Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutResponses to 02-16-05 TAC meeting 1 -' " ~ ,..t-:~;oj; Responses to Comments Provided During th~February 16, 2005 TAC Meeting for Muell~r Property North Sand and Gravel Operation 1.0 City of Carmel Department of Enaineerina 1. The Department requests that the Thoroughfare Plan right-of-way be dedicated for 106th Street and Hazel Dell Parkway. Drafts of the Deed of Dedication and Acceptance of right-of-way for 106th Street are attached. 2. The Department requests the construction of multi-use paths in accordance with the City's Alternative Transportation Plan on the north side of 106th Street across the property frontage. The path, as shown on the plans, can be contained within the 45-foot riflht-of-way and is subject to the reservation that Martin Marietta does not waive any right to insist on compensation for the taking or dedication of this property. 3. The Department requests that the property be improved such that there are no direct stormwater runoff/discharge areas to the City right-of-way or adjacent properties. This would entail constructing swales to intercept existing low areas such that they drain back to the pond. The previously provided Mueller Property North Sand and Gravel Operation Erosion and Sediment Control Report calls for the construction of a drainage swale along the southern/southeastern perimeter to intercept water and drain it back to the lake. Should actual field conditions dictate the extension of this swale or construction of additional swales, this will be completed. 4. Are any access points planned into the property or will all access be from the existing operation to the north? The location of any proposed entrances/access points would be subject to review and approval by this Department. Any access points shall be constructed to INDOT standards on Hazel Dell Parkway and to Department standards on 106th Street. The pavement section for any new pavement to be installed within the City right-of-way will be in accordance with the section provided by this Department. No access points are currently planned into the Mueller Property North. However, Martin Marietta reserves the right for a driveway access across the right-of-way on 106thStreet (that is otherwise being dedicated to the City) for accessing the Mueller Property North. 5. Any improvements within the existing and proposed City right-of-way shall conform to the requirements and standards of the Department of Engineering. If any work is to be performed in the existing or proposed right-of-way, please add a note to the drawings that the Contractor shall contact the Department of Engineering to schedule a pre-constr . meeting to review the Department's construction requirements, staff no' requirements, required inspections for certain stages of the work, and to review th of the Department as it relates to work within the existing and proposed City right 1 Q The requested note has been added to the Mine Plan Map regarding improvements within the City right-of-way. A revised Mine Plan Map is enclosed. 6. Will this operation increase vehicular traffic on 106th or Hazel Dell? Will the proposed operation increase the output from the existing plant or will the output remain the same? The Mueller Property North Sand and Gravel Operation will be substantially similar to the operation conducted at the Carmel Sand Plant. Vehicular traffic volume on 106th Street and Hazel Dell will remain essentially the same. 7. It is apparent that the lake will be an expansion of the existing lake to the north. Is the existing lake influenced by the Base Flood Elevation of White River or Cool Creek? If so, are these flood elevations contained in the banks of the proposed lake? No portion of the proposed Mueller Property North is located within the 1 DO-year floodplain of the White River. The base flood elevations for Cool Creek and the White River are 743' MSL and 742' MSL, respectively, near the northeastern corner of the existing Carmel Sand Plant lake (see attached portion of Flood Insurance Rate Map). However, note that this flood study was completed prior to the construction of the Hazel Dell Parkway, and may no longer be representative of actual conditions (it is believed that the 100-year floodplain is now confined to the east side of Hazel Dell). The existing ground elevations surrounding the northeastern corner of the existing lake (in the area within the 1 DO-year floodplain, as currently delineated) are higher than 743' MSL, based on the contours extracted from the Hamilton County website. Therefore, the lake is not influenced by the base flood elevations of White River or Cool Creek. 8. It is stated that the proposed lake will act as a retention pond, one with no release anticipated. The drainage calculations provided are for a 10-year storm, but the 100-year storm is typically the design storm for consideration of a detention system. Considering the residual on-site acreage after reclamation is complete and any off-site acreage that drains to the final pond configuration, including any areas that drain to the existing pond, what impact does the 100-year storm have on the lake level? The 1 DO-year storm event will not significantly impact the lake level, even when considering any off-site acreage that drains to the pond (which is negligible). There is adequate freeboard between the lake and surrounding areas to prevent the lake from discharging during the event of a 1 DO-year storm. The estimated storage volume of the lake between normal pool elevation and potential overflow elevation is 1,295 acre-feet. 9. Where would the final lake configuration overtop in the event that the lake does completely fill? Is this outlet point stabilized or protected from erosion in the event that the lake did overtop? This event is highly unlikely; however, the lowest point surrounding the final lake is located along the northern edge of the existing Carmel Sand Plant lake. The lake is not expected to discharge under any storm condition. Therefore, it has not been equipped with erosion protection beyond vegetative stabilization. 2 ... 10. The Department requires that the on-site drainage system accommodate any off-site drainage areas that drain to or through the property. This would include any areas that may only drain onto the property after ponding to an elevation that overcomes any intermediate high points. The Department understands that this area is very flat and that there are no defined watercourses which drain to the property, but there may be areas that flow onto the property as a relief point. The on-site drainage system will accommodate any off-site drainage areas that drain to or through the property. 11. The Department requests that all responses to these review comments be provided in writing. Failure to provide written responses may result in delay of the review process. The responses to the Department's comments have been provided in writing. The Department will also be made aware of all modifications made to the plans, which will be provided in writing. 12. It is critical that this Department be made aware of all modification made on the plans being resubmitted, particularly if any such changes are considered "new" or fall outside of our previous reviews. Please provide revised plans indicating all revisions. Please notify this Department of any changes and specifically state any changes, including changes resulting from Plan Commission, Special Studies, or other committee meetings. The Department will be made aware of all modifications made to the plans, which will be provided in writing. 13. All bonds and performance guarantees (if required) must be posted prior to Engineering Department approval. Also, Board of Public Works and Safety approval and any other governing agency approvals (if required) must be obtained prior to Engineering Department approval. Martin Marietta understands that all bonds and performance guarantees (if required) must be posted and other agency approvals must be obtained prior to Engineering Department approval. 14. The plans have been submitted to the City's consultant for drainage review. Comments from the drainage review will be forwarded to your office when the review is complete. Martin Marietta understands that comments from the drainage review will be provided once the review by the City's consultant is complete. 15. The Department of Engineering reserves the right to provide additional comments based on subsequent reviews. Martin Marietta understands that the Department of Engineering reserves the right to provide additional comments based on subsequent reviews. 3 .. ~ 2.0 City of Carmel Department of Community Services Urban Forester 1. On the landscape plan, the graphic planting detail must agree with the text description and show the root crown or root flare being planted level to finish grade, not just the top of the root ball, if these are balled and burlapped or container grown trees. The balled and burlapped stock must have the sizing or binding untied, and the top of the rootball uncovered once installed. Planting instructions and details have been modified and now match the text description with respect to plant installation. A revised Landscaping Plan Map is enclosed. 2. If these trees are all large seedling size (.75-inch caliper and around 5 feet in height), there is probably no need to stake them unless they suffer from abnormally adverse weather conditions. The tree roots will regenerate more quickly and they will establish more desirable trunk taper if left unstaked. Reference to stakes has been removed from the revised Landscaping Plan Map, see the map enclosed. 3. Since this is an afforestation/reforestation plan, a two- to three-year maintenance plan must be included, and a mortality/plant survival level commitment must be included as well. For example, "If three years after planting, 90% of the seedlings are not in a health condition and growing well, those that are dead or dying will be replaced with new plantings." The maintenance plan should include, but not be limited to, irrigation, mulching, weed control, removal of any stakes, fertilizing, pest and disease control, and removal of any dead, dying, or diseased plants or rank vegetation. A maintenance plan and mortality/plant survival commitment has been added to the revised Landscaping Plan Map, see the map enclosed. 4. General Construction Sequence (Page 1-5): The proposed 25-foot tree planting area along the north and west perimeters should be installed before the overburden removal is begun. This could be done as part of Point 2. The general construction sequence (page 1-5) has been revised to add the installation of the 25-foot tree planting area as part of Step Number 2. 3.0 SPECTRA ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP. INC. 3.1 Hvdroaeoloaic Issues . The submitted documents are silent regarding the potential for the proposed action to influence the City of Carmel water supply wells in the Plant 4 Wellfield. For example, the proposed action will create a 3D-foot deep lake within 350 feet of the property line of the Plant 4 Wellfield. Does the proposed lake fall within any portion of the capture area(s) of any wells in the Plant 4 Wellfield and, if so, what is the travel time of water from the lake to the wellfield? If the travel time is short, will development of the lake require the City of Carmel to change their treatment process for water from the Plant 4 Wellfield? 4 . . The Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure Plan should be expanded to include a discussion of the Plant 4 Wellfield and should include a section to describe how the Plant 4 Wellfield will be protected from spills in and around the Mueller North property. . The information presented does not reference the approved Mueller South sand and gravel operation. Mueller South will be developed as a dry open pit sand and gravel operation with dry reclamation. What are the implications of a dry open pit sand and gravel operation a few hundred feet south of the proposed wet sand and gravel operation? Will the presence of Mueller South reduce lake levels on the Mueller North property during active mining operations and then during and after reclamation? After reclamation, the lake elevation is estimated at ~730 feet above mean seal level (amsl). Will the presence of a freely draining sand and gravel face (Mueller South) located a few hundred feet south of Mueller North reduce the anticipated reclamation lake levels? Martin Marietta will continue to cooperate with the City Utilities Department in understanding the hydrogeologic issues associated with the application, such as additional meetings and exchange of information. 3.2 Reclamation lake . The sideslopes of the reclamation lake are graded at a slope of 3: 1. This same grading extends below the reclamation water line (~730 feet amsl). Martin Marietta should consider grading the lake shore and shallow water areas around the lake at a grade of 10:1. This would provide a degree of safety if someone were to walk into the lake and prevent them from entering deep water in the near-shore environment. The proposed grading of final reclaimed side slopes meets or exceeds aI/local, state, and federal requirements. A 3:1 side slope is gentle enough to provide a safe exit from an impoundment. . The post-mining cross sections (Sheet 6 of 6) show that the perimeter of the lake will be excavated to develop a vertical, saturated sand and gravel face 25 feet high at the limit of excavation. There is no description in the documents how this grading will be attained, and if it is attained, how it will be maintained. Saturated sand and gravel below the water line will seek a natural angle of response at the perimeter of the excavation. Failure in this underwater slope may change the proposed grading of the above water line reclamation slope as well. The excavation plan should be reconsidered near the limit of excavation and the cross sections should be redrawn to show a more realistic grading plan around the perimeter of the excavation area. The cross sections were intended as a conceptual representation of the maximum extent of extraction for the suction dredge. The actual submerged portion of highwal/ will not be vertical. This will be achieved by grading the area between the limit of extraction and limit of reclamation at a 3:1 slope and pushing that material into the lake. 5 ..f 3.3 Mine Plan and Noise Study . The Mine Plan states that "Martin Marietta is seeking approval to conduct a surface sand and gravel operation on the Mueller Property North utilizing typical earthmoving equipment (including pans, front-end loaders, etc.) to remove overburden and a floating dredge to remove sand and gravel." The Noise Study states that "To reach the sand and gravel, Martin Marietta must remove approximately five feet of topsoil and non-aggregate material known as "overburden"." Both the Mine Plan and Noise Study state that the floating dredge will operate at an approximate elevation of .:t.729 feet amsl. Existing grade in the area can be as high as 750 feet amsl. Subtracting grade elevation of 750 feet from the dredge operating elevation of .:t.729 means that there could be up to 21 feet of "overburden" or overburden and sand and gravel that must be removed before the suction dredge can operate. This apparent inconsistency must be explained in detail. As the information stands now, it is unclear how material below the "approximately five feet of topsoil and non- aggregate material" will be mined or removed from the site. Martin Marietta proposes to use typical earthmoving equipment, such as pans, front- end loaders, etc. to remove approximately five feet of overburden. All of the remaining material to be extracted from the site will be removed with the existing suction dredge. The suction dredge will work from the existing lake at the Carmel Sand Plant (+/- 729' MSL) and proceed south into the Mueller Property North. Once the overburden is extracted, the portion of the sand and gravel that lies above the water elevation (and dredge operating level) will slough down into the existing lake water (+/- 729'MSL) and will be extracted via the dredge. . The Noise Study dues not address noise generated by removal of up to 21 feet of overburden or non-aggregate material above the elevation at which the suction dredge is to operate. Removal of up to 21 feet of material across a parcel of land approximately 106 acres in area is not an activity that can be considered "temporary construction activity" or short-term in nature and must be addressed in the Noise Study. The time required to remove up to 21 feet of overburden across the site must be detailed. Given the proximity of the Kingswood development, the apparent discrepancy between the stated thickness of overburden and the operating elevation of the suction dredge must be explained in greater detail, and the Noise Study should be updated to include an analysis of this activity, particularly since any earthmoving equipment operating in this area will be working at elevations above the 729-foot elevation modeled in the Noise Study. As described previously, all material except the top five feet of overburden, will be extracted with the dredge, as modeled in the referenced noise study. Also, the overburden removal activities will be conducted in phases, such that the entire area will not be disturbed at once. . Octave band data for the suction dredge are not provided in the Noise Study; therefore, it is not possible to independently verify the calculations in the submitted Noise Study. These data should be made available to Spectra so that independent verification of the noise projections can be calculated. Octave band data for the suction dredge is attached. 6 j . 3.4 Hours of Operation . The mine plan states that overburden will be removed from the Mueller North property until 8:00 P.M. Given the proximity of the Kingswood residential development, overburden removal until 8:00 P.M. may be a nuisance. The Mueller North operation should apply the same hours of operation as those adopted for the Mueller South project. Martin Marietta agrees to adopt the same hours of operation as Mueller Property South Sand and Gravel: Overburden removal shall be completed during the hours of 6:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M. between the months of November through March (except as necessary to construct visual and noise barriers) and only on days other than Saturday, Sunday, or holidays. Martin Marietta shall conduct all operations, including overburden removal, in a manner so as to reasonably minimize noise, dust, and light impact on surrounding properties. The hours of operation regarding the extraction of sand and gravel will be 7:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M., Monday through Friday, and from 8:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. on Saturdays. No operations are permitted on Sunday and holidays. 4.0 Hamilton County Surveyor's Office 1. The proposed project falls in the corporate limits of the City of Carmel. Martin Marietta acknowledges that the Mueller Property North falls within the corporate limits of the City of Carmel. 2. The proposed project does fall in a Carmel Wellhead Protection Zone. Martin Marietta acknowledges that the Mueller Property North falls in a Carmel Wellhead Protection Zone. 3. The proposed project falls in the Moffitt & Williamson Regulated Drain Watershed. Martin Marietta acknowledges that the Mueller Property North falls within the Moffitt & Williamson Regulated Drain Watershed. 4. Please provide any information that shows where the lake will overflow (in the unlikely event that it ever does) and at what elevation that would be at. Show what route the overflow will take on its course to the White River. Based on an examination of the site topography, it appears that in the unlikely event that the lake would overflow, it would occur along the northern boundary of the existing Carmel Sand Plant lake at approximate elevation 740' MSL. The Potential Overflow Location and Approximate Moffitt & Williamson Drainage Area Map indicates the expected route the overflow would take on its course to the White River, see map enclosed. 5. Please provide an estimated storage volume this lake would have before it would overflow (in acre-feet). 7 I ' '..1 -~. .. The estimated storage volume of the lake between normal pool elevation and potential overflow elevation is 1,295 acre-feet. 6. Please provide a detailed map that shows what water will continue to flow under 106th Street to the Moffitt & Williamson Drain so the watershed can be adjusted accordingly. The attached map indicates the drainage area from Mueller Property North that will continue to flow under 106th Street to the Moffitt & Williamson Drain. 7. No permits will be needed from our office. Martin Marietta understands that no permits will be needed from the Hamilton County Surveyor's Office. 8. Please note that further comments may be necessary at a later date. Martin Marietta will address any further comments, as necessary. 8