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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClear Wells Summary and AttachementsIntroduction On February 14, 2023, the City of Oshkosh Common Council created the Water Filtration Plant (WFP) Clearwells Replacement Project (Project) Ad Hoc Aesthetics Committee (Committee). The Committee was charged with providing input on the Project site and landscaping along the right-of-way adjacent to the WFP along Lake Shore Drive, Washington Avenues, and Merritt Avenue and the area between Lake Shore Drive and Lake Winnebago referred to as the “Park Area”. Additional details are provided in the attached copy of City of Oshkosh Resolution 23-69. Over the course of four meetings held in May through August 2023, the Committee, along with Committee liaisons from the City Police, Fire, Public Works, Parks, and Planning and Community Development Departments identified, discussed, and provided recommendations for design feature concepts of the Project site and for adjacent areas. The Committee meeting minutes with attachments are posted at https://www.ci.oshkosh.wi.us/PublicWorks/WaterUtility.aspx. Prioritized Aesthetic Concepts Committee members and liaisons used a voting process to prioritize design concepts for Project buildings’ façade, changes to Lake Shore Drive roadway, landscaping, pedestrian way information educational signs and WFP perimeter fencing. The voting results are summarized below. Refer to the attachments for depictions and descriptions of design concepts. During the Committee meetings, the City stated its intention to hire a landscape architect to prepare a landscaping plan for the WFP site perimeter, for the right-of-ways of Lake Shore Drive, Washington Avenue, and Merritt Avenue for the Park Area east of Lake Shore Drive. Committee meeting minutes, along with input from the Parks and Public Works Departments, would be used to develop the landscaping design. Advisory Parks Board Review and Discussion Committee input is being presented to the Advisory Parks Board for its review and comment, in accordance with City Resolution 23-69, and to solicit discussion features that impact the community’s use of Lake Shore Drive, the Park Area, and the Parks Department. Advisory Parks Board consideration is specifically sought on proposed changes to Lake Shore Drive including changing the southern portion of the roadway from a two-way to one-way traffic pattern and eliminating 16 of the existing 48 parking spots. FEBRUARY 14, 2023 23-69 RESOLUTION CARRIED (as amended) 7 - 0 LOST_____ LAID OVER______ WITHDRAWN______) PURPOSE: APPROVE CREATE AD HOC COMMITTEE TO SOLICIT INPUT ON THE CITY’S CLEARWELL REPLACEMENT PROJECT AESTHETIC FEATURES (AS AMENDED) INITIATED BY: CITY MANAGER WHEREAS, the Common Council recognizes the need to solicit input on the City’s Clearwell Replacement Project to provide input as to the aesthetics of the Water Filtration Plant site and landscaping along the right-of-way adjacent to the property along Lake Shore Drive, Washington Avenue and Merritt Avenue and the area between Lake Shore Drive and Lake Winnebago. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Common Council of the City of Oshkosh that an ad hoc committee is hereby created for the following purposes: A. Provide a recommendation for the architectural finishes on the proposed clearwell tanks and pump houses on the Water Filtration Plant (WFP) site to the Plan Commission and Council. B. Review options and provide a recommendation for landscaping and planting the onsite areas along the right-of-way of Lake Shore Drive, Washington Avenue, and Merritt Avenue to the Plan Commission and Council. C. Review options and provide a recommendation for landscaping and planting the Park area east of Lake Shore Drive to the Advisory Parks Board and Council. D. Review options and provide a recommendation for landscaping and improvements to the right-of-ways adjacent to the WFP site. E. To allow for review by the Plan Commission and Advisory Parks Board prior to Council Action, the Committee shall provide recommendations as to the WFP site on or before August 1, 2023. F. Provide a recommendation on how to incorporate educational and/or historical elements relating to water into the final project. It is the intention of the Council that the committee shall represent a broad range of stakeholders and interests and be comprised of 5 or 7 members generally representing the following categories and subcategories, if possible: FEBRUARY 14, 2023 23-69 RESOLUTION CONT’D WFP neighborhood resident A community member who has an interest in landscaping or design A Parks Advisory Board member A resident not residing near the WFP A member representing the sport fishing community. A community member interested in green space or parks A person representing a large utility customer or member of the Chamber of Commerce The final membership number and composition shall be determined upon the appointment of members by the Mayor subject to approval by the Common Council. The City Manager is hereby authorized to assign such staff to assist the committee with their responsibilities as the City Manager may determine necessary and/or convenient. I:\Water Filtration\Clearwells\17-18 WFP Clearwells\Project_Information\Correspondence\Memo\17-18 CC Memo- Ad Hoc Committee_2-9-23.docx Page 1 of 2 TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the Common Council FROM: Steven M. Gohde, Assistant Director of Public Works / Utilities General Manager DATE: February 9, 2023 RE: Approve Creation of Ad Hoc Committee to Solicit Input on the City’s Clearwell Replacement Project Aesthetic Features BACKGROUND As Council is aware, the City must replace its current underground treated drinking water storage clearwells with above-grade structures. Council provided direction on the overall shape and design of the structures through Resolution 22-383 at the September 13, 2022 meeting. The direction was to reconstruct the clearwells with at-grade rectangular cast-in-place concrete tanks and construct intermediate and high-lift pump stations. Staff from Public Works and Jacobs Engineering (Jacobs) have continued to work on the Project and are nearing the point of working on the overall aesthetics of the clearwells and site. The appearance of the structures and surrounding landscaping has been an ongoing concern voiced by members in the community. ANALYSIS The creation of an Ad Hoc Committee will provide the opportunity for a diverse group of citizens to provide input into the final appearance of the clearwell structures and the surrounding landscape. The smaller group will allow for City Staff and Jacobs to educate the Committee on the issues and regulatory requirements related to the proposed work and allow for meaningful discussion and development of a plan. The Committee is recommended to be 5 or 7 individuals to allow for a variety of backgrounds and provide an odd number of individuals for voting. It is recommended the Committee be comprised of individuals who represent interests from the following categories, if possible: 1. A Water Filtration Plant (WFP) neighborhood resident. 2. A community member who has an interest in landscaping or design. I:\Water Filtration\Clearwells\17-18 WFP Clearwells\Project_Information\Correspondence\Memo\17-18 CC Memo- Ad Hoc Committee_2-9-23.docx Page 2 of 2 3. A Parks Advisory Board member. 4. A resident not residing near the WFP. 5. A member representing the sport fishing community. 6. A community member interested in green space or parks. 7. A person representing a large utility customer or member of the Chamber of Commerce. The Committee will be charged with four (4) specific tasks. They are as follows: 1. Provide a recommendation for the architectural finishes of the proposed clearwell tanks and pump houses on the WFP site to the Plan Commission and Council. 2. Provide recommendation for landscaping and planting WFP onsite areas along the right-of-ways of Lake Shore Drive, Washington Avenue, and Merritt Avenue to the Plan Commission and Council. 3. Provide recommendation for landscaping and planting the Park area east of Lake Shore Drive to the Park Board and Council. 4. Provide recommendation for landscaping and improvements to the right-of-ways adjacent to the WFP site to Council. Individuals interested in serving on the Committee must submit applications for review, be recommended by the Mayor, and are subject to approval by the Council. FISCAL IMPACT The formation of the Committee will have no effect on the budget. Staffing of the meetings by City Staff and Jacobs will add some cost to the overall Project, but will be insignificant. The ultimate recommendations by the Committee will have a cost. Until the recommendations are finalized, the cost will not be known. Ultimately, the decision to implement the recommendations of this Committee and the associated costs will be a decision made by the Council. RECOMMENDATIONS I recommend approval of the creation of the Ad Hoc Committee to Solicit Input on the City’s Clearwell Replacement Project Aesthetic Features. Approved, Mark A Rohloff City Manager SMG/tlt ©Jacobs Project Objectives and Opportunities 1 Introduce a water-theme educational/historic feature. −“What do we want people to know? What do we want people to feel? What do we want people to do?”