A developer wants to build two large docks and a beach for some condominium owners along the Elk River in Limestone County.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers wants to hear from anyone opposed.

The proposed docks and beach would be located at Two Rivers Condominiums on a peninsula off the western-most end of Snake Road. This area is commonly called The Forks of the River, or the fork of the Elk and Tennessee rivers.

Owners of Two Rivers LLC of 211 South Jefferson St., Athens, are seeking a permit from the corps to build two fixed docks on steel pilings with concrete decks for owners of a new adjacent 61-unit condominium complex.

According to a press release, the fixed docks would extend about 260 feet from the normal summer shoreline at elevation 556 feet. Each fixed dock would be a 200-foot by 9-foot walkway, with a 60-foot octagon at the end. The docks would be spaced 80 feet apart.

The applicant has asked to put 1,775 feet of riprap (rock) along the shoreline. The riprap would range in size from 6 inches to 18 inches in diameter over filter fabric. Two areas would be re-contoured with 40 cubic yards of clean dirt.

The applicant has also asked to create a beach using 566 cubic yards of sand on top of the natural peninsula and stabilized it with riprap.

The corps seeks comments from the public; local, state and federal officials and agencies; American Indian tribes; and any other interested party.



What the corps looks at

According to the press release, the corps will consider all the effects of the proposed project when deciding whether to issue a permit, including: conservation, economics, aesthetics, general environmental concerns, wetlands, cultural values, fish and wildlife values, flood hazards, floodplain values, land use, navigation, shore erosion and accretion, recreation, water supply and conservation, water quality, energy needs, safety food and fiber production, mineral needs, considerations of property ownership, and, in general, the needs and welfare of the people. Comments are also used to determine if a public hearing is needed.

The corps will use the comments to determine whether to issue, modify, condition or deny a permit for the project. A permit will be granted unless the district engineer determines that it would be contrary to the public interest.



Where to send comments

Deadline for comments is Sept. 29. Send them to: Nashville District Corps of Engineers, regulatory branch, 3701 Bell Road, Nashville, Tenn., 37214 Attn: Lisa Morris, telephone: (615) 369-7504.

Anyone may request in writing during the comment period that a public hearing be held on this matter. The request must state the specific reason for the public hearing.

Preliminary work

According to the press release, the corps has contacted the National Register of Historic Places, which has no properties affected by the proposed project. Based on information available so far, the proposed work would not destroy or endanger any federally listed threatened or endangered species or their critical habitat as identified under the Endangered Species Act.