REPLY TO ATTENTON OF: DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY U.S. ARMY ENGNEER DSTRCT, MOBLE CORPS OF ENGNEERS P.O. BOX 2288 MOBLE, ALABAMA 36628-0001 CESAM-RD-C PUBLC NOTCE NO. SAM-2013-00310-HEH June 17, 2013 JONT PUBLC NOTCE U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGNEERS AND ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF ENVRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PROPOSED FLLNG OF JURSDCTONAL WETLANDS N CONJUNCTON WTH THE DEVELOPMENT OF PRAYER TABERNACLE CHURCH, MOBLE COUNTY, ALABAMA TO ALL CONCERNED: The U.S. Army Corps of Engneers, Moble Dstrct, (Corps) has receved an applcaton for a Department of the Army Permt pursuant to Secton 404 of the Clean Water Act (33 USC1344). Ths publc notce s beng dstrbuted to all known nterested persons to assst n developng facts on whch a decson by the Corps can be based. Please communcate ths nformaton to nterested partes. APPLCANT: PRAYER TABERNACLE CHURCH Attenton: Mr. Alonzo Wllams 3721 Seleste Drve Moble, Alabama 36618 AGENT: Barry A. Vttor and Assocates, nc. Attenton: Mr. Davd J. Knowles 8060 Cottage Hll Road Moble, Alabama 36695 LOCATON: The applcant proposes to fll 2.9 acres of a 33.5-acre property located on Man Street adjacent to Ralroad Street n Trnty Gardens. Specfcally, the parcel s located n Secton 5, Townshp 4 South, Range 1 West, Moble, Moble County, Alabama USGS 7.5 mnute Quadrangle. Lattude North 30.7233; Longtude West -88.1069. A ste locator map s attached. WORK: The applcant acqured the 33.5-acre property early 2006 for the purpose of constructng a new neghborhood church and surroundng resdences n Trnty Gardens. The proposed project was advertsed by Publc Notce SAM-2009-01118-HEH and then later abandoned by the applcant. The applcant requests authorzaton to fll wetlands, however, the new request proposes far smaller mpacts than before, (a total of 2.9 acres versus 14.4 acres) and no longer proposes to fll wetlands for the purpose of resdental development. The proposed project wll nvolve constructon of new church buldngs, parkng, a playground and nstallaton of utltes and stormwater facltes (n uplands). The proposed development wll nvolve fllng of approxmately 2.9 acres of jursdctonal wetlands (11 percent of the total 24.2 acres of wetlands on-ste). Approxmately 31,000 cubc yards of commercally obtaned fll materal wll be used to mprove the buldng stes. Buldng stes wll generally be undercut to remove
CESAM-RD-C June 17, 2013 PUBLC NOTCE NO. SAM-2013-00310-HEH unsutable sols and then re-contoured wth sand-clay base. Stormwater runoff wll dran nto a stormwater detenton basn; the stormwater basn wll not be placed n wetlands. The new church wll be bult on a-6.5 acre ste that fronts on Man Street and wll utlze the largest area of uplands that border Man Street n order to avod, to the extent practcable, mpacts to wetlands. A ste plan depctng wetland boundares and areas of proposed wetland mpact s attached. ALTERNATVES TO THE PROPOSED ACTON: The applcant's ntal ste plan Alternatve 1 called for development of the entre property (24.2 acres of wetland mpacts) and requested authorzaton to fll 14.4 acres of wetlands n order to generate enough revenue to fnance constructon of a new church and related facltes. Approxmately 70 homes were to be bult on roughly 29 acres plus the 5-acre church faclty. Ths desgn would requre fllng approxmately 24.2 acres of regulated wetlands rather than the 14.4 acres of wetland fll that would occur wth the current proposed plan. Ths level of wetland mpact was consdered too great and the fulldevelopment plan was rejected. A map depctng the Alternatve 1 ste plan s attached. Alternatve 2 to the proposed development plan was consdered. Ths alternatve would nvolve the development of 50 lots as opposed to the 44 currently proposed. The addtonal 6 lots would have been placed n wetlands however, the applcant consdered the addtonal mpacts to be unnecessary and cost prohbtve. Ths alternatve development plan would have added approxmately 16 acres of wetland mpacts. A map depctng the Alternatve 2 ste plan s attached. The applcant's thrd proposed ste plan was advertsed by Publc Notce SAM-2009-0118-HEH for a 30-day publc nterest revew perod. The proposed work would result n 14.4 acres of wetland fll for the purpose of church constructon and development of sngle famly resdences. The applcant decded not to pursue that request further. The applcant has snce decded ths alternatve was not practcable from a cost standpont and wshes to lessen mpacts and construct smaller facltes. The applcant also consdered the No-Acton Alternatve (whch would requre no Secton 404 permt). Under ths approach, the property s not developable from any standpont and no church faclty could be constructed. For that reason, ths alternatve was not consdered further. Mtgaton for fllng 2.9 acres would be accomplshed by purchasng low qualty wetland credts at a U.S. Army Corps of Engneers' (Corps) approved mtgaton bank. The decson whether to ssue a permt wll be based on an evaluaton of the probable mpact, ncludng cumulatve mpacts, of the proposal on the publc nterest. That decson wll reflect the natonal concern for both protecton and use of mportant resources. The beneft whch reasonably may be expected to accrue from the proposal must be balanced aganst ts reasonably foreseeable detrments. All factors and ther cumulatve effects relevant to the proposal wll be consdered, ncludng conservaton, economcs, aesthetcs, general envronmental concerns, wetlands, cultural values, fsh and wldlfe values, flood hazards, floodplan values, land use, navgaton, shorelne eroson and accreton, recreaton, water supply and conservaton, water qualty, energy needs, safety, food and fber producton, mneral needs, property ownershp, and n general the needs and welfare of the people. 2
CESAM-RD-C June 17, 2013 PUBLC NOTCE NO. SAM-2013-00310-HEH To evaluate the mpacts of ths proposal the Corps s solctng comments from the publc; Federal, State and local agences and offcals; ndan Trbes; and other nterested partes. For accuracy and completeness of the record, all data n support of or n opposton to the proposed work should be submtted n wrtng settng forth suffcent detal to furnsh a clear understandng of the reasons for support or opposton. Comments wll be consdered to determne whether to ssue, modfy, condton or deny a permt. To make ths decson, an Envronmental Assessment s prepared n accord wth the Natonal Envronmental Polcy Act; mpacts are assessed on endangered speces, hstorc propertes, water qualty, general envronmental effects, and the other publc nterest factors lsted above. Comments are also used to determne the need for a publc hearng and to determne the overall publc nterest. Anyone may request a publc hearng to consder ths proposal. Requests should provde n wrtng, wthn the specfed comment perod, detaled reasons for a hearng. Ths notce s beng sent to approprate State and Federal agences, ncludng the State Hstorc Preservaton Offcer and the U.S. Department of the nteror, Natonal Park Servce, Dvson of Archeologcal Servces. No propertes lsted n or elgble for the Natonal Regster of Hstorc Places s known to exst whch would be affected by the proposal. Comments are requested regardng the potental or exstence of cultural resources whch may be affected. The U.S. Department of the nteror's Lst of Endangered and Threatened Wldlfe and Plants ndcates the proposal wll not affect lsted speces or ther crtcal habtat. Other mpacts from dredge and fll actvtes wll be evaluated by applyng Envronmental Protecton Agency gudelnes. The Natonal Marne Fsheres Servce requres the evaluaton of mpacts to Essental Fsh Habtat of estuarne speces. After revew of publc comments, the Alabama Department of Envronmental Management (ADEM) wll determne f the proposal comples wth and wll be operated or mantaned n a manner consstent wth the Clean Water Act and the Coastal Zone Management Program. For addtonal nformaton, please contact Mr. Harry Halley, Project Manager, phone (251) 690-3262. Comments should be receved by July 17, 2013. Please refer to number SAM-2013-00310-HEH and drect your correspondence to the Dstrct Commander, U.S. Army Engneer Dstrct Moble, Attenton: Regulatory Dvson, Post Offce Box 2288, Moble, Alabama 36628-0001, and a copy to the ADEM, Coastal Faclty Secton, 4171 Commanders Drve, Moble, Alabama 36615. MOBLE DSTRCT U.S. Army Corps of Engneers Attachments 3
Fgure 1 Vcnty Map for the Prayer Tabernacle Property. SAM- 1-0 S -...:O:...Z>--=-- 3> J_D -....-...... a..._,..,......... 1-1 H
()- BARRY A. VTTOR & ASSOCATES, NC. -v Envronmental Research and Consultng Detenton rr= LEGEND 1 c::j Property (33.5 acres) [::J Wetlands (24.2 acres) c:::j Development ( 6.5 acres) c::j Wetland mpacts (2.9acres) Locaton: S 5, T-4-S, R-1-W, Moble, Alabama Base Map: Moble, AL USGS 7.5 mnute Quadrangle Lattude: N 30.7233 Longtude: W 88.1069 Wetlands dehneated by BVA on 4-12-06 250 125 250 500?so Feet -- -- SAM- 01? -tjo'3/0 DEPT. OF THE ARMY PERMT
!\V+E! l '! (}-- BARRY A. VTTOR & ASSOCATES, NC..,... Envronmema! Research and Consultng LEGEND! c::j Property (33.5 acres) j 11 t:::!j Wetlands (24.2 acres) Wetland mpacts (24.2 acres) 1 Locaton: S 5, T-4-S, R-1-W,!! Moble, Alabama l Base Map: Moble,AL USGS 7.5 mnute Quadrangle t -t!u 30.7233 ll. _ Longtu<e_;, Wll.!Q)2 _! Wetlands dc!mt!too by BVAon -[2:-06. --- -----------.. 1. Alternatve # 1 1so 12S 250 soo Feet j SAM- ')_, () - tj() 31 0 - H 13 1-l DEPT. OF THE ARMY PERMT
s!w+e s Q- BARRY A. VTOR & ASSOCATES, NC.! "7. Envronmental Research and Consultng LEGEND [ c::j Property (33.5 acres)! r::;,g Wetlands (24.2 acres)! j Wetland mpacts (16.0 acres)! 1, ============ j Locaton: S 5, T-4-S, R-1-W, Moble, Alabama f! Base Map :v!oble, AL 1 1 USGS 7 5 mnute Quadrangle. =======L=a=t=ru=d=e:= N ==3=0=.7=23=3=====; ll 11 ---- L o ng m de : w ss. o 6 9 Wcllowds.:clmcatcd. by B-VA on. 4-12--06. 250 125 Alternat1ve #2 250 500 750 Feet J SAM- '2 0 '3 o - o CJ? b - H.E H DEPT. OF THE ARMY PERMT