A. INTRODUCTION. This is a publically funded project which includes extension of the Tampa Riverwalk from Waterworks Park to the N. Boulevard bridge.

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1 PROJECT NARRATIVE SWFWMD Dock and Maintenance Dredging Permit Application/Petition No.: for Dock & Maintenance Dredging Project Name: The Heights of Tampa- Dock Permit County: Hillsborough; Sec/Twp/Rge: S13/T29S/R18E Hillsborough County Folio & Folio Site Address: 1910 Ola Ave & 420 W Oak Ave REFERENCE: SWFWMD ERP No.: (includes seawall) SWFWMD Master Permit# Dept. of Interior- Fish & Wildlife Report # FWS F-0469 Cultural Resource Survey (2014) Brief Historical Review of Dredging History A. INTRODUCTION. This is a publically funded project which includes extension of the Tampa Riverwalk from Waterworks Park to the N. Boulevard bridge. B. RELATED APPROVALS. ERP No.: includes the repair and replacement of 1300 mol of seawall, demolition and removal of the abandoned marine railway, remediation of statutorily designated brownfield, and removal of an abandoned inclined marine railway with fill to accommodate extension of the public Riverwalk. C. LOCATION. The Tampa Heights project is located in the City of Tampa, in Section 13, Township 29 South, and Range 18 East, Hillsborough County, Florida (Figure 1). The permit request is located with the Heights project site which encompasses 50 acres more or less along the Hillsborough River, approximately 1 mile northwest of downtown Tampa, and approximately 250 feet of shoreline owned by the City of Tampa. Of the total onsite acreage, approximately 50.9 acres are uplands, while the remaining acreage, ±1.2 acres, consists of estuarine habitats. 1

2 D. PROJECT DESCRIPTION. This request is for construction of 20 itinerate slips and maintenance dredging as more specifically described herein. This is a public project being undertaken in a designated CRA under an inter-local development and public funding agreement. The completed Riverwalk will be publically owned and maintained. The project is on the margin between the Hillsborough River and a 50 acre a mixed-use development known as the Heights Riverfront Community Redevelopment Area. In addition to the work to be completed under this permit the larger project area also includes restoration the landmark Armature Works Building, Creative Office, Residential, Neighborhood Serving Retail and development Needed Services. Quantities per plan cu yds of maintenance dredging immediately waterward of proposed replacement seawall 2. Floating dock: - Area square feet floating - Slips x 14 Precast Concrete Pilings No provision for overnight accommodations 3. Fixed viewing platform with floating transit dock - Area square feet fixed - Area- 888 square feet floating - Slips- 1 Transit - 12 x 12 Precast Concrete Pilings- 94 Total Area Over Water: Viewing Platform (fixed) 7,547 Total Area in Deep Water: Transit Floating Dock 888 Floating Docks 7,184 Maintanence Dredging 15,200 Total 23,272 Dredge and Fill Materials All Fill will clean sand or gravel from an upland source. All Dredge material will be disposed in an approved upland location. Piling and Seawall Installation Piling are precast concrete and will be jetted in using a water pump. Seawall is comprised of 4 wide precast concrete sheet pile and will be jetted in using a water pump. 2

3 Docks: 3

4 Maintenance Dredging: E. CONSTRUCTIONS METHODS All construction will be done during daylight hours. The project will be constructed using the combination a land based crane jet pump mounted on a small barge which drafts less then 2. The entire project area has sufficient water depth to prevent prop or wheel scarring. Water Quality: Turbidity Barriers: Floating turbidity curtains with weighted skirts would be deployed around all work areas that are in or adjacent to surface waters when necessary in order to protect water quality. The turbidity barriers shall remain in place and be maintained until the authorized work has been completed and all suspended and erodible materials have been stabilized. Turbidity barriers shall be removed upon stabilization of the work area. All pilings to be driven not jetted to reduce turbidity impact to waterway Turbidity curtain to be installed during construction to reduce turbidity impact All construction debris, such as cutoffs will be captured and removed from jobsite. F. FLORIDA MANATEE. The applicant will comply with the ACOE Standard Manatee Conditions for In-Water Work To reduce the risk of entrapment and drowning of manatees, manatee exclusion devices (such as grating) shall be installed and maintained over any existing or proposed pipes or culverts greater than 8 inches, but smaller than 8 feet in diameter that are submerged or partially submerged and reasonably accessible to manatees. If horizontal or vertical bars are used, no more than 8-inch gaps on center shall be allowed. Grates shall be in place during all phases of the construction process and as a final design element to restrict manatee access. 4

5 G. EXISTING SITE CONDITIONS. The project is a designated Community Redevelopment Area with a statutory finding of blight and is subject to an adopted CRA Plan. The project site is bordered on the north, east, and west sides by a mix of existing residential, commercial, and industrial development and on the south by the Hillsborough River. Historically, the project site existed as a mix of industrial and commercial uses associated with the shipping and fishing industry, with the majority of historic site alterations, including dredging of the Hillsborough River, completed prior to 1950 based upon a review of historic aerial photographs and information detailed in the report entitled Brief Historical Review of Dredging History, Tampa Heights Shore Protection and Docking Facility Project. Presently, the site exists as fallow land, with the exception of the Tampa Armature Works building, a historic building marked for preservation. Jurisdictional Areas on the property are restricted to the waters of the river. H. JURISDICTIONAL AREAS. A total of 1.2 acres of wetlands have been delineated within the project boundary. The wetlands were delineated by Heidt and Associates and Biological Research Associates and have been field reviewed and approved by both the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) and the Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County (EPC). The wetland line, for the most part, was set as the top of bank or face of seawall along the river. Generally, the onsite wetlands are characterized by deep, open water (Hillsborough River), an unvegetated shoreline (the result of the historic property uses), and an extensive seawall system along the shoreline. Vegetation that is present consists of Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius) and lead tree (Leucaena leucocephala). There are no seagrasses or mangroves present within the project area. It should be noted that a portion of the project wetland area is comprised of an upland-excavated finger canal previously used a cargo transfer area associated with the industrial uses of the property. This canal area is approximately 300 feet in length and 90 feet in width. I. EXISTING WATER QUALITY CONDITION. A water and sediment quality assessment found that the ambient conditions are slightly degraded, as expected in this developed, urban estuarine area. J. DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS. The overarching Heights Community Redevelopment Area and Brownfield Site remediation plan are established by a formal development and inter-local agreements in accordance with the "Community Redevelopment Act of 1969," Section , et seq., Florida Statutes. The City and the CRA adopted a Community Redevelopment Plan for an area located in or near the Tampa Heights, as described above, pursuant to City Council Resolution No and CRA Resolution No referred to therein as the "Old Tampa Police Department Site Community Redevelopment Area;". The City of Tampa held noticed public hearings prior to adoption of both the CRA Plan and Development Agreement ( DA ) and both include a formal finding that the Heights project is in the Public Interest, within the meaning in the Florida Statutes. The City, as owner of the bottom land, also made a formal finding of in the public interest for the placement of fill water ward of mean high water in the adopted DA to allow extension of the Riverwalk and 7 th avenue. 5

6 The Community Redevelopment Area Plan and adopted public private partnership agreements envision the "Heights Project" as a mixed-use project including: (a) approximately nineteenhundred (1900) multi-family residential units, a percentage of which may be Affordable Units, as that term is defined and as is more specifically provided herein, and appurtenant facilities, including without limitation recreational and parking facilities, and open space; (b) approximately 100,000 square feet of commercial/retail space; (c) approximately one hundred (100) boat slips located in the Hillsborough River; (d) approximately 160,000 square feet of office space; (e) significant infrastructure improvements, including, without limitation, new and relocated streets and alleys (which will be realigned as depicted on plans referenced herein), new and relocated potable water lines, new and relocated waste water lines, new and relocated waste water pumping station(s), new and relocated stormwater facilities, new and relocated underground electrical, gas, cable and telephone lines and facilities, and all grading, filling and contouring associated therewith; (f) and a Riverwalk as more specifically described herein, including a connection to the Tampa Heights greenway. The inter-local DA defines "Infrastructure Improvements" which include those infrastructure improvements required as part of the Heights Project including, without limitation, the demolition, removal and disposal of materials, the reconstruction and realignment of streets, alleys and roads located within the boundaries of the Site to create an improved street grid pattern as depicted on plans referenced herein, the underground installation of new public and private utilities in or near the Site (including but not limited to potable water, wastewater, stormwater, electrical facilities, telephone, gas and cable), installation of a master drainage system, including necessary re-grading, filling and contouring of the site, the construction of the Riverwalk and slips. CRA Area Map: 6

7 The design as presented achieves the goals of the CRA plan and related approvals. The design minimizes impacts to those necessary to accomplish the plan goals. The City held a noticed public hearing and found the fill below MHW to be necessary and in the public interest in accordance with Florida Statute. The finding is incorporated in the Heights Riverfront Development Agreement included as part of the application materials. K. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS. The alignment of the seawall and riverwalk were designed to avoid and minimize adverse impacts. Formerly a bulkheaded industrial site, the project area contains no aquatic fauna. The design accomplishes ADA compliant alignment and continuity with the existing riverwalk at the connection with Water Works Park, and FDOT compliant right-of-way width/separation at the west end where the road and riverwalk must pass under the existing bridge. The demolition of the inclined marine railway, removal of the concrete floor, rail tracks and silt from years of industrial operations will benefit water quality. Removal of this industrial marine structure will also eliminate a path for untreated surface water to drain untreated in to the river. L. MINIMIZATION The applicant has reduced the proposed slips from the 100 allowed under the adopted zoning to 20 to reduce potential adverse impacts. The creation of urban density mixed-use villages supports mass transit, reduces traffic through trip capture and promotes the sharing of public infrastructure all of which lead to a reduction of greenhouse gases. M. AQUATIC RESOURCES There are no significant aquatic resources within or immediately adjacent to the project limits as a result of the past uses of the site and adjacent waterways. The applicant understands that many boaters may travel into Tampa Bay where aquatic resources are present. To protect these habitats, the applicant will develop and implement a boater education program detailing the sensitivity of these habitats and the importance of protecting these resources through displays at the docking facility and in conjunction with the future Property Owner s Association. N. CULTUTAL RESOURCES The project site has been significantly altered over time, the waterfront was historically bulkheaded, filled and occupied with intensive industrial uses since 1910, including a gravel and rock yard, shipyard, seafood processing plant, street car storage barn and armature works. No cultural resources have been observed or are likely to exist in the upland areas of the site. A cultural resource survey was completed in 2014 to survey two potential underwater sites for historical resources including the Confederate era SS Scottish Chief. At the site immediately south of the Armature Works and the 2 nd site off of Water Works Park nothing of interest was found and the attached report concludes that debris found was likely from more recent industrial/ marine activities and that the Avoidance/Exclusion Zone does not contain any cultural resources. The following is an excerpt from page 45 of the enclosed report: 7

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9 O. CONCLUSION. The applicant feels that the information contained within this application demonstrates sufficient justification and provides reasonable assurances that the project will not result in adverse secondary or cumulative impacts. 9