HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem I STAFF REPORT BOARD OF APPEALS
AUGUST 12TH,2020
ITEM I:1019 JEFFERSON STREET
GENERAL DESCRIPTION AND BACKGROUND
Darren Van Dreel/Mary McPhee-applicant/owner, request an appeal to the City of
Oshkosh Community Development Department's determination and interpretation of
the Zoning Ordinance Section 30-175 (S) Surfacing requirement. The Community
Development Department has determined the proposed "TrueGrid paver system" does
not meet surfacing requirements for a new driveway. Section 30-172 (L) requires
driveways to follow the surfacing requirements of Section 30-175 (S). The petitioner
contends their proposed paver product is an approvable surface to be used for their
driveway and meets Municipal Code performance standards.
BACKGROUND
The subject property is a rectangular-shaped parcel located mid-block on the west side
of Jefferson Street currently zoned TR-10 Two Flat Residential. A building permit to
construct a new one-story single family dwelling was issued November 27th, 2019. The
permit was issued to include the principal structure with a three-car attached garage
and covered patio. A note was included on the permit indicating the driveway scope of
work had been removed from the building permit and a future/separate permit was to
be obtained prior to the installation. Construction has continued on the permitted
portion of the dwelling and is at the partial rough in phase. As construction of the home
approaches its final phase the petitioner is looking to complete the driveway plans
leading to the attached garage.
ANALYSIS
The applicant's submitted narrative references Section 30-161(J)(1) that "New driveways
must be constructed with durable materials such as concrete, asphalt, brick, stone and
permeable pavers. Crushed stone and gravel is not permitted." However, this ordinance
section has no applicability in this appeal. That code section applies only to properties
zoned within a Traditional Neighborhood Overlay Zoning District (TND-O). The subject
property is not zoned within a TND-O. Therefore, none of the development standards
listed in the ordinance can be considered. Furthermore, there are currently no properties
zoned as TND-O within the city. The section is intended as a future planning tool for
neighborhoods that meet a specific set of historic and architecturally compatible
construction standards.
The only performance and development standard that is applicable in this appeal is
Section 30-175 (S) and reads as follows:
Surfacing.
1) All off-street parking, loading, and traffic circulation areas shall be graded and
surfaced so as to be dust free and properly drained and shall be paved with a hard, all-
weather or other surface to the satisfaction of the Director of Community Development,
STAFF REPORT BOARD OF APPEALS
ITEM I -2- AUGUST 12TH,2020
or designee. All driveways and parking areas shall be surfaced with a minimum thickness
of 3 inches of asphaltic concrete, concrete, or any other surfacing over a minimum
thickness of 4 inches of an aggregate base material as approved by the Department of
Public Works.
2) The following shall be exempt from these surfacing requirements: a) Driveways in the
RH-35 district shall be exempt except for the first 20 feet of the driveway closest to the
right-of-way, which shall be hard surfaced. b) All agricultural land uses ( Section 30-
76). c) Enclosed and screened outdoor storage areas. When such uses are discontinued,
the area( s) shall comply with the surfacing requirements of Subsection ( 1), above, or
shall be returned to vegetative ground cover.
Paragraph 1) of the ordinance lists specific thickness (i.e. 3 inches) and types (i.e.
asphaltic concrete, concrete) of materials to be used when surfacing driveways. The
submitted profile sheet of the "TrueGrid" product does not meet either of these
requirements. As shown on page labeled "TG-LTE-GRV-HL" the permeable paving
system is only 1" in thickness and utilizes "5/8" angular stone" (see attached images).
The Municipal Code does not allow crushed stone and gravel surfaces for new
driveways for practical reasons. Specifically, those materials have a proclivity to track
onto tires and be carried into the street network. The street network then channels the
material into the municipal storm sewer system and creates costly infrastructure
maintenance challenges over time as it builds in profile and subsequently blocks sewer
pipes and flow. Likewise, gravel and stone products are washed into the same
infrastructure during rain and other storm events (e.g. snow removal during winter)
leading to the same costly problems.
Similarly, there is concern with the underlying clay soil in the project's vicinity that it
will reduce and/or adversely affect any permeability that might be achieved with the
paver product. For example, as storm water filters through the stone it may run across
the clay soil to the home and negatively impact the foundation. Lastly, none of the
exempt surfacing requirements listed in paragraph 2) are applicable in this instance and
should not be considered. The property is not in the RH-35 district; the land is not being
used for agricultural purposes; and it is not being used for enclosed/screened outdoor
storage.
The Board needs to consider the larger impact of this appeal. Agreeing to allow the
"TrueGrid" permeable pavers as an acceptable surface for driveways and parking lots
will establish a far-reaching precedent for larger commercial and industrial projects.
This would not be an exclusive one-time, one-property decision. Instead, it would allow
all properties the same benefit. As an example, this code section applies to single-family
land uses the same as it does for big-box retailers with parking lots 200 times the area.
The public infrastructure would be severely impacted by the negative variables
previously listed and run contrary to the purpose of the adopted regulations.
STAFF REPORT BOARD OF APPEALS
ITEM I -3- AUGUST 12TH,2020
RECOMMENDATION
Based on the information contained in this report and its attachments, staff recommends
denial of the appeal and support of the staff determination of Section 30-175 (S) that the
proposed "TrueGrid permeable paver system is not an approvable driveway surface.
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9
RECEIVED
Please Type or Print in BLACK INK Return to: Department of
JUL 17 2020 Community Development
215 Church Ave.
P.O. Box 1130
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Oshkosh, WI 54903-1130
CITY OF OSHKOSH
APPLICATION FOR ADMININSTRATIVE RULING APPEAL
Please write legibly with black ink and also submit a complete reproducible scaled (1:10, 1:20, or
1:30) site plan, elevations or other pertinent graphic material (maximum size 11" x 17"). (A complete
site plan includes, but is not limited to, all structures, lot lines and streets with distances to each.) See
the Planning Services Administrative Fee Schedule for the required fee due at time of application.
Address of Parcel Affected:
Petitioner: Misty McPhee and Darren Van Dreel Home Phone: . 757-784-1870
Petitioner's Address: 1019 Jefferson Street, Oshkosh, 54901 Work Phone:
Petitioner's Email Address: memanddvd@gmail.com
Signature Required. Date:
Owner(if not petitioner): Home Phone:
Owner's Address: Work Phone:
Owner's Email Address:
Signature Required: Date:
1. Explain your proposed plans and why you are requesting the appeal to the Director of
Community Development or designee determination. Include all facts pertinent to the appeal:
Please see attached memo.
City Hall,215 Church Avenue P.O.Box 1130 Oshkosh,WI 54903-1130 http://www.ci.oshkosh.wi.us
1. Explain your proposed plans and why you are requesting the appeal to
the Director of Community Development or designee determination.
Include all facts pertinent to the appeal:
We are building a home at 1019 Jefferson Street. Our goal with this home is to build using the most
efficient and environmentally friendly materials/methods possible. One area of particular concern is
stormwater runoff. We know the city shares this concern.
For our home, however, we propose using a different type of paver than that used by the City of
Oshkosh at locations such as the Menominee Arena and the Senior Center. While effective, the
pavers used by the city are made from concrete which has an exorbitant carbon footprint. Thus, one
of our goals is to minimize the use of concrete in and around our house. The TRUEGRID paving
system uses honeycomb grids made of 100% recycled plastic. (While another of our goals was to
minimize plastics and non-natural products, the TRUEGRID pavers are by far more environmentally
friendly than concrete pavers.)
City's concerns
We were never told exactly what concerns the City had but we were told by Mark Lyons, the Planning
Services Manager, that the TRUEGRID pavers are "basically gravel driveways." We have also been told
by others that the City might perceive that TRUEGRID pavers are not appropriate for use over a clay
substrate and that they cannot be adequately maintained. We will address each in turn.
They are "basically gravel driveways"
According to the City of Oshkosh zoning ordinance 30-161(J)(1), "New driveways must be constructed
with durable materials such as concrete, asphalt, brick, stone, and permeable pavers. Crushed stone
and gravel is not permitted." In addition, ordinance 30-175(S) states:
All off-street parking, loading, and traffic circulation areas shall be graded and surfaced
so as to be dust free and properly drained and shall be paved with a hard, all-weather or
other surface to the satisfaction of the Director of Community Development or designee.
All driveways and parking areas shall be surfaced with a minimum thickness of 3" of
asphalt concrete, concrete, or any other surfacing over a minimum thickness of 4" of an
aggregate base material as approved by the Department of Public Works.
We argue that TRUEGRID pavers do not violate these requirements. The TRUEGRID pavers are
extremely durable and, while crushed stone is used, it is contained in the grids and not loose.
Christopher White from TRUEGRID emailed me the following:
1
TRUEGRID is not a basic gravel driveway for multiple reasons. We always recommend to
fill the grid flush to the top with gravel so the top surface of the grid is exposed. This
allows the grid to act as the load bearing structure and prevents any load going into the
gravel. This is how the TRUEGRID system is able to maintain permeability and a dust
free surface because the gravel is not pulverized. It also keeps all of the gravel contained
within the cells of the grid so you won't have any gravel migration.
Not appropriate for use over a clay substrate
We believe the issue here is that clay is not very permeable and thus some perceive that the
stormwater will just run off. While clay is not very permeable, neither is concrete and using the
TRUEGRID system will slow down the rate of runoff. Again, from Mr. White at TRUEGRID: "...while
you may not have much infiltration into the soil you are still providing additional storm water
detention within the void spaces of the gravel. This will slow down the run-off and detain it within
the driveway. You are essentially improving the area in regards to storm water because you are
providing detention volume that was not previously there, Here in Houston where we are based we
have nothing but clay soils and we have over 2.5 million square feet of TRUEGRID installed from
residential driveways up to 15 acre commercial parking lots."
Maintenance
According to TRUEGRID, there will be no concern about clogging because the void spaces are so large
with the gravel they recommend. TRUEGRID does not require power washing or vacuuming like other
permeable systems with small void spaces, such as those used in other locations by the City of
Oshkosh. We've attached the TRUEGRID standard maintenance plan that they submit for some
cities/counties. The major maintenance requirement is to keep the area free of large debris, which
we can easily do.
Environmental protection and the City of Oshkosh
We know the City shares our desire to minimize stormwater run-off. For example, in spring and fall of
2018, the City had UW Oshkosh students explore ways the City could more effectively manage
stormwater runoff. In addition, these issues are explicitly mentioned in the City's Sustainability Plan
(2019):
Lake Winnebago is classified as impaired by the Wisconsin DNR based on criteria in the
Federal Clean Water Act.The City authorized Onterra study of 2010 declared the
shoreline as an incredibly poor example of shoreland maintenance. The City has since
taken on mandatory and voluntary measures to manage stormwater and sewage
treatment for pollution control, such as native plantings along the Lakeshore, drainage
basins, and incentives for residents to use best practices for stormwater runoff on their
land (p. 31, emphasis added).
2
Finally, the city has implemented permeable paving at various locations such as Menominee Arena
and the Senior Center.
We are committed to minimizing stormwater run-off but we are also committed to minimizing
concrete use due to its carbon footprint. In fact, according to an article in the Guardian (2019;
attached), "if the cement industry were a country, it would be the third largest carbon dioxide emitter
in the world. Taking in all stages of production, concrete is said to be responsible for 4-8% of the
world's COZ:' In addition, concrete production and installation consumes extremely large quantities
of water, comprising almost 10% of the world's industrial water use.
Our request
We respectfully request that we be allowed to use TRUEGRID permeable pavers for our driveway.
This can only be a good thing for the City of Oshkosh. In fact, the UWO assessment (attached)
suggested that the City to "...create a small test/sample area that allows the City of Oshkosh to test
the effectiveness of permeable pavement in reducing stormwater run-off and managing pollutants."
In addition, the Sustainability Plan says the City should, "...explore newer types of construction
material such as permeable pavers and road design to reduce stormwater impacts or increase the
lasting quality of a street."
We are confident that the TRUEGRID pavers will perform extremely well. If they are not satisfactory,
however, we and the City have learned something. We are willing to work with the City and if, after a
given period, the City has documented problems with the performance of our driveway, we will
replace it. We can't move forward without trying new products and we are willing to be the test case.
Context of request
Throughout the construction of our home, we have always tried to work with the City and respect its
ordinances. On 5 February, we emailed Steven Wiley the following message but received no
response:
Thanks so much for all of your help with our roof. It is very appreciated!
Now I might have another kink to throw your way. We want to use TRUEGRID permeable
pavers (https://www.TRUEGRIDpaver.com/) instead of concrete for our driveway. I've attached
the brochure as an FYI. Are there any issues with this?
I then resent the email on 11 February, again receiving no response. As an FYI,we received emails
from Steven on 10 and 13 February regarding other matters.
On 26 February,we sent the following email to no avail:
3
Darren and I want to use permeable pavers for our driveway. Is this something that we will
need special permission for? The product brochure is attached.
On 11 March, we emailed the following to Curt Klaske and got no response.
Hi Curt,
.We have a quick question regarding the use of permeable pavers. We are planning to use the
TRUEGRID paving system (brochure attached) for our driveway. Are there any issues with this
from your perspective?
Thanks for your continued help,
On 26 April,we resent the email to Steven Wiley and cc'd our builders, Dennis Ruedinger and Andrew
Jeskie. Dennis received an email from Brian Slusarek on 12 May.
It took three months, five emails, and intervention from our builders to finally get action on this.
When we first approached the City, if someone had responded and let us know what procedures
needed to be followed, we would have gladly followed them. At no point were we told what we
needed to do in order to satisfy the City's requirements -we were just told "no" with no real reasons
provided.
Attachments
1. Site plan
2. Letter of support from Maureen Muldoon, Member Oshkosh Stormwater Utility Board and
Hydrogeologist at Wisconsin Geological & Natural History Survey
3. TRUEGRID fact sheets
a. Cross section
b. Works in all climates and soils, Storm water detention
c. Maintenance Guide
d. Infiltration Rate Testing per ASTM C1781
i. "This is a test summary for infiltration rate testing we had conducted on 5 sites
around Houston by a third party. We proved to the City of Houston that
TRUEGRID can handle high traffic areas such as,drive lanes without
compacting/clogging over time. As a reference, most cities/counties require a
minimum of 200 in/hr infiltration rate for a system to be considered permeable
and as you can see we are well over 1,000 in/hr." -- Chris White, TRUEGRID
e. 40%Void Space in Base and Fill Material
4. Article: "Concrete: the most destructive material on Earth", The Guardian
5. UWO Stormwater assessment
4
SITE PLAN
LOT 7, BLUE BELLE FARMS SUBDIVISION, BEING PART OF THE NORTH 1/2 OF THE S.E. 1/4 OF SECTION
24, TOWNSHIP 18 NORTH, RANGE 14 EAST, TOWN OF RUSHFORD, WINNEBAGO COUNTY, WISCONSIN.
SITE PLAN PREPARED FOR:
MARY E. MCPHEE
DARREN P. VANDREEL
— — 1216 CEDAR ST.
1 OSHKOSH, WI 54901
8' DEDICATED AS COMMON
DRIVEWAY PER VOL. 375 PG. 296
- - 4' - - - -- - - - - - -N89'49'20"E - - -
4' 132.02 —— —
(132')
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LOT 13
49.00, T 0
GARAGE The width here is the
Difference in height maximum allowed
from sidewalk to
garage opening: 28.5J--
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41 1/8" LO o �—/o (J /
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M � depth will be 4" per HOUSE z
LOT 12 N d mfr's instructions -~
---- Lo
(attached) 2s.so' (0n
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- - - - - - L
LOT 1
C.S.M N0 7513
N
(AREA 0.46 ACRES) 0
PARCEL NO. 91001360100
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LOT 11
(132')
— — — — 132.02'
S89'55'04"W
LOT 7 I w
NOTES
BEARINGS ARE REFERENCED TO THE NORTH LINE I o
OF THE S.W. 1/4 OF SECTION 13, T18N, R16E, WHICH
IS RECORDED TO BEAR NORTH 69'35'22" EAST,
PER WI COUNTY COORDINATES, WINNEBAGO COUNTY.
DISTANCES ARE MEASURED TO
e I THE NEAREST HUNDREDTH OF A FOOT
PRIOR TO NEW CONSTRUCTION ANY EXISTING
STRUCTURES ARE TO BE RAZED.
ONLY 1 DRIVE ENTRANCE IS ALLOWED FOR LOT 1
0913012019 / WISCONSIN o 30 60 90
PROJECT 6560
SHEET 1 OF 1 a_T..v,
5020 LEONARD POINT RD. OSHKOSH, WI 54904 SCALE 1"=30'
www.wisconsinlandsurveying.com (920) 410-7744
To: City of Oshkosh Planning Services and Public Works Departments
From: Maureen Muldoon
I am writing this letter in support of the use of TRUEGRID permeable pavers for the driveway of the
home being constructed at 1019 Jefferson.As a member of the Stormwater Utility Board, l know that
the city is interested in exploring a variety of green infrastructure options that help reduce stormwater
runoff.Several recent developments have used traditional concrete permeable pavers as a means of
reducing parking lot runoff. But those pavers have a large carbon footprint and the homeowners are
committed to using the most sustainable products in their new home.A traditional concrete or asphalt
driveway does provide any storage capacity and all rain that falls on it will runoff.The TRUEGRID system
provides storage within the gravel and as such is an improvement over a traditional driveway.The
TRUEGRID system recommends using uniformly graded clean angular stone with a 40 percent void
space,which is quite realistic for a clean, coarse gravel.The site plans note that they will use 4 inches of
gravel.This means that the TRUEGRID pavers could capture any rain event less than 1.6 inches without
producing runoff.A traditional driveway captures no rain at all.The Stormwater Utility Board promotes
the use of rain gardens, rain barrels,etc. as a means for homeowners to reduce the runoff from their
property.To my knowledge, we have not had a homeowner ask to use permeable pavers in the past.
This request presents an opportunity for the city to explore a new paver technology that will certainly
produce less runoff than a traditional driveway.As such I strongly support the request by the
homeowners to use the TRUEGRID permeable pavers system for the driveway of their new home at
1019 Jefferson.
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WORKS IN ALL CLIMATES AND SOILS
STORM WATER DETENTION
100% PERVIOUS 1000+ INCHES/HOUR 0.0 — 0.05 RUNOFF
C� COVER INFILTRATION RATE x + COEFFICIENT
CLEAN/WASHED STORM WATER SUBBASE DEPTH CAN VARY FOR LOADING OR -MVEGRID'
ANGULAR AGGREGATE INFILTRATION STORM WATER DETENTION REQUIRMENTS
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POROUS SOIL NON POROOS 'SOIL '
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STORM WATER NATURALLY 40%VOID SPACE ALLOWS FOR GEOTEXTILE SHEET FLOW OR DIRECT
PERCOLATES INTO SOIL STORM WATER STORAGE FABRIC USING PERFORATED PIPE
HOW TO CALCULATE STORM WATER DETENTION CAPACITY
Detention Capacity = TRUEGRID Area (A) x Total Aggregate WHERE:
Depth (d) x 40`%o Void Space = A x d x 0.40 d = Depth of Subbase +TRUEGRID Height
EXAMPLE: WHERE:
1 Acre Lot, TRUEGRID PRO PLUS, 8in Sub Base A = 1 Acre = 43,560 sf
Fill & SLIb Base - 3/4" Clean/Washed Angular Stone d = 8 in + 1.8 in = 9.8 in = 0.8 ft
Detention Capacity = A x d x 0.40 Detention Capacity = 43,560 x 0.8 x 0.4 = 13,939 cf
Go to TECHNICAL INFO on TRUEGRIDpaver.corn for typicals. Call for site specific questions: 1-855-355-GRID (4743)
1. Grass Fill Heavy Load 2. Gravel Fill Light Load 3. Grass Fill Light Load 4. Fire Lane
------------
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TRUb RID 1-855-355-GRID (4743)
True to your project.True to the environment.
TRUEGRID—Maintenance Guide
TRUEGRID typically requires very little maintenance. Most silt and sediment will decay and pass naturally through the
system as tested and documented in the Brattebo and Booth 2003 study'. Here are some maintenance suggestions to
ensure high permeability for the life of your TRUEGRID site.
Leaves&Garbage:
Excessive leaves and/or garbage should be raked, or air blown being careful not to remove the gravel.Small organic
particles will decay naturally and pass through the system.
Sediment:
TRUEGRID may be hosed down with water or carefully power washed to move'excess sediment through the system.Care
should be taken to not wash gravel out during this process.
TRUEGRID is a modular system. If needed, any area can be pulled up and infill or base material can be replaced.The same
TRUEGRID can then be reused.
Snowplowing:
TRUEGRID can be plowed using standard truck-mounted snowplow blades with small riser skids on the corners of the
blades to keep the bottom of the blade off the surface of the grid by roughly 1".
Tree or plants watering:
Adjacent trees or plants next to or part of the TRUEGRID site can be watered directly through the permeable TRUEGRID
system either manually or with irrigation.TRUEGRID paving helps protect the tree roots from damage from heavy vehicles
and traffic.
Grass Infill
TRUEGRID grass infill applications should be treated the same as regular grass maintenance.
Water and feed grass,as needed. Mow grass appropriately. Apply seed to bare spots,as needed.
Aerate grass,as needed.
'Long-term stormwater quantity and quality performance of
permeable pavement systems
Benjamin O.Brattebo,Derek B.Booth*
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering,Center for Water and Watershed Studies,University of Washington,Box 352700,
Seattle,WA 98195,USA
Received 10 October 2002;received in revised form 20 June 2003;accepted 1 July 2003
Abstract
This study examined the long-term effectiveness of permeable pavement as an alternative to traditional impervious
asphalt pavement in a parking area.Four commercially available permeable pavement systems were evaluated after
6 years of daily parking usage for structural durability,ability to infiltrate precipitation,and impacts on infiltrate water
quality.All four permeable pavement systems showed no major signs of wear.Virtually all rainwater infiltrated through
the permeable pavements,with almost no surface runoff.The infiltrated water had significantly lower levels of copper
and zinc than the direct surface runoff from the asphalt area.Motor oil was detected in 89%of samples from the
asphalt runoff but not in any water sample infiltrated through the permeable pavement.Neither lead nor diesel fuel
were detected in any sample.Infiltrate measured 5 years earlier displayed significantly higher concentrations of zinc and
significantly lower concentrations of copper and lead.
2003 Elsevier Ltd.All rights reserved.
Page 1 TRUEGRID Pavers: 2500 Summer St.,#3225, Houston, TX 77007
TRUb RID
True to your project.True to the environment.
Infiltration Rate Testing per ASTM C1781
TRUEGRID is not like traditional permeable paving that requires routine maintenance such as
power washing or vacuuming to maintain permeability. TRUEGRID is designed to use a
clean/washed angular stone for the base and fill material which has 40%void space. These
large void spaces allow TRUEGRID to maintain permeability over the life of the product without
any routine maintenance.
A third-party geotechnical firm conducted infiltration rate tests per ASTM C1781 on December
17, 2018 to determine the surface infiltration rate of TRUEGRID. The tests were conducted in
both the drive lane and parking spaces to compare high traffic areas. The results are presented
in the summary table below.
Table 1: Summary of ASTM C1781 Infiltration Rate Test
Infiltration Rate (in/hr)
Project Date Installed Size (sf) Drive Lane Parking Space
1 Oct 2015 11,000 2,160 2,160
2 Dec 2016 10,000 1,649 1,424
3 Feb 2017 10,000 1,152 3,205
4 Aug 2017 3,500 1,367 N/A
5 May 2018 653,400 3,486 4,586
The results show the storm water instantly drains through the surface of the TRUEGRID
whether its in a high traffic drive lane or a parking space.
CLEAN I WASHED STOR•1`4 WATEk SUBBASE DEPTH CAN VARY FOR LOADING OR' TRLEGRIDr
ANGULAR AGGREGATE INFILTRATION STORM WATER DETENTION REQUIRMENTS VCVRI
► 1 � I i 1 � f r
L L L
k "fir `^y �� �' 441i`+ f �~ . •�'�/�` , �,.� M
AX
. . NON-POROLIS SOIL
STORM WATER NATURALLY 40%VOID SPACE ALLOWS FUR GEOTEXTILF SHEET FLOW OR DIRECT
PERCOLATES INTO SOIL STORM WATER STORAGE FAHRIr USING PERFORATED PIPE
www.truegridpaver.com 2500 Summer St.,Ste.3225 Houston,Texas 77007 1-855-355-GRID
(4743)
0
TRUb RID
True to your project.True to the environment.
40%Vold Space in Base and Fill Material
TRUEGRID recommends to use AASHTO#571 stone or a similar W-1.5" uniformly graded clean
angular stone for the base material. The fill material can also be #57 stone or a similar%"-%"
clean angular stone. All of these materials provide a 40%void space which is a common
industry standard.
The Iowa Stormwater Management Manua12 and Virginia DEQ Stormwater Design Specification
No. 73 state the void ratio for#57 stone is 0.40.
The figure below defines how to calculate the detention capacity within a TRUEGRID cross
section.
CLEAN!WASHED STORM WATER SUBBASE DEPTH CAN VARY FOR LOADING OR TRLEGFaU
ANGULAR AGGREGATE INFILTRATION STORM WATER DETENTION REQUIRMENTS
74,
�:f I Mr _ r ♦_ I�I 1 � �-�i r J�Vt� � i � .i.tir/•,j y�
POROUS SOIL NON-PqRO14S SOIL
V '
I
STORM WATER NATURALLY 40%VOID SPACE ALLOWS FOR GEOTEXTILE SHEET FLOW OR DIRECT
PERCOLATES INTO SOIL STORM WATER STORAGE FABRIC USING PERFORATED PIPE
HOW TO CALCULATE STORM WATER DETENTION CAPACITY
I
Detention Capac!Ty = TRUEGRID Area(A) Total Aggregate WHERE:
Depth(d) x 40%Vold Space= A x d x 0 40 = Depth o-Sub;)ase + TRUEGRID Height
I
1AASHT0#57 stone gradation chart
http://Iaurelaggregates.com/aashto-57
zlowa Stormwater Management Manual
https://www.citvofdubugue.org/DocurnentCenter/View/26976/Iowa-SM-Manual-Permeable-Pavement-Systems?bidld=
3Virginia DEQStormwater Design Specification No,7
https://www.vwrrc.vt.edu/swc/NonPBMPSpecsMarchII/VASWM BMPSpec7PERM EABLEPAVEMENT.html
www.truegridpaver.com 2500 Summer St.,Ste.3225 Houston,Texas 77007 1-855-355-GRID
(4743)
The
Gitiardian
bncrete: the most destructive material
n Earth
After water, concrete is the most widely used substance on the planet.
But its benefits mask enormous dangers to the planet, to human health -
and to culture itself
A brief history of concrete: from i0,000BC to 3D printed houses
Editor's pick: best of 2019. We're bringing back some of our favorite
stories of the past year. Support the Guardians journalism in 2020
by Jonathan Watts
Main image: Limestone quarries and cement factories are often sources of air pollution. Photograph:Zoonar GmbH/Alamy
Mon 25 Feb 2019 01.00 EST
n the time it takes you to read this sentence, the global building industry will have poured
more than lg,000 bathtubs of concrete. By the time you are halfway through this article,
the volume would fill the Albert Hall and spill out into Hyde Park. In a day it would be
almost the size of China's Three Gorges Dam. In a single year, there is enough to patio over
every hill, dale, nook and cranny in England.
After water, concrete is the most widely used substance on Earth. If the cement industry were a
country, it would be the third largest carbon dioxide emitter in the world with up to 2.8bn tonnes,
surpassed only by China and the US.
The material is the foundation of modern development, putting roofs over the heads of billions,
fortifying our defences against natural disaster and providing a structure for healthcare,
education, transport, energy and industry.
Concrete is how we try to tame nature. Our slabs protect us from the elements. They keep the rain
from our heads, the cold from our bones and the mud from our feet. But they also entomb vast
tracts of fertile soil, constipate rivers, choke habitats and- acting as a rock-hard second skin -
desensitise us from what is happening outside our urban fortresses.
Our blue and green world is becoming greyer by the second. By one calculation, we may have
already passed the point where concrete outweighs the combined carbon mass of every tree, bush
and shrub on the planet. Our built environment is, in these terms, outgrowing the natural one.
Unlike the natural world, however, it does not actually grow. Instead, its chief quality is to harden
and then degrade, extremely slowly.
All the plastic produced over the past 60 years amounts to 8bn tonnes. The cement industry
pumps out more than that every two years. But though the problem is bigger than plastic, it is
generally seen as less severe. Concrete is not derived from fossil fuels. It is not being found in the
stomachs of whales and seagulls. Doctors aren't discovering traces of it in our blood. Nor do we
see it tangled in oak trees or contributing to subterranean fatbergs. We know where we are with
concrete. Or to be more precise, we know where it is going: nowhere. Which is exactly why we
have come to rely on it,
This solidity, of course, is what humankind yearns for. Concrete is beloved for its weight and
endurance. That is why it serves as the foundation of modern life, holding time, nature, the
elements and entropy at bay. When combined with steel, it is the material that ensures our dams
don't burst, our tower blocks don't fall, our roads don't buckle and our electricity grid remains
connected.
Solidity is a particularly attractive quality at a time of disorientating change. But like any good
thing in excess - it can create more problems than it solves.
At times an unyielding ally, at times a false friend, concrete can resist nature for decades and then
suddenly amplify its impact. Take the floods in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and Houston
after Harvey, which were more severe because urban and suburban streets could not soak up the
rain like a floodplain, and storm drains proved woefully inadequate for the new extremes of a
disrupted climate.
When the levee breaks ... The levee of the 17th Street canal, New
Orleans,after it was breached during Hurricane Katrina. Photograph:
Nati Harnik/AP
It also magnifies the extreme weather it shelters us from. Taking in all stages of production,
concrete is said to be responsible for 4-8% of the world's CO2. Among materials, only coal, oil and
gas are a greater source of greenhouse gases. Half of concrete's CO2 emissions are created during
the manufacture of clinker, the most-energy intensive part of the cement-making process.
But other environmental impacts are far less well understood. Concrete is a thirsty behemoth,
sucking up almost a loth of the world's industrial water use. This often strains supplies for
drinking and irrigation, because 75% of this consumption is in drought and water-stressed
regions. In cities, concrete also adds to the heat-island effect by absorbing the warmth of the sun
and trapping gases from car exhausts and air-conditioner units - though it is, at least, better than
darker asphalt.
It also worsens the problem of silicosis and other respiratory diseases. The dust from wind-blown
stocks and mixers contributes as much as 10% of the coarse particulate matter that chokes Delhi,
where researchers found in 2015 that the air pollution index at all of the 19 biggest construction
sites exceeded safe levels by at least three times. Limestone quarries and cement factories are also
often pollution sources, along with the trucks that ferry materials between them and building
sites. At this scale, even the acquisition of sand can be catastrophic - destroying so many of the
world's beaches and river courses that this form of mining is now increasingly run by organised
crime gangs and associated with murderous violence.
This touches on the most severe, but least understood, impact of concrete, which is that it
destroys natural infrastructure without replacing the ecological functions that humanity depends
on for fertilisation, pollination, flood control, oxygen production and water purification.
Concrete can take our civilisation upwards, up to 163 storeys high in the case of the Burj Khalifa
skyscraper in Dubai, creating living space out of the air. But it also pushes the human footprint
outwards, sprawling across fertile topsoil and choking habitats. The biodiversity crisis - which
many scientists believe to be as much of a threat as climate chaos -is driven primarily by the
conversion of wilderness to agriculture, industrial estates and residential blocks.
For hundreds of years, humanity has been willing to accept this environmental downside in
return for the undoubted benefits of concrete. But the balance may now be tilting in the other
direction.
rlrhe Pantheon and Colosseum in Rome are testament to the durability of concrete,
which is a composite of sand, aggregate (usually gravel or stones) and water mixed
with a lime-based, kiln-baked binder. The modern industrialised form of the binder -
Portland cement - was patented as a form of"artificial stone" in 1824 by Joseph
Aspdin in Leeds. This was later combined with steel rods or mesh to create reinforced
concrete, the basis for art deco skyscrapers such as the Empire State Building.
Rivers of it were poured after the second world war, when concrete offered an inexpensive and
simple way to rebuild cities devastated by bombing. This was the period of brutalist architects
such as Le Corbusier, followed by the futuristic, free-flowing curves of Oscar Niemeyer and the
elegant lines of Tadao Ando - not to mention an ever-growing legion of dams, bridges, ports, city
halls, university campuses, shopping centres and uniformly grim car parks. In 1950, cement
production was equal to that of steel; in the years since, it has increased 25-fold, more than three
times as fast as its metallic construction partner.
Debate about the aesthetics has tended to polarise between traditionalists like Prince Charles,
who condemned Owen Luder's brutalist Tricorn Centre as a "mildewed lump of elephant
droppings", and modernists who saw concrete as a means of making style, size and strength
affordable for the masses.
The politics of concrete are less divisive, but more corrosive. The main problem here is inertia.
Once this material binds politicians, bureaucrats and construction companies, the resulting nexus
is almost impossible to budge. Party leaders need the donations and kickbacks from building firms
to get elected, state planners need more projects to maintain economic growth, and construction
bosses need more contracts to keep money rolling in, staff employed and political influence high.
Hence the self-perpetuating political enthusiasm for environmentally and socially dubious
infrastructure projects and cement-fests like the Olympics, the World Cup and international
exhibitions.
The classic example is Japan, which embraced concrete in the second half of the 20th century
with such enthusiasm that the country's governance structure was often described as the doken
kokka (construction state).
i
r
I
A pressure-controlled water tank in Kusakabe, Japan,constructed to
protect Tokyo against floodwaters and overflow of the city's major
waterways and rivers during heavy rain and typhoon seasons.
Photograph: Ho New/Reuters
At first it was a cheap material to rebuild cities ravaged by fire bombs and nuclear warheads in the
second world war. Then it provided the foundations for a new model of super-rapid economic
development: new railway tracks for Shinkansen bullet trains, new bridges and tunnels for
elevated expressways, new runways for airports, new stadiums for the 1964 Olympics and the
Osaka Expo, and new city halls, schools and sports facilities.
This kept the economy racing along at near double-digit growth rates until the late 1980s,
ensuring employment remained high and giving the ruling Liberal Democratic party a
stranglehold on power. The political heavyweights of the era- men such as Kakuei.Tanaka,
Yasuhiro Nakasone and Noboru Takeshita - were judged by their ability to bring hefty projects to
their hometowns. Huge kickbacks were the norm. Yakuza gangsters, who served as go-betweens
and enforcers, also got their cut. Bid-rigging and near monopolies by the big six building firms
(Shimizu, Taisei, Kajima, Takenaka, Obayashi, Kumagai) ensured contracts were lucrative enough
to provide hefty kickbacks to the politicians. The doken kokka was a racket on a national scale.
But there is only so much concrete you can usefully lay without ruining the environment.The
ever-diminishing returns were made apparent in the 1990s, when even the most creative
politicians struggled to justify the government's stimulus spending packages. This was a period of
extraordinarily expensive bridges to sparsely inhabited regions, multi-lane roads between tiny
rural communities, cementing over the few remaining natural riverbanks, and pouring ever
greater volumes of concrete into the sea walls that were supposed to protect 40% of the Japanese
coastline.
In his book Dogs and Demons, the author and longtime Japanese resident Alex Kerr laments the
cementing over of riverbanks and hillsides in the name of flood and mudslide prevention.
Runaway.government-subsidised construction projects, he told an interviewer, "have wreaked
untold damage on mountains, rivers, streams, lakes, wetlands, everywhere — and it goes on at a
heightened pace. That is the reality of modern Japan, and the numbers are staggering:'
He said the amount of concrete laid per square metre in Japan is 30 times the amount in America,
and that the volume is almost exactly the same. "So we're talking about a country the size of
California laying the same amount of concrete [as the entire US]. Multiply America's strip malls
and urban sprawl by 30 to get a sense of what's going on in Japan:'
Traditionalists and environmentalists were horrified - and ignored. The cementation of Japan ran
contrary to classic aesthetic ideals of harmony with nature and an appreciation of mujo
(impermanence), but was understandable given the ever-present fear of earthquakes and
tsunamis in one of the world's most seismically active nations. Everyone knew the grey banked
rivers and shorelines were ugly, but nobody cared as long as they could keep their homes from
being flooded.
Which made the devastating 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami all the more shocking. At
coastal towns such as Ishinomaki, Kamaishi and Kitakami, huge sea walls that had been built over
decades were swamped in minutes. Almost 16,OOo people died, a million buildings were
destroyed or damaged, town streets were blocked with beached ships and port waters were filled
with floating cars. It was a still more alarming story at Fukushima, where the ocean surge
engulfed the outer defences of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant and caused a level 7
meltdown.
Briefly, it seemed this might become a King Canute moment for Japan - when the folly of human
hubris was exposed by the power of nature. But the concrete lobby was just too strong. The
Liberal Democratic party returned to power a year later with a promise to spend 2OOtn yen
(£1.4tn) on public works over the next decade, equivalent to about 40% of Japan's economic
output.
i
'It feels like we're in jail, even though we haven't done anything bad'
...A seawall in Yamada, Iwate prefecture, Japan,2018. Photograph:
Kim Kyung-Noon/Reuters
Construction firms were once again ordered to hold back the sea, this time with even taller,
thicker barriers. Their value is contested. Engineers claim these 12-metre-high walls of concrete
will stop or at least slow future tsunamis, but locals have heard such promises before. The area
these defences protect is also of lower human worth now the land has been largely depopulated
and filled with paddy fields and fish farms. Environmentalists say mangrove forests could provide
a far cheaper buffer. Tellingly, even many tsunami-scarred locals hate the concrete between them
and the ocean.
"It feels like we're in jail, even though we haven't done anything bad," an oyster fisherman,
Atsushi Fujita, told Reuters. "We can no longer see the sea" said the Tokyo-born photographer
Tadashi Ono,who took some of the most powerful images of these massive new structures. He
described them as an abandonment of Japanese history and culture. "Our richness as a civilisation
is because of our contact with the ocean," he said. "Japan has always lived with the sea, and we
were protected by the sea. And now the Japanese government has decided to shut out the sea:'
here was an inevitability about this. Across the world, concrete has become
synonymous with development. In theory, the laudable goal of human progress is
measured by a series of economic and social indicators, such as life-expectancy,
infant mortality and education levels. But to political leaders, by far the most
important metric is gross domestic product, a measure of economic activity that,
more often than not, is treated as a calculation of economic size. GDP is how
governments assess their weight in the world. And nothing bulks up a country like concrete.
That is true of all countries at some stage. During their early stages of development, heavyweight
construction projects are beneficial like a boxer putting on muscle. But for already mature
economies, it is harmful like an aged athlete pumping ever stronger steroids to ever less effect.
During the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis, Keynesian economic advisers told the Japanese
government the best way to stimulate GDP growth was to dig a hole in the ground and fill it.
Preferably with cement. The bigger the hole, the better. This meant profits and jobs. Of course, it
is much easier to mobilise a nation to do something that improves people's lives, but either way
concrete is likely to be part of the arrangement. This was the thinking behind Roosevelt's New
Deal in the 1930s, which is celebrated in the US as a recession-busting national project but might
also be described as the biggest ever concrete-pouring exercise up until that point. The Hoover
Dam alone required 3.3m cubic metres, then a world record. Construction firms claimed it would
outlast human civilisation.
But that was lightweight compared to what is now happening in China, the concrete superpower
of the 21st century and the greatest illustration of how the material transforms a culture (a
civilisation intertwined with nature) into an economy(a production unit obsessed by GDP
statistics). Beijing's extraordinarily rapid rise from developing nation to superpower-in-waiting
has required mountains of cement, beaches of sand and lakes of water. The speed at which these
materials are being mixed is perhaps the most astonishing statistic of the modern age: since 2003,
China has poured more cement every three years than the US managed in the entire 2oth century.
Today, China uses almost half the world's concrete. The property sector - roads, bridges, railways,
urban development and other cement-and-steel projects - accounted for a third of its economy's
expansion in 2017. Every major city has a floor-sized scale model of urban development plans that
has to be constantly updated as small white plastic models are turned into mega-malls, housing
complexes and concrete towers.
But, like the US, Japan, South Korea and every other country that "developed"before it, China is
reaching the point where simply pouring concrete does more harm than good. Ghost malls, half-
empty towns and white elephant stadiums are a growing sign of wasteful spending. Take the huge
new airport in Luliang,which opened with barely five flights a day, or the Olympic Bird's Nest
stadium, so underused that it is now more a monument than a venue. Although the adage "build
and the people will come" has often proved correct in the past, the Chinese government is
worried. After the National Bureau of Statistics found 450 sq km of unsold residential floor space,
the country's president, Xi Jinping, called for the "annihilation" of excess developments.
The Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River,China, is the largest
concrete structure in the world. Photograph: Laoma/Alamy
Empty, crumbling structures are not just an eyesore,but a drain on the economy and a waste of
productive land. Ever greater construction requires ever more cement and steel factories,
discharging ever more pollution and carbon dioxide. As the Chinese landscape architect Yu
Kongjian has pointed out, it also suffocates the ecosystems - fertile soil, self-cleansing streams,
storm-resisting mangrove swamps, flood-preventing forests - on which human beings ultimately
depend. It is a threat to what he calls "eco-security".
Yu has led the charge against concrete, ripping it up whenever possible to restore riverbanks and
natural vegetation. In his influential book The Art of Survival, he warns that China has moved
dangerously far from Taoist ideals of harmony with nature. "The urbanisation process we follow
today is a path to death," he has said.
Yu has been consulted by government officials, who are increasingly aware of the brittleness of
the current Chinese model of growth. But their scope for movement is limited. The initial
momentum of a concrete economy is always followed by inertia in concrete politics. The
president has promised a shift of economic focus away from belching heavy industries and
towards high-tech production in order to create a "beautiful country" and an "ecological
civilisation", and the government is now trying to wind down from the biggest construction boom
in human history, but Xi cannot let the construction sector simply fade away,because it employs
more than 55 million workers - almost the entire population of the UK. Instead, China is doing
what countless other nations have done, exporting its environmental stress and excess capacity
overseas.
Beijing's much-vaunted Belt and Road Initiative - an overseas infrastructure investment project
many times greater than the Marshall Plan - promises a splurge of roads in Kazakhstan, at least 15
dams in Africa, railways in Brazil and ports in Pakistan, Greece and Sri Lanka. To supply these and
other projects, China National Building Material - the country's biggest cement producer - has
announced plans to construct 100 cement factories across 50 nations. -
his will almost certainly mean more criminal activity. As well as being the primary vehicle for
super-charged national building, the construction industry is also the widest channel for bribes.
In many countries, the correlation is so strong, people see it as an index: the more
concrete, the more corruption.
According to the watchdog group Transparency International, construction is the
world's dirtiest business, far more prone to graft than mining, real estate, energy or
the arms market. No country is immune, but in recent years, Brazil has revealed most
clearly the jawdropping scale of bribery in the industry.
As elsewhere, the craze for concrete in South America's biggest nation started benignly enough as
a means of social development, then morphed into an economic necessity, and finally
metastasised into a tool for political expediency and individual greed. The progress between these
stages was impressively rapid. The first huge national project in the late 1950s was the
construction of a new capital, Brasilia, on an almost uninhabited plateau in the interior. A million
cubic metres of concrete were poured on the highlands site in just 41 months to encase the soil
and erect new edifices for ministries and homes.
3 _
I
- Ak
` 7
The National Museum of the Republic by Oscar Niemeyer, Brasilia,
Brazil. Photograph: Image Broker/Rex Features
This was followed by a new highway through the Amazon rainforest - the TransAmazonia - and
then from 1970, South America's biggest hydroelectric power plant, the Itaipu on the Parana river
border with Paraguay, which is almost four times bulkier than the Hoover Dam. The Brazilian
operators boast the 12.3m cubic,metres of concrete would be enough to fill 210 Maracana
stadiums. This was a world record until China's Three Gorges Dam choked the Yangtze with 27.2m
cubic metres.
With the military in power, the press censored and no independent judiciary, there was no way of
knowing how much of the budget was siphoned off by the generals and contractors. But the
problem of corruption has become all too apparent since 1985 in the post-dictatorship era, with
virtually no party or politician left untainted.
For many years, the most notorious of them was Paulo Maluf, the governor of Sao Paulo, who had
run the city during the construction of the giant elevated expressway known as Minhocao, which
means Big Worm. As well as taking credit for this project, which opened in 1969, he also allegedly
skimmed $1bn from public works in just four years, part of which has been traced to secret
accounts in the British Virgin islands. Although wanted by Interpol, Maluf evaded justice for
decades and was elected to a number of senior public offices. This was thanks to a high degree of
public cynicism encapsulated by the phrase most commonly used about him: "He steals, but he
gets things done" - which could describe much of the global concrete industry.
Paulo Maluf attending the debate over the impeachment of
President Dilma Rousseff in Brasilia,2016. Photograph:Ueslei
MarceLino/Reuters
But his reputation as the most corrupt man in Brazil has been overshadowed in the past five years
by Operation Car Wash, an investigation into a vast network of bid-rigging and money laundering.
Giant construction firms - notably Odebrecht,Andrade Gutierrez and Camargo Correa -were at
the heart of this sprawling scheme, which saw politicians, bureaucrats and middle-men receive at
least $2bn worth of kickbacks in return for hugely inflated contracts for oil refineries, the Belo
Monte dam, the 2014 World Cup, the 2016 Olympics and dozens of other infrastructure projects
throughout the region. Prosecutors said Odebrecht alone had paid bribes to 415 politicians and 26
political parties.
As a result of these revelations, one government fell, a former president of Brazil and the vice
president of Ecuador are in prison, the president of Peru was forced to resign, and dozens of other
politicians and executives were put behind bars. The corruption scandal also reached Europe and
Africa. The US Department of Justice called it "the largest foreign bribery case in history". It was
so huge that when Maluf was finally arrested in 2017, nobody batted an eyelid.
uch corruption is not just a theft of tax revenue, it is a motivation for environmental
crime: billions of tonnes of CO2 pumped into the atmosphere for projects of dubious
social value and often pushed through - as in the case of Belo Monte - against the
opposition of affected local residents and with deep concerns among environmental
licensing authorities.
Although the dangers are increasingly apparent, this pattern continues to repeat itself. India and
Indonesia are just entering their high-concrete phase of development. Over the next 40 years, the
newly built floor area in the world is expected to double. Some of that will bring health benefits.
The environmental scientist Vaclav Smil estimates the replacement of mud floors with concrete in
the world's poorest homes could cut parasitic diseases by nearly 80%. But each wheelbarrow of
concrete also tips the world closer to ecological collapse.
Chatham House predicts urbanisation, population growth and economic development will push
global cement production from 4 to 5bn tonnes a year. If developing countries expand their
infrastructure to current average global levels, the construction sector will emit 470 gigatonnes of
carbon dioxide by 2050, according to the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate.
This violates the Paris agreement on climate change, under which every government in the world
agreed that annual carbon emissions from the cement industry should fall by at least 16%by 2030
if the world is to reach the target of staying within 1.5C to 2C of warming. It also puts a crushing
weight on the ecosystems that are essential for human wellbeing.
The dangers are recognised. A report last year by Chatham House calls for a rethink in the way
cement is produced. To reduce emissions, it urges greater use of renewables in production,
improved energy efficiency, more substitutes for clinker and, most important, the widespread
adoption of carbon capture and storage technology - though this is expensive and has not yet
been deployed in the industry on a commercial scale.
Architects believe the answer is to make buildings leaner and, when possible, to use other
materials, such as cross-laminated timber. It is time to move out of the "concrete age" and stop
thinking primarily about how a building looks, said Anthony Thistleton.
"Concrete is beautiful and versatile but, unfortunately, it ticks all the boxes in terms of
environmental degradation," he told the Architects Journal. "We have a responsibility to think
about all the materials we are using and their wider impact."
But many engineers argue that there is no viable alternative. Steel, asphalt and plasterboard are
more energy intensive than concrete. The world's forests are already being depleted at an
alarming rate even without a surge in extra demand for timber.
Phil Purnell, a professor of materials and structures at Leeds University, said the world was
unlikely to reach a "peak concrete" moment.
"The raw materials are virtually limitless and it will be in demand for as long as we build roads,
bridges and anything else that needs a foundation," he said. "By almost any measure it's the least
energy-hungry of all materials."
Instead, he calls for existing structures to be better maintained and conserved, and, when that is
not possible, to enhance recycling. Currently most concrete goes to landfill sites or is crushed and
reused as aggregate. This could be done more efficiently, Purnell said, if slabs were embedded
with identification tags that would allow the material to be matched with demand. His colleagues
at Leeds University are also exploring alternatives to Portland cement. Different mixes can reduce
the carbon footprint of a binder by up to two-thirds, they say.
Arguably more important still is a change of mindset away from a developmental model that
replaces living landscapes with built environments and nature-based cultures with data-driven
economies. That requires tackling power structures that have been built on concrete, and
recognising that fertility is a more reliable base for growth than solidity.
Guardian Concrete Week investigates the shocking impact of concrete on the modern world. Follow
Guardian Cities on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use the hashtag#GuardianConcreteWeek to
join the discussion or sign up for our weekly newsletter
We've never had a better chance ...
... to make a greener world. Covid-lg has delivered unusual environmental benefits: cleaner air,
lower carbon emissions, a respite for wildlife. Now the big question is whether we can capitalise
on this moment. The Guardian aims to lead the debate from the front.
In the weeks and months ahead, our journalism will investigate the prospects for a new green
settlement. We will showcase the big thinkers and protagonists and amplify the arguments for
Audit of the City of Oshkosh's Use of
Permeable Material
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
December 2018
1.) Executive Summary
Stormwater runoff has multiple negative implications in urban settings such as: chemical
pollution,wetland contamination,biodiversity loss,and flooding. Financial investments are
made to pay for the sewer systems and water treatment that goes into maintaining and managing
stormwater runoff. Stormwater is greatly impacted by the use of impermeable materials. In order
construct permeable pavements the city must allow the use of permeable pavements.
We are proposing to change or add new city codes and ordinances to include permeable
pavements.Allowing the option for permeable pavements can help make Oshkosh more efficient
and sustainable.This will benefit the city of Oshkosh both from an environmental standpoint and
an economic standpoint.The amount of stormwater can be reduced by implementing permeable
pavements in areas of high flood risk and appropriate soil type. Putting permeable materials in
areas of low volume traffic areas such as smaller streets,driveways,and parking lots could
greatly benefit the city.,
2.) Background/Context/Problem Identification
We will be looking into Section 30-175(19) of Oshkosh Zoning Ordinances which covers
how streets, parking areas,and driveways are to be paved. Section 30-172(N)(2)(a) will also be
looked at specifically for information regarding driveways and their potential for permeable
pavement. Section 30-161(10) shows more openness to using permeable materials when it comes
to constructing driveways. DNR Technical Specifications 1008 are used as a reference for
permeable pavement and will be discussed further in the audit along with the previously
mentioned ordinances.
Stormwater runoff has multiple negative implications in urban settings. Impermeable
materials create flooding risks in urban areas. Storm water runoff in urban areas is greatly
affected by impervious surfaces. Issues that are associated with impervious surfaces and
stormwater runoff include the following: chemical pollution,wetland contamination,biodiversity
loss,and flooding. Chemical pollution of the local waterways happens from metals that come
from vehicles using the roads and parking lots. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons,PAHs, are
found from fossil based fuels and in coal tar sealant that is placed on top of parking lots
(Englehaupt,2009).
PAHs are considered hazardous and carcinogens.They are known to be toxic and can
cause developmental issues within children.Tar sealants wear down over years and water runoff
will take the chemicals and metals into the local waterways.The concentration of pollutants is
incredibly high in periods of initial rainfall or snowmelt. Pollutants negatively affect the
surrounding wetlands, streams,and rivers (Sievers,2018).Animals living in these environments,
such as frogs or macroinvertebrates,suffer from these implications (Colton,2014).
Having impervious surfaces in urban areas increases the risk for flooding. Flood damage
can affect homes, streets and other structures. Buildings along rivers or wetlands are more at risk
for flood damage if the runoff is not handled appropriately. Flood repairs are costly to the
individuals living in the area and should be dealt with properly. Soil erosion from flooding can
happen as the stormwater runoffs moves not only chemicals,but sediments in certain areas
(Hellman,2018).
Switching to permeable surfaces could help protect our local waterways.The limited
amount of chemicals and metals going into the water will result in a healthier ecosystem. Less
investment can be put towards cleaning the water from these toxic compounds.The result could
also be a cost reduction for stormwater management and maintenance. Less runoff will result in
smaller sewer lines and pipes.The City of Oshkosh can end up saving money in the long run for
the investment of permeable pavement.
3.) Audit
The goal auditing Oshkosh Zoning Ordinances and codes was to gain an understanding of
what is allowed or not allowed when surfacing,roads,parking lots and any other hard surface.
After initial base information was found,an overall grade was given based on the information
that allowed,prohibited or did not mention permeable pavement. Specific recommendations are
given so the city of Oshkosh can be better prepared for the implementation of permeable
materials.
Does the municipality have experience with permeable material,curbless streets or other green
infrastructure measures?
Barriers Tips Codes References and Notes,Ideas and Grade
Language Strategies
Local Taking a group tour Yes - See Coughlin Some experience B+
Knowledge to a permeable Center, Senior Center, and work has been
paving site or Menominee Nation done with
bringing in university Arena. No code permeable material.
or state departments prohibiting permeable Most has been done
of natural resources pavers. with parking lots
or environmental and private
protection staff to companies.
talk about options
can help build
knowledge.
Are standard specifications or performance standards adopted or referenced for
permeable materials?
Barriers Tips Codes References Notes,Ideas and Grade
and Language Strategies
Public Works Many state City of Oshkosh The standards allow C
standards departments of follows DNR for permeable
Local natural resources Technical pavement in places
Knowledge or environmental Specifications 1008 which have
protection and the stormwater flooding
American Society and appropriate soil.
of Civil Engineers Permeable pavement
publish standards practice is allowed
that can be but has not been
reference in local followed through.
standards or
codes.
Must a sealant be used on improved surfaces,and,if so,can that provision be
waived?
Barriers Tips Codes Notes, Ideas and Grade
References and Strategies
Language
Public Works When adding No code found Permeable F
Standards allowances for for sealant pavements
permeable requirement on would need to
surfacing, pavement. have a waiver in
communities order to be
must ensure that effective. Code
any requirement should be
for sealants is written to
modified or specify what
waived for pavements use
permeable or cannot use
surfacing. sealants.
Are low volume street sections allowed or encouraged to be permeable?
Barriers Tips Codes References Notes,Ideas and Grade
and Language Strategies
Zoning A good place to Section 30-175(19) The way the code is C-
Subdivision start can be to of Oshkosh Zoning written currently
Public works write a general Ordinances only directs roads to
standards and waiver in the be paved in either
specifications code allowing "All off-street concrete or asphalt.
permeable parking,loading,and Paving of low
surfacing"upon traffic circulation volume streets in
review and areas shall be graded permeable pavement
approval of the and surfaced... hard, hasn't been done. It
village/city all-weather or other is important to
engineer," or surface" construct and design
making an as-of- the road not to
right allowance conflict with
All driveways and
in parking stalls, parking areas shall underground
with other areas be surfaced with... services. Zoning did
allowed with asphaltic concrete, not mention
engineering concrete,or any permeable pavement
review other surfacing... as but left door open approved by the Public Works
Department of concrete
Public Works." specifications
contradict Zoning
Section 900.2.2.1 of
Public Work
Standard
Specifications:
"Concrete shall be
composed of
Portland Cement,
aggregates and
water."
Can parking lanes along streets be constructed with permeable surfacing?
Barriers Tips Codes Notes,Ideas and Grade
References and Strategies
Language
Zoning A good place to Section 30- Similar C-
Subdivision start can be to 175(19) of restrictions of
Public Works write a general Oshkosh Zoning pavement is
standards and waiver in the Ordinances found with street
specifications code allowing parking. Code
permeable "All off-street can be changed
surfacing"upon parking, to include
review and loading,and permeable
approval of the traffic pavement.
village/city circulation areas Construction
engineer," or shall be graded conflicts should
making an as-of- and surfaced... be considered
right allowance hard,all-weather before
in parking stalls, or other surface" proceeding.
with other areas
allowed with
engineering
review.
Is the width or total surface area of driveways limited (e.g,as percent of lot area)?
Barriers Tips Codes Notes,Ideas and Grade
References and Strategies
Language
Zoning (lot Many Section 30- Code has limitation for B
coverage or communities 172(N)(2)(a) max width of driveways.
general limit driveway Maximum width The previous code
regulations) widths to 20 feet of 24 feet at mentions the requirement
Public works for residential front,lot line, that driveways have to be
standards and 24 or 30 feet can be max of concrete or asphalt. It
for non- 12 feet wide or does say that the
residential uses, no more than the driveway can be another
or limited as a width of the material approved by
percent of total. garage. Public Works. New
lot area. In dense Section 30- parking or traffic
settings, 161(10) of circulation areas must be
permeable Oshkosh Zoning constructed with
driveways may permeable pavement
be allowed to "New driveways unless proven to be
exceed limits. must be ineffective. Permeable
constructed with materials could be written
durable into the code if approved
materials such as by Public Works.
concrete,
asphalt,brick,
stone and
permeable
pavers."
Are driveway aprons allowed or encouraged to be permeable?
Barriers Tips Codes Notes,Ideas and Grade
References and Strategies
Language
Zoning (lot Many Currently this is Code would D
coverage or communities not practice and need to be
general require all we have not updated and
regulations) driveway aprons allowed this nor written in detail.
Public Works to be do we appear to The codes
standards constructed of have anything in referring to
concrete.This our code driveways do
can have the allowing it. show some
effect of leniency to
prohibiting allow permeable
installation of pavements.
French drains at Public Works
driveway would need to
aprons. consider this.
4.) Stakeholder Identification
David Stertz is a civil engineer who works as Chief of Design for the Wisconsin
Department of Transportation. He has twenty seven years experience as an engineer in the field
of road construction and water management. Stertz learned about hydraulics and water drainage
somewhat while in school at UW Platteville. Stertz would be considered an expert stakeholder as
he does have knowledge about pavement techniques and city operations. However,he does not
have an extensive knowledge in the subject of permeable materials in colder climates. Some of
his staff in his department are more oriented in the subject.
Stertz is not in favor a permeable pavement unless they are tested to and hold up against
frost damage.The issue of stormwater runoff is a concern that he feels should be addressed.
Flooding in urban areas are a serious issue that are being affected by paved surfaces. "Any time
we can reduce runoff we can lessen our infrastructure investment." The city can save money and
maintenance costs if there is more drainage happening. By reducing the amount of runoff
Oshkosh can maintain or reduce its hydraulic infrastructure such as pipes and ditches.
A potential issue in putting in permeable material is oversaturation of the ground during
heavy rain periods.The heavy rains could make the runoff not as effective. Heavy rain years
could also oversaturate the soil in the road grade and this could weaken the pavements stability.
In his opinion,frost heaves that happen in this climate could disrupt the placement of permeable
pavement as well.
Stertz has not implemented or handled permeable pavement specifically,although he is in
favor of infiltration basins,french drains,and infiltration ditches. He feels that Oshkosh could
benefit from permeable pavement and it would work well it's done correctly. Steitz remains
skeptical of permeable materials,but believes they could be used more in Wisconsin as a whole
if more research and attention is given to the subject.
Lisa Mick works for the Facilities Management on the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
campus. She is the supervisor for the Ground and Automotive department. Most of her
knowledge comes from the city engineer John Ferris. She feels that porous asphalt and porous
concrete are not a wise decision for the-University to use. Porous material may get clogged with
other material and not let the water pass through all the way.Another potential issue she finds
could be the cost of implementing the new paving system.
Mick has not had any personal experience in using permeable material in her job. She
would be a primary stakeholder as she is directly affected by the permeable pavement ordinances
in Oshkosh. She feels that permeable pavements would be beneficial on campus to reduce the
amount of standing water in certain areas. It would be incredibly useful in winter because
standing water turns into ice that causes hazards for students and pedestrians. Personally Mick
would be in support of permeable pavers which are thin layers of concrete or brick that are laid
out in a interlocking pattern.The layout of pavers it similar to cobblestone as it will let water to
infiltrate into the ground through the gaps. Mick is in favor of and supports permeable pavement.
Mick feels that the city of Oshkosh is capable of allowing permeable pavements.
Tom Kraus owner of Kraus equipment explains that permeable pavement is a great
technological advancement to the standard use of concrete, he understands what's it take to
install concrete around the eastern part of Wisconsin. Kraus states that converting to permeable
pavement systems in the business perspective is a cost-intensive process.The amount of money
that needs to convert over to tools that are needed are a lot to take on, especially without
incentives to do so. Equipment needed for installing concrete starts at thousands of dollars to
hundred thousands of dollars.The capital needed he estimated to be around a couple of million
dollars or so but even if they would convert over what use is all the equipment that they bought
for standard concrete.The technology for the construction business continuously changes,but
the older stuff still works just as well.
Tom states that once the technology becomes cheaper than what it is at,or incentives to
help purchase it the only way that people will move away from conventional concrete.
Permeable pavement is a great idea he stated people have asked him about the idea and process it
will take for it to work. He has incorporated some of the processes to make permeable pavement
efficient by incorporating drainage systems within the concrete system they install. By allowing
water to be drained into a drainage system under the concrete that disperses the water into the
gravel base layer helps water from onto and in close proximity. In the future hopefully,his
business can convert to a more sustainable product but until the price of materials and operation
can decreases that change to it will be a slow process.
Jennifer Foster the director of urban planning at York University in Toronto explains that
largest limitation of permeable pavement is the cost of the product but also the cost of a company
doing it well.Where permeable pavement works well are in governmental facilities or in heavy
budgeted parking lots. Professor Foster states that the best example is a site that can have the
perpetration and and paving to be able to handle the large climatic range. She says that there are
sites that have been a great example site where political will to invest in the site and a budget that
allows for the preparations are the most successful. Small practice sites are great for a baseline
study and creation of regulations to lead to a greater push for more people to be inclined to want
to do the green way.The long term plan to permeable pavements is that it does not provide a
present a direct cost saving,but with a political will to invest and incentives to create a more
sustainable system.
Foster believes that as technology of permeable pavement and the knowledge advances
the cost for such products will as well.This will lead to more contractors and private ownership
will be better trained and prepared for building around permeable pavement. Permeable
pavement is becoming a more attractive product. She referenced the Menominee river valley that
uses permeable pavement and a large underground catchment tank ,and other small sites that
help put a frame of reference to how to construct a site correctly.
5.) Benchmarking
La Crosse has implemented a program to mitigate flooding,promote water quality and
advance the sustainability goals called the green street program.The green street program
incorporates green infrastructure within the right of way to manage the water runoff. La Crosse
baseline street flooding result in storm events for the 3 month rain event totaling 0.83 of an inch.
a one year in 2.23 inches,a ten year rainfall of 4.40 inches and a ten year in a 2 hour period 2.86
inches.
Madison,Wisconsin the permeable paver project at the Sycamore dog park in September
2014.This test plot site was requested by the WDNR and WDOT to develop technical standards.
Without technical standards to specialty permeable pavers,engineers and the general public may
hesitate to use them.The test site overall cost is $640,000,process rain event that collected water
runoff for two years that approximated 20 storms to improve implantation and effective
recommendation. Permeable pavers can significantly reduces amount of salt that undos up in the
water supply some say by up to 70% stated in the county material website.
The village of Egg Harbor,Wisconsin a small resort community located in the Door
Peninsula that worked to improve Beach park boat trailer parking lot water runoff management.
The project restrictions needed the parking lot to provide more parking space,aesthetically
pleasing and effectively in managing Stormwater runoff. In 2011 construction of a 13,000 sq.ft
section of parking lot was converted from conventual asphalt to permeable pavers. Based on the
doubling the capacity from before Egg Harbor has experience an increased attendance to the
beach and providing the push for more green infrastructure around the village.
6.) Costs
La Crosse breaks down the cost of the green infrastructure into three different section. On
a 20 year cycle there is the initial cost of construction also called the probable construction cost.
The annual cost to maintain and operate the infrastructure and thirdly the repair and replacement
cost. In EPA green infrastructure assistance program states that"the variability in cost can be
attributed to the level of experience of designers and contractors... quality of construction and
Cost parameter Unit Permeable pavement
Low Median High
Net present Value = (A+B) $/SF $12 $16 $20
(A)Probable construction cost $/SF $8 $12 $16
(B) O and M present Value $/SF $4 $4 $4
O and M annual cost $/SF $0.28 $0.28 $0.28
supplies and equipment" (La Crosse). La Crosse's cost analysis for permeable pavement was
valued lowed compared to bioretention systems while reducing flooding by over 50%.
Permeable pavement has a greater effectiveness as the increase implantation represents the most
effective green street option.
Wisconsin salt storage needs report for 2015-2016 year stated that the state spends more
than 28 million dollars on salt,while increasing each year.The report also states that the state
also pays a monthly fee for vendor storage of$10/month per ton of salt. The WDOT states that
in 2016-2017 526,199 tons of salt,3,018,207 gals of liquid salt was used with an average of
$68.74 per ton total winter cost of$87,836,693. A study in Madison conclude that permeable
pavement have the ability to reduce salt amount by 70%. At that rate the total amount of saving
would result in a savings of 61.5 billion dollars.
UC Davis tested permeable pavements to placed standards and regulations,this
implementation would theoretically increase water infiltration into underground storage.
Installation of permeable pavements will be more costly at initially compared to standard asphalt,
how ever the long term cost benefits of permeable pavement while also improving water quality.
Permeable Pavers vs. Asphalt Parking Lot Construction/Maintenance:
1122 Acre Parkins lot Costs over 25 Years
Frequency In 25 Years Permeable Pavements Frequency In 25 Years Asphalt
Installation 1 S16S,3SO.00 1 51091000.00
Detention 1 $15,000.00 0 $0.00
Vaccum Sweep 25 5400.00 0 SO.00
Restore Permeability S $1,750.00 0 $0.00
Refresh Base 1 581100.00 0 SO.00
Crack Seating 0 50.00 25 $250.00
Seal Coat 0 SO.00 S 520,000.00
Stripping 0 50.00 1 $3,125.00
Patching 0 $0.00 5 $100.00
Replace Surface 50.00 1 $32,000.00
Total for 2005 $204=00 Total for 200g $250,875.00
Total for 2015 $306,706.62 Total for 2015 $371,356.28
2015 Cost per Square Foot $14.08 Cost per Square Foot $17.05
2015 Cost per Acre $611,413.23 Cost per Acre $742,712.57,
The cost breakdown above shows the cost difference between permeable pavement
compared to conventional asphalt.The cost per square foot for permeable pavement is $3 less
then convention asphalt,while being roughly $65,000 cheaper over a 25 year span for a 1/2 acre.
UC Davis analyzes that permeable pavement is associated with higher upfront cost due to need
of infrastructure of base layers. Johnathon Murphy states in the report that"these upkeep costs
are related to cracking and patching of worn out surfaces.Asphalt has a high surface tension
(very little flexibility) that is highly affected by weathering,temperature and geologic stress
(earthquakes, ground uplift and sinkholes).The surface of asphalt cracks regularly under the
different stressors and requires constant maintenance to maintain safe roads.This upkeep over
the asphalt lifetime makes it a more expensive choice than permeable pavements,without
offering the benefit of water recharge and filtration" (Murphy).
7.)Barriers
There are many barriers to permeable pavements which can make them difficult to
implement even though the environmental impacts are well documented. Permeable pavement is
a relatively new green infrastructure tool that can be used in a variety of settings. In Oshkosh
specifically,there are concerns about how permeable pavements perform in the winter.These
concerns stem from freeze and thaw cycles,salt or ice that could clog the pores and if they viable
on clay like soils.
Permeable pavements have been shown to reduce many negative environmental impacts
of stormwater water runoff.There is often a concern in Wisconsin that permeable pavements will
not be able to perform adequately due to our poor draining clay soils and harsh winters.
However,many studies have been done in areas where there are clay soils and cold climates.All
of these studies have shown that permeable pavements have been able to reduce the amount of
stormwater runoff and certain types of pollutants.There is a decrease in the amount of outflow
from the pavement as much of stormwater is being infiltrated into the soil below. Infiltration
rates are lowered when soils are still wet which is something to consider during wet seasons.
There is differing research on the amount of stormwater that can be infiltrated. Some research
showed that storms over 50mm will cause some runoff while another study found that permeable
pavements can handle 100 year storms of 2.3mm/min.The differences likely have to do with
different varying soil or temperature type from study to study.
Freeze and thaw cycles,winter salting/sanding and winter effectiveness are also concerns
for permeable pavement in Wisconsin. Many studies found that permeable pavements provided
temporary storage for salt and releasing it slowly into the waterways rather than all at once.The
release rate is dependent on the type of permeable pavement. Porous asphalt was found to
decrease the amount of salt because it does not allow any standing water that could form black
ice.. Porous asphalt was predicted to outlast traditional pavement lifetime in northern climates
due to the lack of heaving found in one study. A long term performance study found that after 10
years the permeability dropped by 10-25% but was still able to handle 100 year storms and was
also predicted to have a longer lifespan than previously thought.
Clogging of permeable pavement in the winter is a concern if sand is the medium to deal
with snow. However, with proper maintenance of vacuuming or power washing decreased this
issue on minimally driven roads. Oshkosh does not use sand currently to deal with snow and ice
but this should noted in case there was thought of switching de icing techniques. While heavily
trafficked roads maintenance had less of an effect due to the number of cars bringing in more
debris.
Cost of the long term plan of permeable pavement or permeable concrete can cost up to
$6 a square foot,at an up-front cost.The long term cost vs the upfront cost can detruire the
decision of choosing the environmentally friendly option. When looking at breakdown of
permeable pavement many companies have shown after construction permeable pavement
options are less expensive than conventional options. Future cost implications have been stated
in price of maintaining permeable pavements as more cost intensive. La Crosse has implemented
green infrastructure with the benefit of the EPA,to receive assistance with code review,green
infrastructure design,and cost-benefit assessments.Assistance programs,political investment
will create a system where price of green technology to become available to everyone.
This research review has shown that permeable pavements have been able to reduce the
negative effects of pollutants and stormwater runoff. Many of the studies focused on soils or
climate separately so a small test area could be good as a start in Oshkosh.There are many
different types of permeable pavement that would be up to the city engineer for review what
would be the most suitable type of pavement for each situation. It was also shown that permeable
pavements in tandem with other types of stormwater management systems are more effective at
reducing stormwater runoff.This is another consideration for the city planners especially in
parking lots where many permeable pavement developments start.
8.) Specific Recommendations
#1.) Create a small test/sample area that allows the City of Oshkosh to test the effectiveness of
permeable pavement in reduce stormwater and managing pollutants.This would allow for
localized numbers to produced and used for future permeable pavement projects or ordinances
changes. Starting small and controlled would allow the City of Oshkosh to be confident in the
technology and to see how it will help meet its sustainability goals while also saving them
money. Sampling could also be done on previously implemented permeable pavements like at
the Menominee arena,the Senior Center.
#2.)Add language into the code allowing and encouraging permeable pavement, especially for
new developments.Adding language in the code that specifically allows,encourages or requires
permeable pavement will increase the likelihood that permeable pavements will be implemented.
In the current state,Zoning and Codes and Public Works Standards have some contradictions
that could make it more difficult for developers to use permeable pavers. Accepting permeable
pavement into standard practice in the code will allow for ease of green development.
#3.)New parking lots should have permeable pavement stalls. By having permeable stalls in
parking lots,the amount of pollutants that run off from parking lots would be significantly
reduced.Also if the stalls are permeable this would reduce the amount of wear and tear on the
permeable pavement allowing it to last longer making it a good long term investment.
9.) Significance for Sustainability
The city of Oshkosh is currently following a practice of using impermeable pavements
unsustainably.A standard definition of sustainable development is a development that meets the
needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own
needs. Sustainability is created when three essential needs are fulfilled. Society needs to work
with the environment,and the economy in order to create a sustainable circumstance.
Stormwater runoff is much more prevalent in urban settings than it is in a natural environment.
Effects of water runoff cause damage to the cities surrounding waterways and ecosystem.
Stormwater management and maintenance is costing citizens money for a system that is not the
most efficient. Flood damage from the overflow causes damage to both the natural environment
as well as citizens homes and property (Martinez,2017).
Water is an essential resource and every person has a right to clean drinking water.
Stormwater carrying trace heavy metals and toxic chemicals is detrimental to native wildlife and
human health.A study sampled fifty different rain events on a highway over the course of a year.
It found that hydrocarbons,zinc,and lead are found in the water runoff from the gasoline from
cars. Oshkosh is right along interstate 41 and there is a large amount of water runoff from roads
and highways that go into our local area. It is much harder to regulate everyone's individual cars
than it is to manage stormwater.These substances are accumulating over time and can have
detrimental effect on our environment(Legret, 1999).
The issue with water contamination needs to be dealt with as citizens of Oshkosh get
their water from the Fox River and Lake Winnebago.Another study was conducted to to find out
if rain intensity on impermeable pavement would affect the toxicity of urban runoff. Simulated
rainfall was manipulated on three different parking lots to test the duration and intensity of rain.
Higher intensity of rain diluted the stormwater and the water was considered less toxic. However
all three parking lots tested,regardless of intensity and duration,tested to have toxic water
runoff.The point to be made by using this article is that dilution cannot cure the problem of
toxicity in water. By lessening the runoff from roads we can limit the amount of chemicals and
metals going into our water.The city could potentially save money on waste water treatment as
well (Greenstein,2004).
In periods of heavy rains flooding naturally increases and can cause severe damage to the
landscape. Flooding can cause soil erosion as certain types of sediments are more likely to be
displaced into different locations. In impervious surface areas this causes hazardous conditions
when driving. Hydroplaning becomes a risk,especially during the initial rainfall,and puts drivers
in danger of crashing.There are quite a few homes along the Fox River and Lake Winnebago.
Diverting runoff from naturally infiltrating the ground and sending it to the river and lake causes
the water levels to rise. Basements become flooded,lawns can be damaged,and houses will need
repairs. In some cases water damage can cause upwards of$10,000.This situation needs to be
addressed as it can cause not only physical and fiscal damage,but damaged items within the
homes can create a whole other issue for the homeowner(Hellman,2018).
The economic issues and environmental issues that are caused from stormwater runoff
affect social problems. Citizens of Oshkosh have concerns over their own health and financial
issues. If the city fails to protect their drinking water or their land there will be a serious issue.
Citizens will be critical of local officials if their tax money funding stormwater fails to protect
their property. Sustainability will fail if there is no balance of society,economy and
environment.
10.) Summary/Conclusion
Impermeable surfaces cause negative impacts on the environments health.The
maintaining and management of stormwater runoff is a costly investment that for local citizens.
Stormwater management is not currently efficient and fool proof.The environmental and
economic issues caused by stormwater runoff creates social issues within the community.
Citizens want and deserve a sufficient system for managing stormwater. Looking into the future
the investment of permeable pavement can result in long term benefits.
Permeable pavements can reduce harmful urban stormwater runoff,reduce the need for
deicing roads,and potentially last longer that current pavements. Working with Public Works,
city planners,and city engineers is the way to find a solution.The idea of permeable pavement
should be take part in a serious discussion at city hall.The current system of using impermeable
materials is not sustainable.The impermeable surfaces cause stormwater runoff which
contributes to negative effects on the environment,the economy,and public health. Stormwater
runoff can be lessened greatly by making changes from impermeable surfaces to permeable
surfaces. Changing a few lines in some zoning and ordinance codes can cause a butterfly effect.
We can change the future of Oshkosh's green infrastructure to be more sustainable, manageable,
and efficient.
11.) Works Cited
Colton,M. D.,Kwok,K. W.,Brandon,J.A.,Warren,I. H.,Ryde,1.T.,Cooper,E. M., . . . Meyer,J. N.
(2014). Developmental toxicity and DNA damage from exposure to parking lot runoff retention
pond samples in the Japanese medaka(Oryzias latipes). Marine Environmental Research,99,
117-124. doi:10.1016/j.marenvres.2014.04.007
Engelhaupt,E. (2009). Parking lots create sticky pollution problem. Environmental Science &
Technology,43(1),3-3. doi:10.1021/es803118b
Foster,J. (2018,November) Personal Interview.
Greenstein,D.,Tiefenthaler,L.,& Bay,S. (2004).Toxicity of Parking Lot Runoff After Application of
Simulated Rainfall.Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology,47(2).
doi:10.1007/s00244-004-3018-0
Hellman,K.,Wagner,J.,Lass, D.,Korfmacher,K.,& Hanna,B. G. (2018). Estimating the Economic
Impact of Stormwater Runoff in the Allen Creek Watershed. Ecological Economics, 145,420-
429. doi:10.1016/j.ecolecon.2017.11.022
Legret,M.,&Pagotto,C. (1999). Evaluation of pollutant loadings in the runoff waters from a major
rural highway. Science of The Total Environment,235(1-3), 143-150. doi:10.1016/s0048-
9697(99)00207-7
Martinez,G.,Weltz,M.,Pierson,F. B., Spaeth,K. E., & Pachepsky,Y. (2017). Scale effects on runoff
and soil erosion in rangelands: Observations and estimations with predictors of different
availability. Catena, 151, 161-173. doi:10.10 16/j.catena.2016.12.01 I
Mick,L. (2018,November 10) Personal Interview.
"Permeable Pavement (1008) Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Conservation Practice
Standard." Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, www.dnr.wi.gov/.
Permeable pavement systems,County Materials, www.countymaterial.com
Sievers,M.,Parris,K. M., Swearer, S. E., & Hale,R. (2018). Stormwater wetlands can function as
ecological traps for urban frogs. Ecological Applications,28(4), 1106-1115.
doi:10.1002/eap.1714
Stertz,D. (2018,November 8) Personal Interview.
BOARD OF APPEALS BRADLEY M/TIFFANY A VERHAGEN CLAIR L HASSELL
1019 JEFFERSON ST 1727 S PERKINS ST 1912 E MELROSE AVE
08-12-20 APPLETON WI 54914 APPLETON WI 54911
CLINT H/JENESSA L GILBERTSON COMPUTER CORNER HOLDINGS LLC GARY/MICHELLE MEINEN
1009 JEFFERSON ST 9 VIOLA AVE 1032 JEFFERSON ST
OSHKOSH WI 54901 OSHKOSH WI 54901 OSHKOSH WI 54901
HANNAH R KIFLE JACOB FRASHER/HOLLY KOMP JEFFREY R BARTELS
1004 JEFFERSON ST 1010 JEFFERSON ST 1920 W WAUKAU AVE
OSHKOSH WI 54901 OSHKOSH WI 54901 OSHKOSH WI 54902
JOEL P GRIFFIN KAREN S/VIRGINIA R WENDLAND MARK A JUEN/MARIEM AMAMI
1033 JEFFERSON ST 3120 SHELDON DR 714 E D ST
OSHKOSH WI 54901 OSHKOSH WI 54904 BELLEVILLE IL 62220
MELISSA A NOVAK PHILIP T STAERKEL RACHEL BEN-ISMAIL
18 E MELVIN AVE 1014 JEFFERSON ST 1035 JEFFERSON ST
OSHKOSH WI 54901 OSHKOSH WI 54901 OSHKOSH WI 54901
RANDY PATERNOSTER RANKIN ENTERPRISES LLC SOME PROPERTIES LLC
1026 N MAIN ST PO BOX 346 839 OSBORN AVE
OSHKOSH WI 54901 WRIGHTSTOWN WI 54180 OSHKOSH WI 54902
STEVEN T SOSNOSKI JOE STEPHENSON ALANA ERICKSON
1002 N MAIN ST 934 JEFFERSON ST 841 MOUNT VERNON ST
OSHKOSH WI 54901 OSHKOSH WI 54901 OSHKOSH WI 54901
DARREN VANDREEL/MARY MCPHEE
1216 CEDAR ST
OSHKOSH WI 54901
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information are responsible for verifying accuracy. For full disclaimer please go to Printing Date:712812020 Oshkosh
www.ci.oshkosh.wi.us/GlSdisclaimer Prepared by:City of Oshkosh,WI
C:\Users\minak\Desktop\2020 Plan Commission Site Plan Map Template.mxd User:minak