Lake Concord Park. Florida Stormwater Association. Excellence Awards for Stormwater Programs and Projects

Transcription

1 Lake Concord Park Florida Stormwater Association Excellence Awards for Stormwater Programs and Projects February 2010

2 Florida Stormwater Association EXCELLENCE AWARD for STORMWATER PROGRAMS and PROJECTS NOMINATION FORM I. Nomination Information Program Project (please check only one box) Company or Agency Name (Note: Nominee must be a member of FSA) Title of Nomination II. Program/Project Contact Information Contact Person & Title of Nominee Company of Nominee Address City State Zip Telephone III. Description Please provide a brief description (not to exceed 500 words) of the program or project being nominated. Descriptions exceeding 500 words will have points deducted from total score. The description must include the following information in this order: A. The population of the host jurisdiction (i.e. county, city, etc.) B. Personnel included in the stormwater program, division, project, etc. C. Budget and funding sources for the stormwater program or project D. A statement of existing goals for the program or the objectives of the project IV. Supporting Information Supplemental, supporting information and photos demonstrating that the program or project has succeeded in achieving or surpassing stated goals or objectives may be attached to the nomination form. Supporting information must not exceed 10 pages. Supporting information that exceeds 10 pages will have points deducted from the total score. V. Submittal Copies 13 copies of each nomination package must be submitted on separate compact disks. Send nominations to: FSA Excellence Award East Park Avenue - Tallahassee, FL Questions? Call 888/ FSA Office Use Only Member ID # Nomination # Deadline for Submission: February 26, 2010

3 II. DESCRIPTION A. POPULATION Based on 2009 estimates, the City of Casselberry has a population of 25,182 and an approximate square mileage of 7.1. The City is located in Seminole County part of the Metro Orlando area one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United States. B. PERSONNEL The Lake Concord Park project was staffed by a consortium of professionals. For the City of Casselberry, Ed Torres, M.S., P.E., LEED AP (Public Works Director); Mark Gisclar, M.P.A. (Assistant Public Works Director); and Dr. Kelly H. Brock, P.E., LEED AP (City Engineer) had primary responsibility for managing the park s design and construction. Because of the multipurpose nature of the project, staff from the City s Parks and Recreation, Community Development, and Fire Departments had significant involvement as well. CDM was the lead consulting firm for the project, with Brian W. Mack, P.E., D.WRE (Officer-in-Charge); Danielle M. Honour, P.E., D.WRE (Project Manager); and Brian K. Williams, P.E. (Project Engineer) leading the effort to complete the engineering plans pursuant to the City s guidance. Project subconsultants to CDM included Engineering Technologies, Inc., which provided structural design services, and Herbert-Halback, Inc., which was responsible for landscape design. Staff from the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) also provided significant guidance during the park s design and permitting phase. Volunteer citizens serving on the City s Lakes Management Advisory Board (LMAB) also provided valuable input during the project. C. BUDGET AND FUNDING Because of the multipurpose nature of this project, the City leveraged multiple funding sources for design and construction. (For simplicity, the following budget numbers have been rounded). The total design cost was $275,000, with $75,000 in funding from the City s Stormwater Utility Fund and $200,000 in funding from the City s Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), a special taxing district set up to spur redevelopment of the U.S corridor. The total construction cost was $2.3 million, with $1 million in funding from the City s Stormwater Utility Fund, $800,000 in funding from the CRA, $100,000 from the City s Water and Sewer Utility Fund, and $400,000 in the Florida Department of Environmental Protection s (FDEP) Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program (FRDAP) grants. Page 1

4 D. STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES There were four main objectives associated with this project. First, the project was the first phase of a larger City center conceptual plan that aims to redevelop City-owned properties within the U.S and Triplet Lake Drive vicinity to enhance business, increase density, and provide a sense of community. Second, as a park, the project provides enhanced venues for recreation and special events such as concerts. Third, the project accomplishes several objectives within the City s adopted stormwater, lakes management, and water quality master plan, including important stormwater retrofits to provide better water quality and flood protection for the Lake Concord basin. Finally, public education is a key component of the park, providing a highly visible venue to convey messages regarding watershed issues and the connectivity between development, everyday actions, and our cherished Florida ecosystems. Page 2

5 III. SUPPORTING INFORMATION Within the heart of the urban core and municipal complex of the City of Casselberry (City) lies an area that was home to the Parks and Recreation building and a poorly functioning stormwater detention pond. Although the site abuts Lake Concord, it was seldom visited, and, aside from the few stands of old growth trees, lacked any real character or charm. City staff saw an opportunity to revitalize the area and create a centerpiece for the City and its residents. The City s vision for the site was to create a municipal park that functioned as an area for visitors to stroll through on a casual day, hold City-sponsored events such as concerts and art festivals, improve stormwater treatment, and provide education about stormwater treatment and lakes management. The educational aspect of the park is particularly important to the City as it strives to increase residents awareness of the necessity for stormwater treatment and conservation through the use of best management practices (BMP), Florida-friendly plantings, and low-impact development. The site is located in Casselberry, directly behind the municipal complex, which originally consisted of the police department, City Hall, the public works department, an art building, and the parks building. The project site consists of 9.6 acres and includes 1.2 acres of impervious area, a 2,560-square foot concrete block building that housed the Parks and Recreation Department, and a stormwater pond of approximately 0.7 acres. It is located on the southern shore of Lake Concord. To the west is U.S and a City-owned lot. To the north and east are a Home Depot and residential neighborhood. Melody Drive cuts through the site, separating the Parks and Recreation building from the City Hall complex. The City wanted to create an area that attracted residents Municipal complex pre-project and was functional for events. This land use concept would require that a minimal footprint be utilized to accommodate stormwater collection and treatment. The original plan did not include a stormwater pond at all but instead relied solely on an exfiltration trench for stormwater treatment. However, geotechnical reports indicated that, due to the limited permeability of the soils and the shallow groundwater table, an exfiltration trench would have limited value. Further investigation of the site indicated that it would be impossible to treat all of the stormwater without installing a lift station to divert a portion of the runoff into the exfiltration trench. With the physical constraints of the site, it was decided that an exfiltration trench and a detention pond would be installed to work in parallel. Since the park was to be functional and educational, it was decided that the situation allowed an opportunity to make the visiting public aware of another stormwater BMP. Development of the project required that existing parking be demolished and replaced. The City seized the opportunity to add another multi-use BMP to the site by installing three areas of pervious pavement. The installation of the materials allows the City to educate the public on another Page 3

6 stormwater management tool and address the concept of low impact development (LID). Further, infiltrometers (devices that measure the ability of a material to allow water infiltration) were installed in the pervious pavement parking areas to allow the City to monitor the effectiveness of each material. Based upon the results, the City hopes to use this data when considering the use of these materials in future development and redevelopment. PROJECT DESCRIPTION The poorly functioning stormwater pond was replaced with a smaller pond of 0.09 acres (4,050 square feet). An exfiltration trench was installed in the higher area of the park, which allowed for the smaller footprint pond, giving the park more usable area. Two nutrient separation baffle boxes were installed as part of the Lake Concord Park project. One baffle box, not directly in the park area but visible from the boardwalk, treats runoff from a neighborhood that previously discharged untreated stormwater into Lake Concord, and the second baffle box, located in the park, is equipped with a Plexiglass cover to allow visitors to observe how the box functions. A kiosk next to the box educates visitors on how it works and why it was installed. Lake Concord Park will be irrigated using both reclaimed water and harvested stormwater. The park s irrigation system will connect to the existing reclaimed water system, which will be used during periods of drought. The primary source of irrigation will be the existing stormwater pond south of City Hall. A reuse pump connects the pond to the irrigation system. Lake Concord Park has several amenities for attracting the public. A stage area was added, which now allows for concerts and special events. The grounds are lushly landscaped with Florida-friendly species, and park benches are located throughout. A play structure and interactive water feature keeps the younger residents of Casselberry entertained. A 1,400-lineal foot boardwalk allows pedestrians to walk over the tranquil waters of Lake Concord instead of along U.S This change will grant a different perspective to events on the stage and allow fisherman access to additional portions of the lake. Rain garden kiosk Dry detention pond kiosk Exfiltration trench kiosk See through baffle box and kiosk Page 4 Lake Concord Park, completed in October 2009, consists of 0.9 acres of sidewalk, stage, and café area; 0.4 acres of asphalt parking; and 0.1 acres of parking spaces made of pervious materials, which include pervious concrete, pavers, and recycled tire material. The pervious materials will be monitored for performance, and their use in future developments will be considered for inclusion in City ordinances. The boardwalk enables pedestrians to leave the sidewalks of busy U.S and enjoy a stroll over Lake Concord.

7 To help educate the public to the various ways the park is functional, beyond an entertainment point of view, informational kiosks are set up throughout the park describing the array of stormwater BMPs and LID is incorporated into the park. SCHEDULE Entrance fountain Due to grant funding deadlines, the project had a tight design schedule. Elements of the park the water feature, playground, and café area received funding from the CRA and the FRDAP. To be in compliance with the grant, those elements had to be in place by the end of April The project team worked diligently to overcome the challenging schedule, which included permitting of the boardwalk and wetland mitigation. Through close work with the SJRWMD, the team overcame obstacles presented to them. The project was bid, and the awarded contractor adjusted the schedule to ensure the required elements were installed and grant monies were received. PUBLIC OUTREACH Playground Splash park entrance EXAMPLES OF APPLIED ENGINEERING PRINCIPLES AND INNOVATIVE ASPECTS A green field project gives designers a blank slate with which to work. A retrofit project such as Lake Concord Park presents challenges that often are not encountered in green field projects. The main objective of the Lake Concord Park project was to maximize Page 5 Opening day concert In concert with multiple public presentations at City Commission and Community Redevelopment Agency meetings, the City s LMAB meetings served as a key venue to allow the community to have a voice in how the project was to be implemented. The LMAB is composed of volunteer Casselberry residents who provide input on the City s stormwater, lakes management, and water quality program. Board meetings are open to the public, with opportunities for audience participation. Each phase of the project during design was presented to the LMAB, and the LMAB offered significant input, especially with regard to the design and implementation of educational signage used throughout the park. Since the park s completion, public outreach is a key, ongoing objective. The park will serve as a venue that will dovetail nicely with the City s Florida Yards & Neighborhood Program partnership, as well as with other educational endeavors that will include local schools and the University of Central Florida. The park has already received multiple visits from agencies and sister cities that may be interested in implementing similar innovative, LID projects in the future. The park has even received national attention from a non-profit organization focused on worldwide water education issues. Indeed, the Park serves as a highly visible water quality BMP showcase that will be a perpetual teaching tool for the region and beyond.

8 usable space and ensure a level of service equal to or better than pre-construction. For this project, this challenge was represented by reducing the pre-construction pond footprint by 87 percent. To accommodate the reduction in treatment volume, a portion of the existing stormwater collection system for the Casselberry police station was diverted into an exfiltration trench while the remaining portion was sent to a new 0.09-acre pond. Due to poor soils, a high groundwater table, and constricting elevations of the existing infrastructure, not all the flow could be sent to the exfiltration system. The smaller pond footprint allows for more usable park space. The installation of the nutrient separation baffle box with a Plexiglass cover offers additional treatment to runoff prior to discharge into Lake Concord. This allows the public an open window to see exactly how the technology works, in addition to seeing an example of how pollutants can be transferred into the waterways of Florida through the stormwater systems. The park also incorporates several LID practices. During design and construction, care was taken to preserve as many of the existing mature oak trees on the site as possible. Attractive depressional planting areas, also commonly called rain gardens, accept and treat stormwater runoff from adjacent sidewalks and the parking lot. The boardwalk material is constructed of recycled composite materials and is equipped with LED lighting. The park was also landscaped with Florida-friendly vegetation. Water conservation is at work as the primary source of irrigation for the park is now a stormwater pond using reclaimed water as a back-up, along with use of soil moisture sensors to ensure irrigation zones are activated only when needed. The new parking lot reduces total runoff by incorporating three pervious areas porous concrete, turf block, and a pavement system that uses recycled tires known as Flexi-Pave by KBI. These areas will be monitored for effectiveness and possible inclusion in future development codes. An environmental swale installed along the length of the park at the lakeshore also helps capture stormwater runoff before discharging into the lake. The wetland along the lakeshore was also extensively re-planted with native species to improve native habitat, improve water quality and erosion control, and improve aesthetics, as well as to off-set minor wetland and surface water impacts created as a result of the design. AESTHETIC FEATURES BUILT INTO THE PROJECT Rain garden Porous concrete parking area Turf block parking area KBI Flexi-Pave parking area Page 6 Lake Concord Park, by its very nature, is exemplary of form and function. Because it is a park and heavy public use is anticipated, it must be aesthetically pleasing. But, being mindful that space is at a premium, the park is also a working stormwater treatment site. The exfiltration trench allows stormwater treatment but also acts as the seating area for events. The nutrient separation baffle box with the Plexiglass cover offers treatment; however, it is not an eyesore but rather an educational focal point. During the opening day concert, it transformed into an object of curiosity for children and adults alike, prompting questions and giving the general public an insight into engineering they do not typically see.

9 Florida-friendly landscaping is used throughout the park and incorporated into the rain gardens that also act as stormwater treatment areas. Here again educational kiosks point out the benefit this multi-purpose BMP provides. Many of the mature oak trees were preserved throughout the park and add to the aesthetic value. In addition to the pleasing views of Lake Concord, several focal points are located throughout the park. Amenities include a decorative fountain, several wood sculptures created from trees that were slated to be removed due to disease, and a mosaictiled, interactive water feature. BENEFITS OF THE PROJECT Local artist s vision The Lake Concord Park project is a fiscal success for the City. The project resurrects dying tree produced an attractive venue for events and supplied water quality treatment without incurring the cost of purchasing land. Additionally, the park allows visitors the opportunity to understand the science and engineering involved in dealing with stormwater runoff and treatment, as well as other watershed issues and lake management, through the educational kiosks. The increased foot traffic within the urban core due to the park s construction will have ancillary benefits for the businesses in this important redevelopment corridor. The combination of all these features creates an aesthetically pleasing environment that is also an extremely functional and valuable asset to the community. View from the amphitheater Wetland plantings Wetland plantings and boardwalk Page 7 Environmental swale

10 The Lake Concord Park project is a fiscal success for the City...the park allows visitors the opportunity to understand stormwater runoff and treatment. Wetland Plantings Before Before After After Wetland plantings improve the native habitat, improve water quality and erosion control, and improve the park s aesthetics. Before Boardwalk Police Station Lake Concord Wetland Planting City Hall Entrance Fountain Lake Concord Park Rain Garden Stage Area See-Through Baffle Box Sculpture Garden After Public Works Parking The project produced an attractive venue for events and supplied water quality treatment without incurring the cost of purchasing land. It also created an aesthetically pleasing environment that is an extremely functional and valuable asset to the community.

11 Lake Concord Park, by its very nature, is exemplary of form and function... Rain garden Lake Concord boardwalk Right: Lake Concord Park dedication plaque Opening day concert Rain garden kiosk Playground Interactive fountain...the park is also a working stormwater treatment site. Left: Local artist s vision resurrects dying tree, Above Left: Wetlands plantings and boardwalk, Right: Entrance fountain