|
|
Town of Ocean Ridge |
Town Hall: |
|
|
Town Hall Building & Zoning Police Department
|
Utilities Infrastructure Advisory Board Meeting for the Town of Ocean Ridge, Florida, to be held in the Town Hall on Wednesday, March 17, 1999 at 6:00 PM. The meeting was attended by Town Manager Gregory Dunham, Deputy Town Clerk Lisa Herrmann and the following members: Chairman Willens, Craig Baskin, Don Pallaria, Peggy Smith and Greg Zink. It was noted that Barry Essig, Sandy Foster, Don Matheson, Michael Nevins and Dr. Smith were all absent with notice.
The minutes of the February 17, 1999 meeting were approved unanimously. Chairman Willens explained that he had redrafted the list of tentative meeting topics which he distributed to the board members. He stated that the order of topics was taken from the list of priorities made by the board at their first meeting. Chairman Willens passed around a letter which he had received from board member, Don Matheson. Chairman Willens advised that Mr. Matheson had stated in his letter that he did not understand why the board was only spending one week on a topic. Mr. Matheson also advised that he would be resigning from the board as he did not believe it would have the influence necessary to make changes within the Town. Town Manager Dunham explained that the board had decided that they would educate themselves on the topics before trying to solve them. Greg Zink stated that the board has such an enormity of scope that it is difficult to see the goal only working on it two hours a month. Craig Baskin stated that he feels the role of the board is as helpers to an administration on a limited budget. He stated that he felt through the learning process the board would move quicker on subjects on which the Town Commission would make the ultimate decisions. Peggy Smith added that Comm Kaleel had commented at their first meeting that the board would also function to help educate other citizens to the importance of their ideas and recommendations. Town Manager Dunham stated that Don Matheson had stated in his letter that the town had approved a conceptual plan for the town hall which included a water treatment plant. Town Manager Dunham stated that the drawings seen by the Town Commission were only conceptual in nature and did not mean that plans were made to have the treatment plants. Joe Pike advised that he is a civil engineer and works with environmental design. He stated that he does infrastructure design which includes drainage and all related permitting. He stated that the basics of drainage (that all water flows downhill) have not changed, but that the regulations pertaining to drainage have changed. He explained that the idea of catch basins or inlets are new and that the town has the Intracoastal for water to flow into. Mr. Pike continued by explaining that other regulatory changes in the last twenty years have been geared toward water quality. He stated that many toxins are found in stormwater runoff and that as a result detention/retention ponds have been created to filter the pollutants. Don Pallaria questioned if the water in the ponds is tested for pollutants to which Mr. Pike advised that they were not as yet, but it was being considered. Mr. Pallaria asked if it was essential to have a retention/detention pond in a large complex to which Mr. Pike explained that it was mandatory for them to be able to contain 1 inch of runoff. He added that the problem is that the regulation requires water to be held back, but not how to deal with draining the water. Town Manager Dunham stated that they would want the water to be better as it would be settling down into the drinking water obtained from the underground aquifers. Mr. Pike stated that he has worked in Ocean Ridge and knows there are problem areas. He commented that one problem is that when the tide is high, the water has nowhere to drain to. He added that the older houses, which were built to elevations for a 100 year storm event, were built at lower elevations than the newer homes. Town Manager Dunham asked Mr. Pike to explain the drainage design for Ocean Harbour Estates. Mr. Pike explained that there is a rim dish surrounding each property which fills with water before it goes to the Intracoastal. He stated that the design is such that no water should exit the property except in a 25 year storm event. Town Manager Dunham asked if the water beyond the first inch retention required by SFWMD can spill off the property to which Mr. Pike explained that it could although it would hold more than one inch. Chairman Willens questioned what could be done to correct the problems on Hudson Ave. Mr. Pike explained that it is a difficult situation because of the low grade of the road and that during tide events, there is nowhere for the water to flow to. He added that simply raising the road would create more problems. He suggested that the town could purchase property at the end of the street and place an impoundment center on it. Chairman Willens questioned if a pond placed on the parcel of land recently donated to the town by the National Wildlife Federation would help the drainage situation. Mr. Pike explained that it would be an environmental problem because of the mangroves covering the property. Chairman Willens asked if a pond would help if the mangroves could be removed to which Mr. Pike explained that one pond would not solve the problems. He stated that someone needs to review what the town has, what is in place and what sections are served. He suggested that the board take comments from the residents on where the problems are, prioritize the comments and put dollar values on the priorities. Mrs. Smith stated that if homes had the proper swales installed along the streets, they would be able to contain the one inch of water retention required. Mr. Pike explained that some of the newer homes did not install proper swales. He added that some new homes have also installed their driveways so high that it inhibits the flow of water down a street to its inlet. Chairman Willens suggested that a good audit of the town should be able to identify where swales would solve drainage problems and where the answer would be more complex. Mr. Pallaria questioned if the town has stormwater drainage to which Town Manager Dunham replied that they do not have a current inventory of the town’s drainage. Chairman Willens stated that he also felt that the board should invite the residents to relay their drainage problems. Town Manager Dunham stated that this type of forum would also help him develop a scope of work. Mr. Pallaria stated that the board would have to emphasize that it would be a fact-finding meeting and that the board would not be giving any solutions to their problems. Mr. Pallaria made the motion to endorse the Town Commission’s direction to staff to conduct a stormwater drainage study. Roll call was taken on Mr. Pallaria’s motion. Motion carried – yea 5. Town Manager Dunham suggested that the forum be incorporated with the board’s April 21st meeting which would allow the inventory of town’s system to be done first. Mrs. Smith suggested that the forum be held at 5:00 on April 21st with their regular meeting to follow. Mr. Pallaria moved that a special resident forum be held at 5:00 PM on April 21st with the regular Utilities Infrastructure Advisory Board meeting to follow, seconded by Mr. Baskin. Motion carried – yea 5. |
