MEETING SUMMARY
Edwards Branch Watershed Improvement Project
Phase III – Public Meeting
PROJECT TEAM:
Monica Kruckow/CMSWS PM
Julie Millea/Real Estate
Jaime Robinson/CH2M HILL
Jill Davenport/CH2M HILL
VENUE:
Winterfield Elementary School - Cafeteria
3100 Winterfield Place, Charlotte, NC
DATE:
April 30, 2009, 7:00 – 8:30 pm
I. Welcome & Introductions
Monica Kruckow started the meeting at 7:00 pm by welcoming the attendees to the third
Public Meeting for Edwards Branch Watershed Improvement Project Phase III and
introducing the project team.
The attendees were asked to complete the information on the sign-in sheet, which included
name, address, telephone number, and email address. They were also given a meeting
agenda. Since there were only four residents in attendance, the meeting was conducted
using an open dialogue. Therefore, the agenda items “General Questions & Comments” and
“Small Group Discussions” were not formerly held at the end of the meeting, but integrated
throughout.
II. Meeting and Project Purpose
Monica Kruckow stated this meeting’s purpose is to review the preliminary design of the
recommended improvements and discuss the need for easements to construct the
improvements. She provided project background and briefly reviewed the proposed
improvements and project goals.
The attendees noted several problems and recent fixes they have observed in the Phase III
Watershed:
Recurring sanitary sewer overflows into storm drainage near a laundromat have
been fixed.
Recent closed-circuit television viewing of the sanitary sewer along Lansdale Drive
revealed broken pipes and large rocks causing blockages. These problems have been
fixed.
III. Project Status Update
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EDWARDS BRANCH WATERSHED IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
PHASE III – PUBLIC MEETING
Monica Kruckow described the current activities on the project. They are the Design,
Easement Acquisition, and Permitting Phases. The Design Phase is now considered 70
percent complete.
The Easement Acquisition/Real Estate Phase runs concurrently with the Design Phase.
During this phase, the City's Real Estate staff, represented at this meeting by Julie Millea,
work with citizens and businesses to acquire Easements needed to construct the
recommended improvements and provide future maintenance. The duration of this phase of
the project, which is being officially kicked off at this meeting, depends on the property
owners and businesses.
The Permitting Phase, which includes obtaining the required water quality permits from
Federal and State government agencies, also runs concurrently with the Design Phase. This
phase typically lasts 3 to 9 months.
Jill Davenport spoke in further detail about the design improvements, referencing the
displayed Site Layout Exhibit that showed the proposed improvements to treat storm water
issues within Winterfield and Evergreen Tributary Watersheds.
Winterfield Tributary Watershed
Jill Davenport stated that CH2M HILL is proposing stream restoration for much of
Winterfield Tributary. The proposed improvements will be on land owned by Misty Woods
Apartments, Mecklenburg Parks & Recreation, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, the Islamic
Center of Charlotte, and residents at 1718 Progress Lane.
At the upstream end of Winterfield Tributary, a modification to the outlet structure and
culvert at the Willow Park BMP is planned to better control the flow/release of the storm
water. Downstream of this and the Lansdale Drive culvert, 2,100 feet of stream restoration is
proposed. Much of the stream restoration will be realigned to allow the channel to meander
and promote storm water to access and flood the forest floor during rain events. The
downstream portion of the channel below the schools will be reworked inside the existing
channel, adding flood benches where appropriate. The overall limits of the restoration
project took into account the location of large trees along the stream banks. Two
replacement pedestrian bridges are planned as part of the stream restoration improvements.
In-stream structures, such as those seen on the restored parts of Edwards Branch, will hold
the correct stream alignment and create diverse habitat with riffles and pools. Pools provide
deeper pockets of water in the channel and will hold more water during drier conditions;
riffles are shallower sections of stream.
Between the proposed restoration and the culvert at Sheffield Park, Winterfield Tributary
will be preserved by a Conservation Easement.
The attendees made the following comments:
They prefer the upper bridge to be located closer to shed/blind on the pond at 1718
Progress Lane.
Response: Their preference for bridge location will be considered as the project
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EDWARDS BRANCH WATERSHED IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
PHASE III – PUBLIC MEETING
moves forward, however, ongoing easement negotiations will ultimately determine
the location of the upper bridge.
They expressed a strong desire to keep the shed/blind accessible to the public for
bird watching.
Response: Their desire to keep the shed/blind accessible to the public will be
considered as the project moves forward, however, ongoing easement negotiations
will ultimately determine this.
They asked that construction be timed to miss the bird nesting season.
Response: There are many factors to consider with the timing of construction, and
their concerns have been noted and will be considered when looking at setting a
construction schedule.
They advocated keeping pine trees as diverse habitat for birds; they said many were
removed during construction of the Sheffield Wetland. They suggested planting
native shortleaf pines along the upland areas by Winterfield Elementary School.
Response: CH2M HILL will strongly consider incorporating native shortleaf pines
into the planting plan and will confer with CMSWS on this matter.
Evergreen Tributary Watershed
Jill Davenport stated that the proposed improvements in Evergreen Cemetery are focused
on treating and protecting the Evergreen Tributary and its wetlands, which also be
preserved in a Conservation Easement. The proposed improvements include:
Meandering Swale – The proposed improvement is the realignment of the existing
concrete-lined straight channel into a natural swale, a shallow-sloped ditch that
meanders, or bends sinuously, around the existing large trees. The existing tree
buffer would be enhanced with more trees planted along the banks of the new swale.
This improvement should reduce erosion potential.
Pocket Wetland – A small constructed wetland with deep and shallow zones is
planned. This pocket wetland would be planted with vegetation and treat and slow
storm water before it flows into the wetlands downstream.
Channel Realignment – To fix a severely eroded channel, the storm drainage pipe
will be realigned away from the existing eroded area. A new drainage channel will
connect the new pipe outfall to the existing channel and the existing eroded area will
be backfilled and re-planted. This approach will reduce erosion while also
preserving the existing large trees in this area.
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EDWARDS BRANCH WATERSHED IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
PHASE III – PUBLIC MEETING
Rock Berms – Rock berms are low, thick walls made up of rip rap rocks that are
oriented perpendicular to the flow path. Two areas are slated for 2-foot high rock
berms downstream of the stormwater outfalls. The smaller drainage area will be
treated with one rock berm; the larger drainage area will be treated with two rock
berms. They slow and temporarily detain the storm water as it seeps through and
overflows the berms. These rock berms will deter unwanted channels from forming
in the wooded area towards the stream and wetlands. Rock berms can be conformed
around large trees to minimize the impact to the forest.
The Meandering Swale and Pocket Wetland proposed improvements were particularly well
received by the attendees. No significant comments were noted for the rest of the Evergreen
Tributary improvements.
Easement Acquisition
Julie Millea then explained the Real Estate easement acquisition process with the attendees.
In general, the easements obtained allow access for construction activities to occur. In
addition, the easement provides protection as conservation easements around the water
quality improvements made throughout this project.
IV. What Happens Next?
Monica Kruckow reiterated that the Design Phase is considered 70 percent complete and
that this meeting begins the Easement Acquisition Phase. The Permitting Phase will begin in
earnest in the next few months.
It is important to note that the Design Phase cannot be completed until all permits and
easements have been acquired. Once the Design Phase is complete, we will enter the Bid
Phase where the final plans are made available for contractors to bid on them. By state law,
the lowest responsible bidder is awarded the construction contract. The Bid Phase of a
project typically lasts 4 to 5 months.
It is also important to note that throughout all phases, citizens will be kept informed on
project status via mailers and meetings.
V. Questions & Comments
Questions and comments were addressed during the meeting.
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