Robinhood/Dooley Storm Drainage Improvement Project
Public Meeting # 2
May 3, 2010 – 7:00pm to 8:30pm
Attendees:
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Monica Kruckow – Charlotte Mecklenburg Storm Water Services (CMSWS)
Amy Bice - CMSWS
Will Wilhelm – Engineering Consultant (Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. (KHA))
Stephen Thun – KHA
Neighborhood Residents
I.
Welcome & Introductions – CMSWS (Monica Kruckow)
II.
Meeting Purpose – CMSWS (Monica Kruckow)
 Meeting is to discuss what we have identified as existing storm water issues and discuss the
proposed improvements throughout the watershed.
 The Robinhood/Dooley project area is roughly bounded by W.T. Harris to the northwest,
Woodbridge Road to the northeast, Dooley Drive to the southeast, and Lawyers Road to the
southwest.
 Our goals are to reduce the flooding of streets & structures.
III.
Project Information – KHA (Will Wilhelm)
 The neighborhood/watershed includes the following storm drainage infrastructure:
stream/channel, culverts, inlets (curb and yard), pipes, roadside ditches, and driveway pipes.
 General characteristics of the drainage infrastructure in the neighborhood/watershed can be
categorized into two areas:
o The areas north of Albemarle are primarily served by curb and gutter, drainage ditches,
open channels, and open channel culverts.
o The areas south of Albemarle are primarily served by roadside ditches, driveway pipes,
drainage ditches, open channels, and open channel culverts.
 Deficiencies in the level of service provided by the drainage infrastructure were determined by:
o Public input (311, surveys, last public meeting, etc.)
o Engineering analysis (models, field surveys, calculations, etc.)
 Engineering analysis helped pinpoint causes and specific areas noted from public input.
 Problems will be addressed by maintaining the existing characteristics of the drainage
infrastructure.
 Improvements are proposed to the following infrastructure to achieve the overall goal of
reducing structure and street flooding.
o Culverts.
o Pipe Systems and inlets.
o Driveway pipes and ditches.
o Stream channel.
o Lake Point Pond (as a separate project underway by the City).
IV.
What Happens Next? - CMSWS (Monica Kruckow)
Design / Easement Acquisition / Permitting
 Develop construction drawings for the alternative selected. These plans are to include many
details, such as pipe sizes and locations, channel/ditch widths, utility relocations, and easement
locations.
 Typical design phases last 21 to 34 months.
 The permitting phase runs concurrently with the design phase. This phase includes obtaining
the required water quality permits from Federal and State government agencies.
 The permitting phase of a project typically lasts 3 to 9 months (typically during the design
phase).
 The Real Estate phase runs concurrently with the design phase. The City's real estate staff
works with citizens and businesses to acquire easements needed to construct the
recommended improvements and provide future maintenance.
 The easement acquisition phase of a project typically lasts 8 to 12 months but may take longer
depending on the property owners and businesses.
Bid / Construction
 After all design plans are finalized and all easements are acquired, the final plans will go out to
contractors for them to bid on. By state law, the lowest responsible bidder is awarded the
construction contract.
 The bid phase of a project typically lasts 4 to 5 months.
 Construction.
o Throughout construction, efforts will be made to minimize disruption to nearby property
owners. Construction of proposed improvements will be supervised by City inspectors.
Notifications of key construction dates will be mailed to residents prior to construction.
 Because projects vary in size, the typical construction phase of a project can last from 3
months to over 2 years.
Throughout all phases, The City will continue to send mailers quarterly to update citizens. We will
also have one or two public meetings throughout the Design Phase of the project.
VII.
General Questions & Comments
Q: How big will the proposed culvert be at Lower Robinhood Circle and will the road need to be
raised?
A: The culvert will be larger than it is today. The proposed culvert will not be significantly taller, but
it will be much wider. As a result, the roads will only be raised slightly if at all.
Q: Will trees be cut down to facilitate stream restoration? If so, will this make the erosion/flooding
downstream worse?
A: Existing trees will be preserved to the extent possible. Stream improvements will reduce the
erosive potential and the flooding of the channel. Overall, the level of service will be improved.
Q: When will the design plans be available for public viewing?
A: A public meeting will be held when the design plans are 70% complete. The design plans will
be available at the meeting for the public to review.
Q: Will the proposed culvert improvement upstream of the rip rap channel adjacent to Robinhood
Circle increase the flow to the rip rap channel? Will the channel be modified to allow for additional
capacity?
A: The proposed culvert improvements will not increase the receiving flow of the channel.
Improvements to increase the capacity of the channel are not necessary.
Q: Is an engineering team sent out during significant rain events to observe the flooding that occurs
in the neighborhood?
A: Members of the project team visit the site during rain events periodically. However, citizen input
and feedback on flooding and other issues is the best way to support the engineering analysis.
Q: Will private bridges be impacted during stream restoration?
A: Private bridges will be preserved to the extent possible. If bridges are impacted, replacements
will be negotiated between the City and the individual property owners.
Q: Are there any improvements proposed to Maplewood Lane?
A: No improvements are currently proposed on Maplewood Lane.