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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-04-18 Infrastructure Committee Minutes1 Infrastructure Committee Minutes April 18, 2023 ATTENDEES Councilors: Gretchen Schaefer, Jonathan Sprague, Richard Fournier Clare Davitt, Joseph Leonard, Cara Pelletier, Dina Yacoubagha Staff: Richard May, John Theriault AGENDA ITEMS 1.Apply for MaineDOT Grant Funding From BikePed Program for Mt. Hope Avenue Sidewalk & Drainage Richard May states the City would be applying for and accept grant funding from the Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT) for sidewalk and storm drain construction on Mount Hope Avenue. The Engineering Department has identified a gap in sidewalk infrastructure on Mount Hope Avenue between Saratoga Avenue and the walking trail to Eastern Maine Community College (EMCC), which is near the entrance to the State-owned Dorothea Dix campus. Sidewalk from East side neighborhoods and downtown extends to Saratoga Ave. Sidewalk from Hogan Road extends roughly 800 feet towards Saratoga Ave to the EMCC trail. This 800 foot segment of sidewalk was constructed on Mount Hope Avenue from Hogan Road to the EMCC walking trail, which was also partially grant funded. In order to install the 2,000 feet of sidewalk needed to close the gap, the Engineering Department has proposed to install curbing, esplanade, and a closed drainage system. This will not only improve pedestrian access and connectivity, but will also improve drainage in the area, including a small sewer separation. The BikePed program is looking for projects that fill gaps such as these, which makes this a good candidate for grant funding. We will be requesting the maximum $400,000 award from BikePed grant application and have budgeted $500,000 in capital funds from the Stormwater Utility in FY25 to fund the remainder of this project, should we receive grant funding from this application. Vote: Moved and seconded. 2.Easement for Balsam Road Stormwater Drainage Improvements Richard May states the City would construct and maintain storm drain features behind four existing homes on the northern side of Balsam Drive by accepting easements from four property owners. Engineering received several reports of flooding in backyards and ice buildup on the street during winter months along Balsam Drive. Public Works confirmed that ice buildup was sometimes a problem along this roadway. The developer along Balsam Drive originally installed a ditch along the northern boundary of the subdivision along Balsam Drive to divert off-site water away from the homes that were constructed. There are two catch basins in this ditch that collect the water and 2 allow it to enter the closed drainage system on Balsam Drive. Along the area where the City had received complaints, the diversion ditch is very flat, and tended to overflow. It was also noted that the ditch length between catch basins was over 1,180 feet. This long flow length and large drainage area flowing to a single catch basin does not provide much room for error. Engineering is proposing to rehabilitate and lower the existing ditch, install an additional catch basin in the ditch, and install a pipe to connect to the closed drainage system on Balsam Drive to mitigate these issues. In order to complete this project, access to private properties at 70, 80, 96, and 106 Balsam Road would be necessary through an easement. Engineering has received initial support from landowners to be granted said easement. Vote: Moved and seconded. 3. Penjawoc Stream Impervious Cover Total Maximum Daily Load (IC-TMDL) Update Richard May states the Penjajawoc Stream is an Urban Impaired Stream whose watershed area includes the Bangor Mall and Hogan Road areas. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a Statewide IC-TMDL for many Urban Impaired Streams including Bangor’s Arctic Brook, Capehart Brook, Shaw Brook, and Sucker Brook in 2012. The EPA asked the Maine DEP to complete an IC-TMDL for Penjajawoc Stream in 2022. The DEP has drafted an IC-TMDL for the watershed which suggests that Impervious Cover needs to be reduced from the current 11% down to 9%. There is a great deal of variability in the concentration of impervious cover in sub-watersheds of Penjajawoc Stream. For example, in the upper watershed where it is less developed, IC is only 3%, but in the middle watershed, where it is most developed, IC is 45%. IC reduction in the watershed, according to the IC-TMDL, can be though actual reduction/removal of impervious cover, or through reductions in effective impervious cover by using stormwater treatment Best Management Practices (BMPs). Reducing effective impervious cover would likely be the most common way to reach such a goal. There was a previous effort to implement a TMDL in this watershed, which incited lots of interest from stakeholders in the watershed. Many of the City Staff who were involved with the discussions incited by stakeholder interest are no longer at the City. The City would like to make an effort to reach out to these individuals and groups again to restart these discussions. Engineering Staff believe involving those stakeholders and giving them awareness of the development of the TMDL will give them the opportunity to provide input both to the City and the DEP. The TMDL will be open for public comment before it is issued by the Maine DEP. The Maine DEP also believes stakeholder involvement at this earlier stage may be beneficial. The City is also currently requesting proposals to update and re-write the Watershed-Based Plan (WBP) for Penjajawoc Stream. This WBP is required to be completed as part of the City’s Stormwater Permit from DEP. A WBP helps to provide a “road map” to improving water quality and habitat within a stream. This WBP is not directly related to the IC-TMDL, but the WBP will address the IC-TMDL and provide solutions to reduce the effective IC in the watershed. Vote: No Vote Required