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9505 19 t h Avenue SE, Suite 106, Everett, WA 98208 [PHONE REDACTED] www.wetlandresources.com February 14, 2018 CR Home Builders, LLC Attn: Todd Levitt 14410 Bel-Red Road Bellevue, WA 98007 RE: Critical Areas Determination Report for King County Tax Parcels [PHONE REDACTED] and [PHONE REDACTED] Wetland Resources, Inc. (WRI) performed site investigations on October 20, 2016 and January 10, 2018 to locate and evaluate jurisdictional wetlands and streams on and in the vicinity of the .79-acre site located at 5502 161st Pl NE, in the City of Redmond, WA (Section 14, Township 25N, Range 5E, Access to the site is via a private drive extending north from NE 51st St. The findings of the October 20, 2016 site investigation were documented in the December 28, 2016 Wetland Reconnaissance Report for John and Barbara Holmgren, which was submitted to and reviewed by the City of Redmond. During a public meeting for the short plat, a neighbor indicated unpermitted grading activities had occurred which allegedly involved the piping of a stream. The purpose of the January 10, 2018 site visit was to evaluate the potential historical presence of a Type N stream located in a linear depression on the eastern portion of the investigation area. METHODOLOGY Prior to conducting both site visits, public resource information was reviewed to gather background information on the subject property and the surrounding area in regards to wetlands, streams, and other critical areas. These sources include the USFWS National Wetlands Inventory (NWI), USDA/NRCS Web Soil Survey, WDFW SalmonScape Interactive Map, WDFW Priority Habitat and Species (PHS) Interactive Map, DNR Forest Practices Activity Mapping Tool (FPAMT) and King County iMap. In addition to the above, documents related to the adjacent Wickman Shortplat (Attachment site photos and a letter from the previous property owner were reviewed. • NWI does not display any wetland features on or in the immediate vicinity of the site. • NRCS maps soils in the vicinity of the subject property as Alderwood gravelly sandy loam, 8 to 15 percent slopes. Alderwood is not listed as a Hydric Soil except where minor components exist like McKenna, Shalcar, and Norma. • King County iMap does not depict any wetlands but shows a stream in the southern portion of the property. • WDFW PHS does not display any sensitive areas on or near the property site. Please provide additional supporting evidence that this was a pipe replacement; see comments in report Should include City of Redmond as a source, too; describe below Class 4 ---PAGE BREAK--- 2 • WDFW SalmonScape does not display any fish usage on or in the immediate vicinity of the subject site. • FPAMT depicts a Type N stream crossing the southern portion of the site and extending off-site to the east and west. Wetland areas are determined using the routine determination approach described in the Corps of Engineers Wetlands Delineation Manual (Environmental Laboratory 1987) and the Regional Supplement to the Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual: Western Mountains, Valleys, and Coast Region (Version 2.0) (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 2010). Under the routine methodology, the process for making a wetland determination is based on three steps: 1) Examination of the site for hydrophytic vegetation (species present and percent cover); 2) Examination of the site for hydric soils; 3) Determining the presence of wetland hydrology Ordinary High Water Mark (OHWM) boundaries of lakes, streams, and marine waters are determined through use of methodology presented in The Washington State Department of Ecology document Determining the Ordinary High Water Mark for Shoreline Management Act Compliance in Washington State (Anderson et al 2016). Designation of streams and lakes is consistent with the water typing system established in the Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 222-16-030. DISTURBED AREA STREAM DETERMINATION DISCUSSION Existing Condition January 10, 2018 On-site vegetation consists of: various lawn grasses, some ornamental plants, Himalayan blackberry and a fringe of Douglas fir, Osoberry, swordfern, and Oregon grape. Within the linear depression to approximately the central portion of the site, soils were generally a very dark gray (10YR 3/1) silt loam to a very dark brown (10YR 3/3) silt loam. From the central portion of the site, downslope to the east the soils were disturbed and were a very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/1) from the surface to greater than eighteen inches below. No redoximorphic characteristics were observed within the soil profile. Soils were very moist at the time of investigation, which is expected given the above normal precipitation experienced before and during the site investigation. Drain gravel was encountered throughout the lower half of the subject property. Based on observations of exposed drain rock, it appears that approximately 100 linear feet of pipe was replaced (see historical information below). A culvert was observed on the adjacent property (Wickman Shortplat – Attachment A) to the east. At the time of the site visit, no surface flow was present on-site or was observed entering this off-site culvert. It appears that this is a relic drainage feature and rarely, if ever, conveys hydrology. WRI determined that no wetlands, streams or buffers are currently present on site or within 200 feet. Provide wetland field forms Provide map of soil pits provide accurate description of new pipe; distance, material, diameter Describe fill material for new drainage system. Did test pits go below the imported and disturbed soil to see what native soil conditions were? pipe Water flow is routinely observed in the pipes, including in the development proposal's geotech report, and city staff pipe But shows a stream ---PAGE BREAK--- 3 Soil pit in depression upslope of drain 1/10/18 Soils pit in depression showing drain rock 1/10/18 Mapped Features As previously stated, some of the existing available on-line mapping depicts a stream/drainage feature crossing the subject property. In addition, an on-site feature was noted in the Wickman Short Plat As-built Drawings as a Class 5 drainage. The Wickman Short Plat appears to be the only mapping that is based on an actual project that presumably involved some level of site investigation. Of note is the fact that no stream is depicted on the As-builts, rather a Class 5 drainage was recorded. This is an important distinction in that the definition of stream, those areas where surface waters produce a defined channel or bed. A defined channel or bed is an area, which demonstrates clear evidence of the passage of water and includes, but is not limited to, bedrock, channels, gravel beds, sand and silt beds, and defined-channel swales. The channel or bed need not contain water year-round. This definition is not meant to include artificially created irrigation ditches, canals, storm, or surface water runoff devices or other entirely artificial watercourses unless they are used by salmonid or created for the purposes of stream mitigation, has been the same since at least 1992 . Had this Class 5 drainage been a stream, it would have been noted as such and buffered according to RMC 20D.140.10-100. No stream was identified and no buffer was depicted extending onto the Wickman Short Plat property from the Holmgren property. Historical Information The previous owner Mr. Holmgren, through his daughter Annie Catlin, has stated that a pre- existing drainage pipe was crushed in 1998/1999, as part of installing an off-site drainage pipe on the Wickman Short Plat property. The broken pipe was exposed as part of blackberry removal activity through the use of rented goats and minor hand clearing. Once exposed, the pipe was replaced and the area was grass seeded. Historical Aerial photos dating back as far as 1936 do not show any indication of a stream or Show on map where the soil pits are located Type 5 was a non-fish bearing stream per DNR Provide evidence (photos, etc) of old pipe replaced, including material and dimensions and when it was installed ---PAGE BREAK--- 4 drainage feature either up or of the subject property. Photos provided by the previous owner of the area in question also do not show a bed, bank or any other indication of the passage of water through the subject property. 1936 King County Aerial Photo – Site shown in orange. Note no observable stream channel east or west of the site. Address comments from neighbor; see attached emails Address video taken by neighbor prior to new pipe installed ---PAGE BREAK--- 5 Area of concern fenced off for goats – Note no channel observed. Prior to replacement of pipe. CONCLUSION Prior to WRI conducting the October 2016 site visit, the blackberries had been removed, the replacement pipe had been installed and the area had been restored. The historical information associated with replacement of the pipe was not known at the time of the original site visit. Once the information associated with replacement of the pipe was discovered, a more detailed investigation of the history of the site was conducted. Based on a forensic analysis of the site including the January 2018 site investigation, it is clear that a drainage pipe and gravel are present within the linear depression located in its northern portion. Wetland conditions are not present within this area so any surface water conveyance would have likely been from run off associated with adjacent impervious surfaces (houses, footing drains, driveways, etc…). Review of historical information including aerial photos, site photos and as built drawings provided no indication of the presence of stream on the subject property. Regulated wetlands and streams were determined to be currently absent from the subject property, despite the presence of a small amount of surface water flowing off the ---PAGE BREAK--- 6 adjacent impervious surfaces (garage and driveway). In addition, there is no evidence to support a conclusion that a stream was present prior to the replacement of the on-site culvert. In fact historical information indicates the lack of any feature meeting the definition of stream. This historical information includes, but it not limited to: • Wickman Short Plat As-built. • 1936 King County Aerial Photography (iMap imagery) • Previous owner supplied photos in area of concern just prior to pipe replacement • Written testimony from the previous property owner on the historical site conditions and the reason behind the pipe replacement USE OF THIS REPORT This Critical Areas Determination Report is supplied to CR Home Builders, LLC as a means of determining the presence of on-site and adjacent critical areas as required by the City of Redmond. This report is based largely on readily observable conditions and, to a lesser extent, on readily ascertainable conditions. No attempt has been made to determine hidden or concealed conditions. The laws applicable to critical areas are subject to varying interpretations and may be changed at any time by the courts or legislative bodies. This report is intended to provide information deemed relevant in the applicant's attempt to comply with the laws now in effect. This report conforms to the standard of care employed by ecologists. No other representation or warranty is made concerning the work or this report and any implied representation or warranty is disclaimed. Wetland Resources, Inc. Scott Brainard, PWS Principal Ecologist video showing flowing water, statement by neighbors, topographic ravine, geotech report are consistent with seasonal stream pipe ---PAGE BREAK--- ATTACHMENT A