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Public Notices

Under the Corps' Regulatory Program, a public notice is the primary method for advising all interested parties of a proposed activity for which a permit is sought. Soliciting comments and information necessary to evaluate the probable impacts on the public interest. Public notices are also published to inform the public about new or proposed regulations, policies, guidance or permit procedures.

Public Notices published by the Sacramento District under the Regulatory Program are posted on this page. Once a public notice is available on-line, an email notification is sent to individuals on the appropriate mailing list.

Comments are due by the expiration date of the public notice.  Only comments submitted by email or in hard copy format through a delivery service, such as the U.S. Postal Service, can be accepted.   Comments must be submitted to the address listed in the public notice.

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SPK-2002-00352, Twelve Bridges High School Project, Placer County, California

Published April 10, 2018
Expiration date: 4/25/2018

Comments Period:  April 10, 2018 – April 25, 2018

SUBJECT:  The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District, (Corps) is evaluating a permit application to construct the Twelve Bridges High School Project, which would result in impacts to approximately 1.40 acres of waters of the United States.  This notice is to inform interested parties of the proposed activity and to solicit comments.  This notice may also be viewed at the Corps web site at www.spk.usace.army.mil/Media/RegulatoryPublicNotices.aspx.

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 (WOUS).

APPLICANT:              Western Placer Unified School District (The District)

Attn:  Mr. Michael Adell

600 Sixth Street, Suite 400

Lincoln, California  95648

LOCATION:  The approximately 56-acre project site is located near State Route 65 and Twelve Bridges Drive, Latitude 38.841896°, Longitude -121.297519°, Placer County, California., and can be seen on the Roseville USGS Topographic Quadrangle.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:  The applicant is proposing to discharge fill material into approximately 1.40 acres of WOUS, including 0.53 acre of vernal pool, 0.34 acre of seasonal wetland, 0.53 acre of seasonal wetland swale, and 0.005 acre of ephemeral drainage to construct a high school, including seven buildings, four baseball/softball fields, one football/track field, three new parking lots, and an extension of the existing City of Lincoln (City) library parking lot.  The approximately 56-acre project site does not include the approximately 7.7-acre City library.  The applicant has identified the project purpose to provide a new high school for students within the Western Placer Unified School District.  The applicant believes there is a need to provide an educational campus in the growing communities of south Lincoln.  The District has planned for the increase of student enrollment in parallel with the City’s general planning.  As of 2014, the District projected that the villages would necessitate the need for two additional high schools.  The proposed project is one of the high schools that has been planned in concurrence with the City and its location was identified in the 2008 General Plan.  The attached drawings provide additional project details.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Project Background:  Approved in 1994 and revised in 1997, the Twelve Bridges Specific Plan included an education facility for the current project site.  The current project site was previously included under SPK-1995-00589, issued on December 12, 1996, which authorized  the construction of education facilities.  The Twelve Bridges Specific Plan was extended and modified several times and is currently active at a small portion of the Specific Plan that does not include the Twelve Bridges High School Project site. 

In the early 2000s, the District collaborated with the Sierra Joint Community College District (SJCCD) to acquire, construct, and operate adjoining campuses on the current project parcel.  In addition, as part of this original project the City proposed a joint use City library for the same site.  The City library was permitted separately; however, the entire original project was collectively referred to as the Twelve Bridges Campus.  The plan was for the District and the SJCCD to share some of the campus facilities, and for the City library to be used by all – the community, high school and college students.  A large portion of this original project was graded in 2006 and 2007.  The City library and associated parking lot was built at that time, but the rest of the Twelve Bridges Campus project was put on hold due to the 2008 economic recession.  The areas that were graded, but undeveloped have been fallow for more than 10 years and now make up a ruderal grassland community.

Environmental Setting.  There are approximately 1.40 acres of Waters of the U.S within the project area, including 0.53 acre of vernal pool, 0.34 acre of seasonal wetland, 0.53 acre of seasonal wetland swale, and 0.005 acre of ephemeral drainage.  The Corps concurred with the above aquatic resources in a preliminary jurisdictional determination on October 31, 2017.  On October 31, 2017, the Corps also issued an approved jurisdictional determination stating that 1.57 acres of storm-water detention pond onsite are an artificial pond created by excavating dry land to collect and retain water and therefore not currently regulated by the Corps.  

The Project is primarily composed of annual and ruderal grasslands and also includes a small strip of developed land composed of landscaped ornamental trees at the northern border of the Project site along Twelve Bridges Drive.  Scattered, ephemeral wetland features exist throughout the ruderal and annual grassland communities.  There are also a few small cottonwood trees located around one of the seasonal wetlands onsite and around the man‑made detention basin.

Alternatives.  The applicant has provided information concerning project alternatives.  Additional information concerning these project alternatives may be available from the applicant or their agent.  Other alternatives may develop 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 is proposing to use the permittee-responsible mitigation previously authorized and completed under the Twelve Bridges Specific Plan Individual Permit to compensate for the loss of a total of 0.42 acre of WOUS, consisting of 0.10 acre of vernal pool, 0.01 acre of seasonal wetland, and 0.31 acre of seasonal wetland swale.  The applicant also proposes to purchase an additional 0.97 acre of wetland creation credits at a Corps-approved mitigation bank for impacts to 0.42 acre of vernal pool. 0.32 acre of seasonal wetland, 0.22 acre of seasonal wetland swale, and 0.005 acre of ephemeral drainage. 

 

Table1.StatusofWatersoftheU.S.

 

Type

NewWatersEstablishedSinceGrading(Acreage)

 

NewlyMappedSinceJuly2004(Acreage)

 

PreviouslyMitigated(Acreage)

 

Total(Acreage)

Wetlands

 

 

 

 

VernalPool

0.395

0.029

0.104

0.530

SeasonalWetland

0.324

0.000

0.011

0.340

SeasonalWetlandSwale

0.224

0.000

0.305

0.530

OtherWaters

 

 

 

 

EphemeralDrainage

0.005

0.000

0.000

0.005

Total

0.95

0.03

0.42

1.41

 

OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORIZATIONS:  Water quality certification or a waiver, as required under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act from the Regional Water Quality Control Board is required for this project.  The applicant has indicated they have applied for certification.

HISTORIC PROPERTIES:  Based on the available information, no cultural resources were identified within the project's area of potential effect.  The Corps will initiate consultation with the State Historic Preservation Officer under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, as appropriate.

ENDANGERED SPECIES:  The proposed activity may affect federally-listed endangered or threatened species or their critical habitat.  The Corps will initiate consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service pursuant to Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, as appropriate.

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-2002-00352 must be submitted to the office listed below on or before April 25, 2018.

Kaitlyn Pascus, Project Manager

US Army Corps of Engineers

Sacramento District

1325 J Street, Room 1350

Sacramento, CA. 95814-2922

Email:  Kaitlyn.A.Pascus@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, Kaitlyn Pascus, by phone at (916) 557-7247, or by mail/email at the addresses listed above.

Attachments:  3 drawings