[ back ]
Briar Hill dam awaits state, federal review
(by Sue Reid - January 13, 2010)
Briar Hill dam awaits state, federal review
By SUE REID
Solon city Engineer John J. Busch told City Council's public works committee last week that he is optimistic the review process by state and federal agencies involved with the Briar Hill Lake dam reconstruction project will be short. But that is the "wild card" in the entire process, he said.
The city has submitted plans for the project, slated to begin next summer, to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. ODNR review will take time, Mr. Busch said, and the Army Corps already has indicated to the city that it needs additional environmental studies. Once that approval is received, construction can begin, he said.
Public Works Director James S. Stanek said the city has built in time for the regulatory reviews. "We're hoping it plays out the way we have it planned," he said. Beginning the project next summer is the "optimum time frame" in which to do it, he said.
The joint project between the city and the Briar Hill subdivision homeowners will involve reconstructing the dam and modifying it to accommodate storm-water management for the city, as well as to help protect the downstream residents. Mr. Stanek said the design of the project is 90 percent complete.
The project cost is estimated at between $1 million and $1.5 million. The cost is broken down with the Briar Hill homeowners paying one-third and the city paying two-thirds. The Briar Hill homeowners' contribution is capped at $500,000.
In related business, the committee approved a change order in the amount of $33,208 for work done by URS engineers in the development of a lease agreement for the project.
Mr. Busch told the committee that the change order would increase the new contract value from $223,232 to $256,440, but that these additional services also would be used in the final design and permit process. The scope of services to be performed by URS includes not only the detailed design of the Obermeyer dam, but also the permit through the state agencies. An emergency action plan is also required by ODNR for a Class 1 dam.
Also, the city's engineering department recommended approval of additional professional services for development of a landscape plan to help buffer the proposed spillway from the adjacent properties in the amount of $6,821. This request also was approved.
"The public works and engineering departments have been working with URS and the Briar Hill Homeowners Association for the last several years in regard to the project," Mr. Busch said. "There have been numerous hurdles to overcome and unforeseen issues that were resolved in order to move forward with the final design."
The most important issue has been the development of the lease agreement between the city and the homeowners association to allow the city to use the Briar Hill Lake as a component of its storm-water management system, Mr. Busch said.
Adam Fair, homeowners association dam committee member who was in attendance at the meeting, said, "The process is moving along." The design phase and regulatory approvals "are part of what we have to get through to get it done," he said.
"We're closer than we've ever been, and we're thrilled about that," Mr. Fair said.
[ back ]
