September 30, 2021 Environmental Report & Attachments

Environmental Report for Critical Area Growth Allocation Carter Farm at Chesterfield Avenue Centreville, Maryland Job # 210117 Lands of Chesterfield LLC Prepared for Green Development c/o Ernie Sota September 30, 2021 Prepared by Lane Engineering, LLC 354 Pennsylvania Avenue Centreville, MD 21617 Purpose This report is intended to address the requirements of COMAR 27.01.02.06-2 pertaining to Critical Area Growth Allocation. Site and plan information used in this report is taken from an

Environmental Features Plan prepared by Lane Engineering, LLC dated September 30, 2021, a PUD General Plan prepared by LaQuatra Bonci Associates and a Conceptual Stormwater Management Plan prepared by Common Ground and submitted for Town review with this report on September 30, 2021. These plans are incorporated with this report by reference.

Information in this report follows the order and content prescribed in COMAR 27.01.02.06-2.

Project Description

• Tax Map 35I, Grid 19, Parcel, 1288

• Located in the Northwest portion of the Town of Centreville along Chesterfield Avenue

(Public Street) and the Yellow Bank Stream, a tidal headwater tributary of the Corsica River.

• Subject property is a 46.869 acre site with existing vacant home, agricultural field and

wooded shoreline with steep slopes leading to non-tidal (1.263 AC) and tidal (6.396 AC).

wetlands. A short section of tributary stream exists in the southwest portion of the property. 0.72 AC of tidal wetlands on County portion of the property are mapped as “State Wetlands” per the 1972 State Wetland Maps. Wetlands and streams as shown on the Environmental Features Plan have been reviewed by Chris Pajak, Maryland Department of Environment. Nontidal wetlands as shown have been reviewed by the

U.S. Army Corp of Engineers and a Jurisdictional Determination Verification Map was approved April 1, 2014 (Attachment #1).

• All steep slopes 15 percent or greater, tidal wetlands, non-tidal wetlands and streams are

protected by an Expanded Buffer of 12.505 AC. Tidal wetlands are not included in the Expanded Buffer. The methodology and calculations used for Buffer Expansion for Steep Slopes and Tributary Streams is outlined in detail on the Environmental Features Plan.

• The Critical Area calculations, methodology and Buffer Expansion as shown on the

Environmental Features Plan have been previously reviewed and approved by the Maryland Critical Area Commission in association with a prior approval of Growth Allocation on this site associated with a different project in 2015 (Attachment # 2)

• Site elevations in the open field portions of the site range from approximately 55 feet to

16 feet as shown on the Environmental Features Plan. Shoreline Buffer areas contain steep slopes many exceeding 15 percent. An Expanded Buffer is proposed for areas of steep slopes. All upland areas of the site drain towards the Yellow Bank Stream.

• As shown on the Environmental Features Plan the 100 year Flood Zone (AE elevation 6

ft) is located within the Expanded Buffer and does not impact the proposed development.

• 44.757 AC of Parcel 1288 located within Town limits has a Critical Area Limited

Development Area (LDA) designation.

• 2.112 AC is located in the unincorporated portion of Queen Anne’s County. The

unincorporated area of the property is almost exclusively tidal wetlands and is designated as a Critical Area Resource Conservation Area. (RCA)

• Proposed PUD development includes 126 total non-riparian residential units consisting of

single-family detached homes, townhomes, multi-family, shared residential and commercial parking areas, adaptive re-use of the existing farm residence, neighborhood Page 2 of 7 commercial space, a community farm, community open spaces, public and private streets, multi-modal pathways, perimeter trail and two overlooks and Environmental Site Design stormwater management features. The project is proposed to be constructed in several

phases.

• Growth Allocation from LDA to IDA is requested for 40.372 acres. (entire site area

minus unincorporated area and area of tidal wetlands) Recent Subdivision/Development History

• The property has not been developed or subdivided since December 1, 1985. The site

includes a private single-family, detached residence that pre-dates December 1, 1985.

The site is listed in the Maryland Historic Trust (MHT) Inventory. (QA-333) An inquiry has been made to MHT concerning a records search for any significant archeological resources which may be present on the site. No information has been provided to date although it is believed the site once contained a historic home which burned down in 1908

• The site received Concept Plan approval for a proposed TND development and Critical

Area Growth Allocation approval for 40.372 acres IDA designation in 2015. This project was not moved forward by the previous developer.

Project Narrative Overview

• The proposed PUD is designed as an environmentally-sensitive and agrarian-themed

neighborhood developed around a protected forested Critical Area Buffer, other community open spaces and a working community farm. The proposed community is pedestrian-friendly with a hierarchy of public streets, living streets (Woonerfs) and other multi-modal pathways and sidewalks connecting all parts of the community. Shared vehicular parking is proposed instead of traditional residential driveways in a majority of

the developed area. All residential homes have required access for delivery, service and emergency response vehicles.

• A 12.505 AC± completely forested Critical Area Buffer with expansions for steep slopes

is proposed.

• Proposed development, excepting portions of a proposed public trail and two observation

overlook areas, is limited to the area of the site outside of the Expanded Buffer. (27.968

AC)

• Town of Centreville 2009 Community (Comprehensive) Plan identifies Centreville as a

“Growth Area” for Queen Anne’s County.

• The Plan’s Future Town Land Use Map, Figure 11, (Attachment #3) identifies the site as

appropriate for “Traditional Neighborhood Development.” Through numerous work sessions with the Town Planning Commission and Town Council, it has been determined that the proposed development is a form of Traditional Neighborhood Development subject to pending PUD Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulation text amendments.

• Maximum density permitted in the TND Zoning District with a PUD is 5 dwelling units

per acre. Proposed density is 2.8 dwelling units per acre (126 units/44.75 AC total site area).

• Figure 12, Future Town Growth Area and Greenbelt (Attachment #4) identifies the site as

an “Infill Area” and shows a Proposed Greenway along Yellow Bank Stream. The greenway is further described on Page 5-6 of the Centreville Community Plan.

Page 3 of 7 (Attachment #5) The Plan objective is to provide a greenway and path for The North Brook subdivision east of MD RT 213 all the way to the Town Wharf property just west of the project site and ultimately to the existing Mill Stream path and greenway on the west and south sides of the Town. The proposed project provides the greenway buffer and public path connections generally envisioned in the Town’s plan.

• The proposed project will be served by public water and sewer. Town Staff has indicated

that the Town’s wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) currently has capacity for the proposed development. While only limited preliminary engineering for utilities has been performed to-date, it is anticipated that a gravity collection system will be used on-site with conveyance to the nearby Centreville WWTP via on-site pump stations with shellfish protection measures and a force main crossing the intervening Board of

Education property. Public water would be a loop system into existing water mains which would also include a crossing of the Board of Education property to the existing water storage tower. The developer will be responsible for acquisition of sewer and water allocation and for all on-site and off-site public water and sewer improvements necessary to serve the project.

• The subject site is designated on the Town’s Critical Area Map as “Infill Growth

Allocation Area” (Attachment #6). This is consistent with the Town’s Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Ordinance as outlined above.

• The proposed Growth Allocation from Limited Development Area (LDA) to Intensely

Developed Area (IDA) is entirely consistent with the Town’s Comprehensive Plan, Zoning Ordinance and Critical Area Program. The site was previously approved for Growth Allocation by the Town and Critical Area Commission in 2015 as a Refinement to the Town’s Critical Area Program since the site was identified and pre-mapped for Growth Allocation.

Critical Area and Growth Allocation Acreage

• The entire property is located within the Critical Area 46.869 AC.

• 44.757 acres are within Town limits and are designated as Limited Development Area

• 12.404 acres within the Town limits are in Expanded Buffer

• 4.385 acres are tidal wetlands within Town limits

• 2.112 acres are within the County and are designated as Resource Conservation Area

(RCA) and are not proposed for development disturbance or Growth Allocation.

• 2.011 acres within County are tidal wetlands of which 0.72 acres are “State Wetlands.”

0.101 acres are upland and part of the Expanded Buffer

• Growth Allocation from LDA to IDA is requested for the 40.372 acre Town portion of

the site including the Expanded Buffer within Town limits (12.404 AC) and not including the 4.385 acres of tidal wetlands within Town limits.

• The Town of Centreville currently has 180 acres of Growth Allocation available.

Proposed Forest Clearing

• Total forest on the site is 11.664 acres and is predominantly located within the Expanded

Buffer. As shown on the PUD General Plan there are a few locations where existing forest cover extends slightly beyond the Expanded Buffer but no clearing of existing forest is proposed beyond minimal clearing necessary for construction of a Public Trail within and slightly outside of the Expanded Buffer. Trail alignment and design are still Page 4 of 7 conceptual at this point and will require coordination between the developer and the

Town to ensure the Trail is compliant with all applicable Town, State and Federal requirements for public access.

Stormwater Management Concept

• A Concept Stormwater Management (SWM) Plan has been prepared by Common

Ground to address the County Stormwater Management Ordinance and Critical Area 10 Percent Rule requirements. The SWM features proposed to be utilized are shown on the SWM Concept Plan and include Best Management Practices (BMPs) such as Micro infiltration, non-roof top disconnection, bioswales, green roofs, permeable pavers, rain gardens, and grass swales.

• Engineering and construction plans for SWM and a complete SWM report will be

reviewed and approved by the Town, County and Critical Area staff as a condition of final development approval.

Ten (10) Percent Pollution Reduction

• By adhering to new State and County regulations and standards for SWM, it is not

anticipated that the project will have any difficulty adhering to the Critical Area 10 Percent Rule for IDA development which requires that pollutant loads from a development site be reduced to a level at least 10 percent below the same load generated by the site prior to development.

• Preliminary calculations prepared for the Concept SWM Plan indicate that phosphorous

loads will be reduced by more than 10 percent from pre-development levels and that Environmental Site Design treatment volume requirements will be met.

• Engineering and construction plans for SWM and a complete SWM report will be

reviewed and approved by the Town, County and Critical Area staff as a condition of final development approval.

Soil Erosion and Sediment Control

• A Limit of Disturbance (LOD) will be established for the area proposed for development

construction activity. This LOD will not encroach on the Expanded Buffer.

• A detailed Sediment and Erosion Control (SEC) Plan will be prepared and approved by

the Queen Anne’s County Soil Conservation District (SCD). This plan will detail measures and a sequence of construction to be used to minimize sediment and erosion while the site is under construction and before it is properly stabilized.

• Queen Anne’s County Department of Public Works will issue a grading permit and all

sediment and erosion control devices will be subject to posting of a surety.

• A pre-construction meeting is required with Town, County and State officials to confirm

sediment and erosion control methods to be used and the sequence of construction.

• During construction there are regular reporting and inspection requirements with the

Maryland Department of Environment.

Critical Area Lot/Site Coverage

• Lot/site coverage limitations will not apply to the IDA portion of the development.

• The lot coverage proposed within the Expanded Buffer (LDA) portion of the site is the

proposed public trail and overlooks. Lot coverage in the LDA portion of the site is Page 5 of 7 limited to 15 percent. Conceptual design for the public trail within the Expanded Buffer (LDA) is a 5 ft. wide crushed limestone dust trail of approximately 4,100 LF totaling approximately 20,500 SF. The Expanded Buffer is 12.404 AC. Lot coverage for the trail is 3.7 percent of the LDA area.

Mitigation for Forest Clearing

• Mitigation for limited clearing for the Public Trail and overlooks will be required based

on amount of clearing proposed for these paths within and outside of the Expanded Buffer. It is anticipated that the specific trail alignment and construction will work around existing trees to the maximum extent possible so clearing is limited.

• Mitigation planting amounts will be determined with the final design of the proposed trail

as designed.

Proposed Afforestation

• No afforestation is required for IDA development other than that which is required within

the Expanded Buffer as part of an approved Buffer Management Plan. The proposed development will be required to comply with Town Landscaping and Tree Canopy regulations.

Local Zoning

• The property is currently zoned as Traditional Neighborhood Design (TND). A TND

Planned Unit Development (PUD) is proposed.

• The proposed project is designed to be consistent with the adopted TND regulations as

modified by pending zoning text amendments for the PUD overlay or floating zone.

Maximum density permitted is 5 dwelling units per acre. Proposed density is 2.8 dwelling units per acre (126 units/44.75 AC total site area).

Buffer Management Plan

• The Buffer Management Plan for this project will require complete

afforestation/establishment of the expanded Buffer except for areas used for the Public and Community Trails. There are a few small areas where the Expanded Buffer extends into the existing farm field. These Buffer Areas will be required to be afforested using native species plantings and per the quantities and plant mixes as prescribed by Critical Area Buffer Management Plan regulations.

• The Conceptual Critical Area Buffer Management plan shows approximately 1.6 acres of

proposed afforestation within the Expanded Buffer. Proposed plantings for afforestation of this area include native canopy trees, understory trees and large shrubs creating a multi-tiered canopy.

• The final Buffer Management Plan planting amounts will be determined with the final

design of the proposed public path and overlooks as designed.

Habitat Protection Plan

• The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Wildlife Heritage Service has

determined in a letter dated April 28, 2021, that there are no State or Federal records for rare, threatened or endangered species within the boundaries of the project site as delineated. Open waters that are adjacent to the site are known historic waterfowl Page 6 of 7 concentration areas. DNR remote sensing analysis suggests that the forested areas on the property provide habitat for Forest Interior Dwelling Birds (FIDs). (Attachment #7).

• No woodland clearing is proposed that would disturb any possible FIDs habitat and no

marine construction is proposed that would disturb migratory waterfowl.

• Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences (VIMS) 2019 mapping indicates no submerged

aquatic vegetation (SAV) in waters adjacent to this site.

• Figure 7, Natural Resources Map from the 2009 Centreville Community Plan identifies

the area of Yellow Bank Stream on the western edge of the site as anadromous fish propagation waters.

• Based on the above information a Habitat Protection Plan should not be required with this

proposed Growth Allocation request. The developer should consult with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources before proceeding with any marine permit and construction activity related to any future proposed marine construction.

Attachments

• Attachment #1 - US Army Corp of Engineers Preliminary Jurisdictional Determination

• Attachment #2 - MD Critical Area Commission Letter dated 8/11/15

• Attachment #3 - Future Town Land Use Map, Figure 11

• Attachment #4 - Future Town Growth Area and Greenbelt, Figure 12

• Attachment #5 - Centreville Community Plan Page 5-6

• Attachment #6 - Critical Area Map

• Attachment #7 - DNR letter dated 4/28/2021

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Taylor Mill Rd improvements. Car 0 2,200 4,400 Feet Rt. 301 Blue Star Memorial Highway 1 inch = 2,250 feet BASE MAP SOURCE: Queen Anne's County;

MdProperty View, Maryland Department of Planning. 2005 File Name:

G:\Community_plans\CentrevillePlan_2008\Updateto2008\figure11_futurelanduse_town11x17_ amendment1_022609.mxd DATE: March 2009 Attachment #4 Attachment #5 Attachment #6 April 28, 2021 Ms. Marsha Usilton Lane Engineering, LLC 354 Pennsylvania Avenue Centreville, Maryland 21617 RE: Environmental Review for 408 Chesterfield Avenue, Centreville, Tax Map 351, Parcel 1288, Lane Job #210117 File C923, Queen Anne’s County, Maryland.

Dear Ms. Usilton:

The Wildlife and Heritage Service has determined that there are no official State or Federal records for listed plant or animal species within the delineated area shown on the map provided. However, our remote analysis suggests that the forested area on this property provides habitat for Forest Interior Dwelling Birds. Many species of forest interior breeding birds are declining in Maryland. This group of bird species requires large, contiguous

blocks of forest to successfully breed. Most FIDS are neotropical migrants; these long distance migratory birds breed in North America and winter in Central and South America. The declines in FIDS have been attributed largely to the loss and fragmentation of forests in the eastern United States due to urbanization, agriculture and some forest management practices. Tropical deforestation on the wintering grounds also is an important factor.

The key to maintaining suitable breeding habitat for FIDS, and halting or reversing their declines, is the protection of extensive, unbroken forested areas throughout the region. Riparian forests are particularly important habitat for several FIDS that breed on the Coastal Plain. The conservation of this habitat is mandated within the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area and must be addressed by the project plan. Specifically, if FIDS habitat

is present, the following guidelines should be incorporated into the project plan (as applicable): 1) Do not remove or disturb forest habitat during April-August, the breeding season for most FIDS - This seasonal restriction may be expanded to February-August if certain early nesting FIDS (e.g., Barred Owl) are present; 2) Avoid creating canopy openings, and maintain the complexity of forest structure along the stream, and 3) Retain

snags and retain woody debris on the forest floor.

The Critical Area Commission’s document “A Guide to the Conservation of Forest Interior Dwelling Birds in the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area” provides details on development standards and information about mitigation for projects where impacts to FIDS habitat cannot be totally avoided. Mitigation plantings for impacts to FIDS habitat may be required under the local government’s Critical Area Program. The amount of mitigation required

is generally based in whether the guidelines listed above are followed.

Also, we would like to point out that the open waters that are adjacent to or part of the site are known historic waterfowl concentration areas. If there is to be any construction of water-dependent facilities please contact Josh Homyack of the Wildlife and Heritage Service at (410) 827-8612 x100 or josh.homyack@maryland.gov for further technical assistance regarding waterfowl.

Tawes State Office Building – 580 Taylor Avenue – Annapolis, Maryland 21401 410-260-8DNR or toll free in Maryland 877-620-8DNR – dnr.maryland.gov – TTY Users Call via the Maryland Relay Attachment #7 Please be sure to let us know if the limits of proposed disturbance or overall site boundaries change and we will provide you with an updated evaluation. Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to review this project. If

you should have any further questions regarding this information, please contact me at (410) 260-8573.

Sincerely, Lori A. Byrne, Environmental Review Coordinator Wildlife and Heritage Service MD Dept. of Natural Resources ER# 2021.0362.qa Cc: J. Homyack, DNR C. Jones, CAC