HomeMy WebLinkAboutNHC TRC Comment Responses
July 26, 2024
New Hanover County
Department of Planning and Land Use
230 Government Center Drive, Suite 110
Wilmington, NC 28403
To Whom it May Concern,
Subject: New Hanover RNG Facility (SITECN-24-000014)
NHC Commercial Site Review
5124 N US Highway 421, Wilmington, NC 28401
CEC Project No. 336-406
On behalf of Archaea Energy, Inc., Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc. (CEC) presents the
following response to comments received via electronic notification from New Hanover County
Planning & Land Use for the June 5, 2024 Technical Review Committee (TRC) Review regarding
the 5124 US HWY 421 N – Renewable Natural Gas Facility – Commercial Site Plan review
comments.
Planning
Reviewer/Contact: Love Ott, 910-798-7444
1. General Comments
a. Per the Zoning Consistency Determination Letter issued on November 15, 2023 the
proposed use of the site is “Utility Lines, Structures, and/or Facilities, General”.
This use is compatible with the intent of this I-2 zoning.
Response: No response.
2. UDO Section 5.1, Parking and Off Street Loading
a. Parking is sufficient.
Response: No response.
b. Required 1.4 spaces, provided 4 spaces.
Response: No response.
3. UDO Section 5.2, Traffic, Access and Connectivity
a. Any access questions, please refer to NCDOT comments.
Response: No response.
New Hanover County Department of Planning & Land Use
CEC Project 336-406
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July 26, 2024
4. UDO Section 5.3, Tree Retention
a. An approved Tree Removal Permit issued on January 31, 2024.
Response: No response.
b. Permit number TR-000007.
Response: No response.
5. UDO Section 5.4, Landscaping and Buffering
a. Please include landscape plan, one was not provided in the packet submitted. A
landscape plan is required prior to TRC approval.
Response: Per the attached drawing package, this project does not propose a
landscaping and buffering plan. Per New Hanover UDO Section 5.4.2.B, a
minimum of 15 trees of at least two inches DBH or two calipers inches, as
applicable, shall be retained or planted on a parcel where development occurs for
each acre or proportionate area disturbed by the development. Trees retained on the
parcel in accordance with Section 5.3, Tree Retention shall count towards this
requirement.
Per the approved tree removal permit, “Mitigation is achieved by retention of 273
inches of native trees in the site’s open area. Per the native tree retention credit
calculation at 1.5 inches per native inch retained, total mitigation inches provided
are 410.
Per Section 5.4.5.B, landscaping shall be required for parking lot perimeters in
accordance with the specifications outlined in Table 5.4.2.B: Standards for Parking
Lot Perimeter Landscaping, provided that where a perimeter landscaping strip
overlays a required street yard or transitional buffer, the more stringent
requirements shall apply.
This project does not propose a parking lot.
Per Section 5.4.5.C, landscaping for parking lot interiors shall be in accordance
with the requirements in Table 5.4.5.C: Standards for Parking Lot Interiors.
This project does not propose a parking lot.
New Hanover County Department of Planning & Land Use
CEC Project 336-406
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July 26, 2024
Per Section 5.4.6.A, street yard landscaping is required for new construction of
principal structures, expansions to existing structures, and changes of use whenever
additional off-street parking is required, excluding the following uses:
General agricultural and forestry uses;
Residential development unless built to the commercial building code;
Private residential boating facilities;
Cemeteries;
Park and recreation areas with no structures or parking areas; and
Utility lines.
Per Comment 1 listed above, the project is a utility line, structure, and/or facilities,
general.
Per Section 5.4.7.B, foundation plantings shall be 12 percent of the area of the first-
floor building face, or building face up to 25 feet in height, whichever is less,
adjacent to the parking area or internal drive; and the foundation planting area shall
be planted as landscaped areas of sufficient variety, height, and size, with plantings
listed in New Hanover County tree and landscaping manual.
This project does not propose any exposed foundations.
6. UDO Section 5.5, Lighting
a. Is any lighting proposed for this development?
Response: A lighting plan which includes a schedule of lighting fixtures has been
developed and included in the revised drawing package. Please refer to sheet C700
of the revised drawing package.
b. Please note a lighting plan is not required at time of TRC approval. See below
excerpt from Section 5.5.3:
i. Information about the exterior lighting for the site that demonstrates
compliance with the standards in this section shall be submitted in
conjunction with an application for site plan approval (Section 10.3.6, Site
Plan) or zoning compliance approval (Section 10.3.8, Zoning Compliance
Approval), whichever comes first, approved no later than at time of
construction plan approval.
Response: A lighting plan which includes a schedule of lighting fixtures
New Hanover County Department of Planning & Land Use
CEC Project 336-406
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July 26, 2024
has been developed and included in the revised drawing package. Please
refer to sheet C700 of the revised drawing package.
7. UDO Section 5.6, Signs
a. If there are any new signs proposed for this development, please apply for sign
permits prior to installation.
Response: At this time, no new signs are proposed for this development. Any new
signs proposed for this development will have proper permitting documentation
prior to installation.
8. UDO Section 5.7, Conservation Resources
a. Per the New Hanover County Conservation Resource Overlay map, there are no
Conservation Resources on this portion of the site.
Response: No response.
NHC Fire Services
Reviewer/Contact: Ray Griswold, 910-798-7448
1. Fire Finals required Gate Permit required through this office.
Response: Upon completion of the construction drawings and construction drawing
approval, Final Fire Inspections will be scheduled with New Hanover County Fire
Services. Additionally, proper Gate Permitting documentation will be submitted to NHC
Fire Services for review and approval.
2. Portable Fire Extinguishers required per NFPA 10.
Response: An emergency action plan (EAP) is being developed for this project. Upon
completion of the EAP, a copy will be provided for your review, and continued discussion.
NHC Engineering
Reviewer/Contact: Galen Jamison, 910-798-7072
1. Is New Hanover County funding any portion of this project?
Response: This project will not include any New Hanover County funding.
New Hanover County Department of Planning & Land Use
CEC Project 336-406
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July 26, 2024
2. A land disturbing (depending on comment #1 response) and a stormwater issued by the
County are required for this project. Please submit the permit application documentation
with requisite review fees for County issued permit directly to gjamison@nhcgov.com.
Forms can be found at https://www.nhcgov.com/251/Stormwater and
https://www.nhcgov.com/249/Sediment-Erosion-Control.
Response: A land disturbing and stormwater permit issued by New Hanover County will
be pursued upon completion of the TRC review and subsequent approval.
3. A curiosity review of the stormwater management report resulted in the below unofficial
stormwater permit requests for more information.
a. It is recommended NC DEQ erosion control details, specification and maintenance
requirements be used for all details. As an example, what is the size of the washed
stone for the construction entrance? The maintenance requirements for the wattle
are missing.
Response: NC DEQ typical erosion control details have been included in the
revised drawing package where applicable, include construction and installation
specifics, as well as, maintenance requirements. Please refer to sheets C800 through
C808 of the revised drawing package.
b. How will a check dam along the slopes of the infiltration basin function? Check
dams are intended in channels, not along slopes.
Response: The check dam is intended for the channel and it not intended to disrupt
the function of the infiltration basin. Please refer to the revised drawing package
for the revised location of the check dam intended for use within the channel.
c. The required NCG01 forms are missing from the plans.
Response: The required NCG01 forms have been incorporated into the revised
drawing package. Please refer to sheet C808 of the revised drawing package.
d. Please indicate the proposed contours for the 4 channels, as it appears the
minimum depth of 0.78 isn’t provided in channel 4 and the limits of disturbance
(LOD) may increase for channel 1.
Response: Detail 12, sheet C801 has been replaced with the standard NC DEQ
detail for grass lined channels. As such, a table has been included with this detail,
New Hanover County Department of Planning & Land Use
CEC Project 336-406
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July 26, 2024
on sheet C801, detailing the minimum dimensions required for each proposed
channel. Please refer to Detail 12, sheet C801 of the revised drawing package.
e. The LOD will need to include the FM connection.
Response: During the New Hanover County TRC Meeting held on June 5, 2024,
the CFPUA representative mentioned that sanitary and water main connections
were to be perpendicular to the main lines until such a point that the line was no
longer within public right-of-way. As a result of this discussion, the proposed
sanitary and water connections were revised to be both perpendicular to the mains,
and within the proposed limits of disturbance (LOD). Please refer to the revised
drawing package.
f. The dimensions of the energy dissipaters, stone size and filter blanket or fabric
requirements couldn’t be found in the plans.
Response: Detail 8, sheet C801 “Pipe Outlet Protection” has been revised to
include a table detailing the minimum dimensions required for the energy
dissipaters, or rock outlet protection. Dimensions include, but are not limited to,
stone size and filter blanket or fabric requirements. Please refer to Detail 8, sheet
C801 of the revised drawing package.
g. The ¼ acre of drainage to 100’ silt fence appears to be violated along the southern
boundary of the site.
Response: This project proposed the use of compost filter sock in lieu of silt fence,
and the compost filter sock is designed to not exceed the allowable slope lengths
per NCDEQ standards for compost filter sock. Please refer to sheet C300 of the
revised drawing package.
h. Will any of the foundations impose loads on the proposed storm sewer piping?
Several of the pipes are very close to proposed equipment/structures.
Response: The foundations will not provide additional loading on the proposed
storm sewer system. Please refer to the Geotechnical Report included in Appendix
I of the Stormwater Management Plan.
i. The sequence of construction notes should be tailored to the project and not
indicate recommended. They should also reference NHC as the authority having
jurisdiction.
New Hanover County Department of Planning & Land Use
CEC Project 336-406
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July 26, 2024
Response: The sequence of construction notes included on sheet C001 have been
revised to be tailored to the project and not indicate recommended. Please refer to
sheet C001 of the revised drawing package.
j. Is the infiltration basin going to be used for as a sediment basin during
construction?
Response: The proposed infiltration basin is not intended to be used as a sediment
basin during construction. In the event that the infiltration basin accumulates
sediment during construction operations, the infiltration basin will be cleaned of all
sediment, prior to completion of final stabilization measures for the proposed
infiltration basin. Appropriate erosion and sediment control measures have been
proposed during construction, please refer to the Erosion and Sediment Control
Plan.
k. There are no erosion control measures indicated in the proposed channels to
protect against erosion prior to stabilization. Rock check dams, wattles or compost
socks are recommended.
Response: The proposed channels have been designed to include wattles and rock
check dams as erosion control measures. Please refer to the revised drawing
package for the location, type, and details for said erosion control measures.
l. Per Section 2.3.2.1, table 2-4 of the NHC Stormwater Design Manual, items 5, 8,
14, 21, 23 and 26 appear to be missing from the plans.
Response: Per the NHC Stormwater Design Manual, Section 2.3.2.1, Table 2-4,
Items 5, 8, 14, 21, 23, and 26 are as follows:
Item 5 – Survey map of delineated 404 wetlands approved by the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers or certification by the design professional that
no wetlands exist on the site.
Response: Please refer to the attached final AJD from the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers (Action Id. SAW-2024-00401) for the New Hanover
RNG Facility. Per said AJD, “The entire property is composed of high
ground. Therefore, your proposed activity will not occur in any aquatic
features”. The site was field verified on 02/28/2024.
New Hanover County Department of Planning & Land Use
CEC Project 336-406
Page 8
July 26, 2024
Item 8 – Soil types with hydrologic groups.
Response: Hydrologic soils groups are included in the attached
Stormwater Management Plan, Section 4.0, as well as, Appendix A – Site
Location Map and Soils Report. Please refer to referenced sections of the
attached Stormwater Management Plan.
Item 14 – Existing and new impervious surface areas.
Response: Existing and new impervious surfaces area have been
calculated for this project, and can be found on the Site Layout Plan.
Please refer to sheet C200 of the revised drawing package.
Item 21 – Regulatory flood with 100-year flood elevations (from FIRM
Maps or as computed) on each proposed parcel lot.
Response: Per FEMA Firm panels 3720320100K and 3720320000L,
effective dates 02/16/2007 and 08/28/2018, respectively, no regulatory
floodplains exist within the limits of this project. Please refer to sheet
C100 of the revised drawing package.
Item 23 – Plans, profiles, details, and specifications for construction of all
improvements (including demolition plan, site grading, utilities, erosion
prevention and sediment control plan, landscape plan).
Response: Please refer to the revised drawing package: sheet C101 – Tree
Removal Plan, sheet C300 – Site Grading and Erosion & Sediment
Control Plan, and sheet C500 – Site Utility Plan.
Item 26 – Location of existing and proposed utilities including gravity
sewer inverts and profiles.
Response: Location of existing and proposed utilities are included on
sheet C500 – Site Utility Plan. Please refer to sheet C500 of the revised
drawing package.
m. Per Section 2.3.2.2, table 2-5, items 2, 5, 6, 11 and 12 appear to be missing from
the narrative report.
New Hanover County Department of Planning & Land Use
CEC Project 336-406
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July 26, 2024
Response: Per the NHC Stormwater Design Manual, Section 2.3.2.2, Table 2-5,
Items 2, 5, 6, 11, and 12 are as follows:
Item 2 – Proposed phasing (construction sequencing) of the development
site if applicable.
Response: Proposed phasing (construction sequencing) of the
development site has been included in the Stormwater Management Plan.
Please refer to Section 2.0 of the revised Stormwater Management Plan.
Item 5 – All required design calculations for stormwater conveyances and
SCMs as detailed in Tables 2-6 through 2-10 of this Manual shall be
included in the Narrative Report as Appendices.
Response: All required design calculations for stormwater conveyances
and SCMs as details in Tables 2-6 through 2-10 of the NHC Stormwater
Design Manual have been includes in the Appendices of the Narrative
Report. Please refer to Appendices C, D, and E of the revised Stormwater
Management Plan.
Item 6 – Supporting reference maps for the site, including FIRM or
FIRMette, USGS 7.5 Minute Quadrangle Map, NRCS Soil Map, NOAA
Atlas 14, and appropriate maps available from the New Hanover County
GIS Portal for site design and downstream assessment calculations.
Response: Supporting reference maps for the site, including FIRM or
FIRMette, USGS 7.5 Minute Quadrangle Map, NRCS Soil Map, and
NOAA Atlas 14 have been included as Appendices of the Narrative
Report. Please refer to Appendices A, G, and H of the revised Stormwater
Management Plan.
Item 11 – List and discuss all federal, state, and local permitting
requirements, including U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, FEMA,
jurisdictional wetland determination, endangered species, and Coastal
Area Management Act (CAMA).
Response: All federal, state, and local permitting requirements, including
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, have been discussed in the revised
Stormwater Management Plan. Please refer to Section 3.0 of the revised
Stormwater Management Plan.
New Hanover County Department of Planning & Land Use
CEC Project 336-406
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July 26, 2024
Item 12 – Discuss easement requirements.
Response: Easements have been discussed in the Stormwater
Management Plan. Please refer to Section 4.0 of the revised Stormwater
Management Plan.
n. Per Section 2.3.2.3, table 2-6, items 6 and 7 appear to be missing from the narrative
report.
Response: Per the NHC Stormwater Design Manual, Section 2.3.2.3, Table 2-6,
Items 6 and 7 are as follows:
Inlet design flow (25-year) and additional analysis flow (100-year).
Response: Inlet design flow (25-year) and additional analysis flow (100-
year) are included in appendix E of the Stormwater Management Plan.
Please refer to Appendix E of the Stormwater Management Plan.
Ponding depth at design flow.
Response: Ponding depth has been included in the inlet design flow
analysis. Please refer to Appendix E of the Stormwater Management
Plan.
o. Per Section 2.3.2.3, table 2-7, the minimum requirements for the pipe design are
not found in the report.
Response: Per the NHC Stormwater Design Manual, Section 2.3.2.3, Table 2-7,
the Stormwater Design Analysis Data Requirements for Pipe Segments have been
incorporated in the Stormwater Management Report. Please refer to Appendix E of
the revised Stormwater Management Report.
p. Per Section 2.3.2.3, table 2-8, the design calculations for the driveway culvert
appear to be missing from the narrative report.
Response: Per the NHC Stormwater Design Manual, Section 2.3.2.3, Table 2-8,
the Stormwater Design Analysis Data Requirements for Culverts have been
incorporated in the Stormwater Management Report. Please refer to Appendix E of
the revised Stormwater Management Report.
New Hanover County Department of Planning & Land Use
CEC Project 336-406
Page 11
July 26, 2024
q. Per Section 2.3.2.3, table 2-10, items 5 and 6 (pond routing with infiltration not
functioning) could not be found in appendices to the narrative report.
Response: Per the NHC Stormwater Design Manual, Section 2.3.2.3, Table 2-10,
Items 5 and 6 are as follows:
Item 5 - Detailed computations of the stage-discharge relationship,
including charts or equations and coefficients of discharge used with an
indication if outlet pipes are acting under inlet or outlet control, a graph
or table of water-surface elevation versus total discharge through each
component of the outlet structure (low flow, permanent pool, primary
outlet, emergency spillway).
Response: Detailed computations of the stage-discharge relationship,
including charts or equations and coefficients of discharge used with an
indication if outlet pipes are acting under inlet or outlet control, a graph
or table of water-surface elevation versus total discharge through each
component of the outlet structure can be found in Appendix D of the
revised Stormwater Management Plan.
Item 6 – Detailed computations of flood routing for the 2-, 10-, 25-, and
100-year, 24-hour storm events, in suitable time increments, including a
table showing at least the four columns of elapsed time, accumulated
storage, stage, and discharge for each component of the outlet structure.
The flood routing computations for the 100-year, 24-hour storm event
should be for the case where the outlet devices are obstructed or not
operating properly, or stormwater is not infiltrating.
Response: Detailed computations of flood routing for the 2-, 10-, 25-, and
100-year, 24-hour storm events, in suitable time increments, including a
table showing at least the four columns of elapsed time, accumulated
storage, stage, and discharge for each component of the outlet structure
can be found in Appendix D of the revised Stormwater Management Plan.
The flood routing computations for the 100-year, 24-hour storm event
modeling the performance of the infiltration basin when the basin is not
infiltration can be found in Appendix D of the revised Stormwater
Management Plan.
New Hanover County Department of Planning & Land Use
CEC Project 336-406
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July 26, 2024
r. Per Section 2.3.2.5, please provide a notarized operation and maintenance plan
agreement form.
Response: A notarized operation and maintenance plan agreement form has been
included as an attached to the revised drawing package submittal.
s. Per Section 2.4, please include the certifications on at least one drawing. Cover
page preferred.
Response: The certifications have been included on the Cover Sheet, sheet C000.
Please refer to sheet C000 of the revised drawing package.
t. Per Section 3.5, please include the frequency factor, Cf, for all calculations that
rely on the rational method.
Response: Please refer to Appendix E of the revised Stormwater Management Plan
for the inclusion of a frequency factor for all calculations that incorporate the
Rational Method.
4. Please contact the State for the stormwater permit requirements. It is anticipated a high-
density permit will be required.
Response: Prior to submittal of an NOI for NPDES General Permit coverage, CEC will
contact the State for Stormwater Permit Requirements.
NHC Environmental Health
Reviewer/Contact: Dustin Fenske, 910-798-6732
1. Site Plan reflects connection to Public Water. Proposed infrastructure will not violate well
setbacks to any surrounding properties.
Response: No response.
2. Site Plan reflects connection to public sewer. Proposed infrastructure does not violate
septic setbacks to any surrounding properties.
Response: No response.
NHC Addressing
Reviewer/Contact: Katherine May, 910-798-7443
New Hanover County Department of Planning & Land Use
CEC Project 336-406
Page 13
July 26, 2024
1. Current address is acceptable, no changes necessary.
Response: No response;
Cape Fear Public Utility Authority
Reviewer/Contact: Bernice Johnson, 910-332-6620
1. CFPUA TRC Comments provided are preliminary comments only.
Response: No response.
2. Utility Plan review required by CFPUA. CFPUA is moving towards becoming paperless.
When ready to submit plan review package, upload all documents to
https://www.cfpua.org/FormCenter/Engineering-3/Engineering-Plan-Review-103.
Response: A Utility Plan review application will be submitted to CFPUA for review and
approval.
3. CFPUA water available. CFPUA Sewer will be available through a foremain-to-forcemain
connection.
Response: No response.
4. Capacity is dependent on the analysis of the pipe collection system (gravity and force
mains).
Response: No response.
5. A capacity determination can be provided upon submittal of the NC DWQ FTA/FTSE
Application Form and a Preliminary Plan, this determination does not guarantee capacity.
Response: Capacity will be determined upon submittal of the
6. Capacity is issued to projects on a first come, first serve basis, when capacity is available,
the plans meet Authority requirements, and the NC DWQ FTA/FTSE forms are signed by
the Authority.
Response: No response.