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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem IWater Filtration Plant Clearwells Replacement Project Aesthetics Ad Hoc Committee Input for Plan Commission Consideration September 19, 2023 2 1.Clearwells Replacement Project Background 2.Aesthetics Ad Hoc Committee Purpose 3.Aesthetics Ad Hoc Committee Findings 4.Plan Commission Review & Input a.Buildings’ exterior finishes b.WFP fence 5.Next Steps AGENDA ©Jacobs Clearwells Replacement Project Background 3 2007. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) issues Clearwells deficiency notice. 2008 –2010. WFP Modifications and Demolition Project. 2012 –2016. Clearwells Replacement preliminary design and other studies. 2017. Clearwells Replacement final design, permitting, and public review. 2018 –2019. Update water demand forecasts per Public Service Commission (PSC) request. 2020 -2021. Revise Clearwells Replacement Project scope; submit partially complete redesign for WDNR, PSC, and public review. 2021 –2022. Investigate extending Clearwells service life and other alternatives. 2023. Form Project aesthetics Ad Hoc Committee; re-initiate design. Over 15 Project meetings with the public and City entities including Common Council, Plan Commission, Inspection Services, and Ad Hoc Aesthetics Committee Clearwells Replacement Project Aesthetics Ad Hoc Committee Purpose 4 ©Jacobs Building Façade Options Update –See Handouts 5 Aesthetics Ad Hoc Committee Preferred Option 1 Option 5 Aesthetics Ad Hoc Committee Considered Option 2 Option 3 Option 4 ©Jacobs Preferred Building Façades and Existing WFP 6 ©Jacobs Committee Preferences 7 Fence with Brick and Stone Piers Fence without Piers ©Jacobs Committee Preferences 8 Landscaping concepts Water-themed educational feature ©Jacobs Next Steps 9 1.Present Committee recommendations, Advisory Park Board input, and Plan Commission input to Common Council 2.Approve Project building façade and fence concepts for final design 3.Engage landscape architect to develop Project landscaping plan 4.Complete Project design and permitting in 2024 5.Complete Project construction 2024 -2026 Thank you CITY OF OSHKOSH WATER FILTRATION PLANT CLEARWELLS REPLACEMENT PROJECT AESTHETICS AD HOC COMMITTEE REPORT [Publish Date] Introduction The City of Oshkosh (City) Water Filtration Plant (WFP) Clearwells Replacement Project (Project) Aesthetics Ad Hoc Committee (Committee) Report (Report) presents a summary of the Project background, Committee purpose, and Committee findings. Detailed input from the Committee, the City Advisory Parks Board, the City Plan Commission, and the City Common Council are documented in Attachment 1. Project Background The City owns and operates a 16 million gallons per day (mgd) WFP on a site that has served as the location for water supply and treatment facilities since the late 1800s. The WFP 9-acre parcel is bound on the north by a public park and beach, on the east by Lake Winnebago, on the south by the National Register Listed Washington Avenue Historic District, and on the west by single-family residences. Refer to Figure 1. The WFP is adjacent to popular public access to Lake Winnebago for sailing, fishing, boating, and swimming. Consequently, both aesthetic and functional requirements are important considerations in WFP improvement projects. The WFP Clearwells (shown outlined in blue on Figure 1-1) are buried potable water storage tanks. In 2007, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) informed the City that the Clearwells are deficient because they do not comply with Wisconsin State Statutes NR 811 Requirements for Design and Operation of Community Water Systems (Natural Resources [NR] 811) which requires water storage tanks to be located above the groundwater table and above the 100-year flood plain. The Clearwells were cited as a deficiency, which indicates a problem in the drinking water system and has the potential to cause serious health risks or to present long-term health risks to consumers. Corrective action must be taken to address water system deficiencies and the WDNR recommended the City plan to upgrade or replace the Clearwells. The purpose of the Project is to replace the existing Clearwells and potable water pumping facilities with infrastructure that meets current regulations. Replacement facilities will be located at-grade and have straight wall heights of approximately 20 feet. While the new facilities will not be as tall as the main WFP treatment facility, they will be about 11 taller than the existing lawn-covered, partially buried Clearwells. Consequently, the new storage and pumping structures will have a significant visible impact. Project Committee Purpose On February 14, 2023, the City of Oshkosh Common Council created the Project Ad Hoc Aesthetics Committee (Committee). The Committee was charged with providing input on the architectural finishes on the water storage reservoirs and pump station and providing recommendations for and landscaping along the right-of-ways 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 conducted 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. Figure 1. City WFP Site CITY OF OSHKOSH WATER FILTRATION PLANT CLEARWELLS REPLACEMENT PROJECT AESTHETICS AD HOC COMMITTEE REPORT [Publish Date] Committee Prioritized Project Aesthetic Features 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 Attachment 1 for details. Additional Input from Committee Meetings In addition to the prioritized Project and adjacent area features highlighted above, other comments and themes, listed in Table 1, were prevalent in Committee discussions of the Project. Table 1. Additional Committee Input on Project CITY OF OSHKOSH WATER FILTRATION PLANT CLEARWELLS REPLACEMENT PROJECT AESTHETICS AD HOC COMMITTEE REPORT [Publish Date] 1 A landscape architect should be retained to prepare a landscaping plan for the WFP site perimeter, for the right-of- ways of Lake Shore Drive, Washington Avenue, and Merritt Avenue and for the Park Area east of Lake Shore Drive. Input from the Committee, the Parks Department, and the Public Works Department can be used as a basis for the landscaping design. Some Committee members are interested in staying engaged during the design process. 2 WFP perimeter landscape will follow guidance available through Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design concepts which mitigate opportunities for unauthorized access to the WFP site and maintain line of site for WFP surveillance cameras while enhancing the appearance of the WFP site. 3 Lake Shore Drive should include a pedestrian way that connects Washington Avenue with Menominee Park. 4 The Project and adjacent area improvements need to balance the goal of increasing green space with functional requirements such as WFP chemical deliveries, Lake Shore Drive access for emergency response vehicles, and lake access along Lake Shore Drive particularly during fishing events. 5 The Project and adjacent area improvements provide an opportunity to construct attractive WFP facilities that will have a long service life and enhanced community access to the lake shore with greater connection to Menominee Park through landscaping design and pedestrian way educational signage. 6 The landscaping design should improve the ecological service of affect areas, particularly through incorporation of native species. 7 There are currently 48 parking stalls on Lake Shore Drive; fewer stalls would be acceptable. Advisory Park Board Review and Discussion On September 11, 2023, the Advisory Park Board reviewed information about the Project and recent Committee input. Following discussion, including public comment, the Advisory Park Board provided the following remarks and recommendations:  Changing the southern portion of Lake Shore Drive from a two-way traffic pattern to a one-way south to north traffic patter would be acceptable, provided good roadway signage was installed.  Because of the high use of the parking stalls along Lake Shore Drive, removal of the 16 stalls on the southern portion of Lake Shore Drive is not recommended. These parking stalls help reduce street parking in adjacent neighborhood, particularly during fishing events. Further, maintaining all or some of the parking on the southern portion is recommended because the suggested changes to the northern portion of Lake Shore Drive reduce the number of parking stalls from 32 to 27.  Other positive features of proposed changes to Lake Shore Drive include adding the pedestrian way, maintaining two existing lake access points, and maximizing green space. Plan Commission Review and Discussion To be provided . . . . . . Plan Commission to consider Committee input regarding the Project buildings’ architectural finishes and for the perimeter fencing. Common Council Review and Discussion To be provided . . . . . . Common Council to consider input from Committee, Advisory Park Board, and Plan Commission. CITY OF OSHKOSH WATER FILTRATION PLANT CLEARWELLS REPLACEMENT PROJECT AESTHETICS AD HOC COMMITTEE REPORT [Publish Date] Attachment 1. Project Meeting Minutes 2023-05-09 Aesthetics Ad Hoc Committee Meeting Minutes – Posted to City website. 2023-06-05 Aesthetics Ad Hoc Committee Meeting Minutes – Posted to City website. 2023-06-29 Aesthetics Ad Hoc Committee Meeting Minutes – Posted to City website. 2023-08-07 Aesthetics Ad Hoc Committee Meeting Minutes – Posted to City website. 2023-09-11 Advisory Park Board Meeting Minutes – To be provided. 2023-09-19 Plan Commission Meeting Minutes – To be provided. 2023-09-26 Common Council Meeting Minutes – To be provided. 2023-10-03 Plan Commission Meeting Minutes – To be provided.