project may affect but is not likely to adversely affect the Gulf sturgeon, smalltooth sawfish, giant manta ray, and swimming sea turtles (green sea turtle, Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle, loggerhead sea turtle) or their designated critical habitat (DCH). The Corps evaluated the proposed work utilizing National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Jacksonville District’s Programmatic Biological Opinion (JAXBO) dated November 20, 2017, including consideration of the Project Design Criteria (PDCs) identified in the JAXBO that have typically been applied to permitted in-water construction activities. These PDCs ensure effects of in-water construction activities are minimal in nature and do not result in adverse effects to listed species or to essential features of DCH. As established in the JAXBO, the Corps determined that the proposed mooring project may affect but is not likely to adversely affect the Gulf sturgeon, smalltooth sawfish, giant manta ray, or swimming sea turtles. The Corps will request NMFS programmatic concurrence with this determination pursuant to Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act.
The Corps has determined that the proposed project may affect but is not likely to adversely affect the West Indian manatee. Use of The Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, and the State of Florida Effect Determination Key for the Manatee in Florida, April 2013 (Key) resulted in the following sequential determination: A>B>C>G>N>O>P#3> may affect, not likely to adversely affect. The applicant elects to adhere to the Standard Manatee Conditions for In-Water Work, 2011. Therefore, according to the Key, a may affect but is not likely to adversely affect determination is appropriate. By letter dated April 25, 2013, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) previously indicated that they concur with determinations of may affect, not likely to adversely affect based on the Key for manatees and that no additional consultation is necessary. The Corps has determined the proposal would have no effect on the eastern black rail, eastern indigo snake, Everglade snail kite, Florida golden aster, pygmy fringe-tree, rufa red knot, whooping crane or wood stork.
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 proposal would impact approximately zero (0) acres of EFH utilized by various life stages of fisheries species. Our initial determination is that the proposed action would not have a substantial adverse impact on EFH or Federally managed fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico. 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.
Navigation: The proposed activity is not located in the vicinity of a federal navigation channel.
SECTION 408: The applicant will not require permission under Section 14 of the Rivers and Harbors Act (33 USC 408) because the activity, in whole or in part, would not alter, occupy, or use a Corps Civil Works project.
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.
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 Ave., Suite 120, Tampa, FL 33610 within thirty (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, Carissa Curlee, in writing at the Tampa Permits Section, 10117 Princess Palm Ave., Suite 120, Tampa, FL 33610; by electronic mail at carissa.p.curlee@usace.army.mil; or, by telephone at (813) 769 7076.
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.
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.
WATER QUALITY CERTIFICATION: Water Quality Certification may be required from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and/or one of the State Water Management Districts (SWMD).
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.