Comments Period: May 19, 2017 – June 19, 2017
SUBJECT: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District (Corps), is evaluating a permit application to construct the Seven Bridges project, which would result in direct and indirect impacts to approximately 0.94 acre of waters of the United States, including wetlands, in or adjacent to Stillwater Creek. This notice is to inform interested parties of the proposed activity and to solicit comments.
AUTHORITY: This application is being evaluated under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act for the discharge of dredged or fill material in waters of the United States.
APPLICANT: RG Development,
Attn: Mr. Ron Giddings,
4255 Alta Camp Drive,
Redding, California 96002-2468
AGENT: Gallaway Enterprises, Attn: Ms. Jody Gallaway, 117 Meyers Street, Suite 120, Chico, California 95928, (530) 332-9909
Email: jody@gallawayenterprises.com
LOCATION: The approximately 44.04-acre project site is located near Stillwater Creek, Section 8, Township 32 North, Range 4 West, Mount Diablo Meridian, Latitude 40.64841°, Longitude -122.34359°, Shasta County, California., and can be seen on the CA-PROJECT CITY USGS Topographic Quadrangle (Figure 1).
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The applicant is proposing to construct a 127 single-family subdivision. Additional proposed improvements include public infrastructure improvements, which would include the widening of Oasis Road. Based on the available information, the overall project purpose is to create a medium–sized, single-family, residential subdivision utilizing existing infrastructure within the City Redding, California. The applicant believes there is a need for the development of subdivisions which portray a suburban lifestyle, thus the project would include homes organized around planned open-space areas and parks to provide visual relief and recreational opportunities for residents. The attached drawings provide additional project details.
A total of 1.51 acres of waters of the United States have been identified on the project site including: 1.31 acres of riverine and 0.2 acre of seasonal wetland. The applicant would directly impact approximately 0.70 acre of waters, and indirectly impact approximately 0.24 acre of waters to equal approximately 0.94 acre of waters to construct the proposed project. The applicant has proposed to construct a storm water detention basin that would impact approximately 0.24 acre of other waters of the United States. The applicant believes by converting the aquatic resource, there would be a beneficial impact. The applicant also anticipates the area of inundation from the detention basin would be much greater than 0.24 acre of the impacted intermittent stream and ephemeral drainages, therefore resulting in no loss of waters of the United States.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Environmental Setting. There are approximately 0.2 acre of seasonal wetlands within the project area. The site is characterized by blue oak woodland. Elevation within the project site ranges from 660 feet to 710 feet above mean sea level.
The majority of the site is dominated by a canopy cover of blue oaks (Quercus douglasii), with a few scattered live oak (Quercus virginiana), and an understory of manzanitas (Arctostaphylos sp.), poison oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum), and a variety of grass and herbaceous species. One small area of annual grassland occurs in the southern portion of the project boundary. In the southeast portion of the site, small scattered piles of fill material, debris, and dirt access roads are present. The site is surrounded by blue oak woodland, with Indian Country Drive occurring along the southwestern boundary and Manzaoaks Road occurring at the northeastern boundary of the project. Many drainages and a few wetlands and swales occur within the project site. The wetlands and drainages all flow to an unnamed tributary of Stillwater Creek.
Alternatives. The applicant has provided the April, 2017, Seven Bridges Subdivision, Shasta County, California, 404(b)(1) Alternatives Analysis prepared by Gallaway Enterprises, containing information concerning project alternatives, which is included as an attachment to this public notice. Additional information concerning project alternatives may be available from the applicant or their agent. Other alternatives may be developed during the review process for this permit application. All reasonable project alternatives, in particular those which may be less damaging to the aquatic environment, will be considered.
Mitigation. The Corps requires that applicants consider and use all reasonable and practical measures to avoid and minimize impacts to aquatic resources. If the applicant is unable to avoid or minimize all impacts, the Corps may require compensatory mitigation. The applicant has proposed to purchase 0.695 credits at Stillwater Plains Mitigation Bank for a 1:1 ratio for the direct impacts which the proposed activity would have on waters of the United States. The Corps would complete the Mitigation Ratio Setting Checklist to determine if additional mitigation above the proposed would be required. The applicant has proposed to place a deed restriction on Parcels A, B, D, E, and F to preserve the stream corridor along the main intermittent stream that runs through the center of the property in perpetuity for the indirect impacts.
OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORIZATIONS: Water quality certification or a waiver, as required under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act from the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board is required for this project. The applicant has not indicated they have applied for certification.
HISTORIC PROPERTIES: Based on the available information (including applicant's report titled Cultural Resource Assessment, Seven Bridges, dated January, 2017), no cultural resources were identified within the project's area of potential effect. The Corps may initiate consultation with the State Historic Preservation Officer under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, if appropriate.
ENDANGERED SPECIES: The project would not affect any federally-listed threatened or endangered species or their critical habitat that are protected by the Endangered Species Act.
ESSENTIAL FISH HABITAT: The proposed project would not adversely affect Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) as defined in the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.
The above determinations are based on information provided by the applicant and our preliminary review.
EVALUATION FACTORS: The decision whether to issue a permit will be based on an evaluation of the probable impacts, including cumulative impacts, of the described activity on the public interest. That decision will reflect the national concern for both protection and utilization of important resources. The benefit, which reasonably may be expected to accrue from the described activity, must be balanced against its reasonably foreseeable detriments. All factors which may be relevant to the described activity will be considered, including the cumulative effects thereof; among those are conservation, economics, aesthetics, general environmental concerns, wetlands, historic 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, consideration of property ownership and, in general, the needs and welfare of the people. The activity's impact on the public interest will include application of the Section 404(b)(1) guidelines promulgated by the Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency (40 CFR Part 230).
The 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 decision, comments are used to assess impacts on endangered species, historic properties, water quality, general environmental effects, and other public interest factors listed above. Comments are used in the preparation of an Environmental Assessment and/or an Environmental Impact Statement pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act. Comments are also used to determine the need for a public hearing and to determine the overall public interest of the proposed activity.
SUBMITTING COMMENTS: Written comments, referencing Public Notice SPK-2009-00104 must be submitted to the office listed below on or before June 17, 2017.
Matthew Roberts, Project Manager
US Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District
310 Hemsted Drive, Suite 310
Redding CA, 96002
Email: Matthew.J.Roberts@usace.army.mil
The Corps is particularly interested in receiving comments related to the proposal's probable impacts on the affected aquatic environment and the secondary and cumulative effects. Anyone may request, in writing, that a public hearing be held to consider this application. Requests shall specifically state, with particularity, the reason(s) for holding a public hearing. If the Corps determines that the information received in response to this notice is inadequate for thorough evaluation, a public hearing may be warranted. If a public hearing is warranted, interested parties will be notified of the time, date, and location. Please note that all comment letters received are subject to release to the public through the Freedom of Information Act. If you have questions or need additional information please contact the applicant or the Corps' project manager Matthew Roberts, 530-223-9538, Matthew.J.Roberts@usace.army.mil.
Attachments: 4 drawings