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Bio-retention basin, rain garden get funding
(by Sali McSherry - July 21, 2010)
Bio-retention basin, rain garden get funding
By SALI McSHERRY
Gates Mills is moving forward with a bio-retention basin and rain garden using an $87,525 grant the village is receiving from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Division of Surface Water.
Village Council approved accepting the grant and an engineer to move forward with plans last week.
Councilman Doug Bletcher opposed the project, citing concerns over the cost of maintaining the rain garden and bio-retention basin in the future.
If it's done right, Mayor Connie White said, there wouldn't be any appreciable cost.
The grant would pay for 100 percent of the engineering and construction.
Service Director David Biggert and village Engineer Christopher Courtney said the projects would not only be beneficial in the village's and Cuyahoga County's storm-water programs but would be used as an educational opportunity. They said they hope to design and build the projects before winter.
Mr. Bletcher said he was concerned because he didn't know how much it actually would cost to maintain the basin and rain garden. For instance, what happens if there's standing water, he said. The projects are not a necessity, and the village should not be spending money on them at this time, he said.
Councilwoman Mary Reynolds said it's up to communities to do more about storm-water management and Gates Mills is being proactive in its approach to limiting what's going into the Chagrin River. Even if it does cost some money to maintain, "it's a small price to pay for getting on the bandwagon and protecting the river," she said.
Mr. Biggert said the village service department would maintain the projects. The property currently is maintained, so instead of mowing grass in the area, as an example, the department could be mulching, he said.
The 3,500-square-foot bio-retention basin would be located in the service-yard area adjacent to Village Hall and would capture surface runoff from 100,000 square feet of the service yard and parking lot, Mr. Biggert said. When there's a large flow of water during a storm, the basin would serve as a holding cell and unwanted materials, like oil and fertilizers, would settle out before the water flowed into the river.
The project would have a direct impact on the water quality of storm water, Mr. Courtney said. The runoff from the downspouts and service yard flow directly to the main branch of the Chagrin River downstream from the bridge.
Given the extremely sandy soils at the river, no under-drain is proposed, Mr. Biggert had said, which will allow it to operate much like a sand filter. The location would provide a great opportunity for education and training related to installation and maintenance of a bio-retention facility.
A location for the 1,000-square-foot rain garden has not been determined, Mr. Biggert said. Although it initially had been considered, there are no plans to build it on the front-lawn green in front of Village Hall. There are areas between the U.S. Post Office and Village Hall that could be considered, he said. More discussion is needed to determine a site, he said.
In Cuyahoga County's next storm-water program permit cycle, the village could be ordered to follow new regulations. But, by moving forward now, Mr. Courtney said, the village will be treating storm water.
Mrs. Schneider said it's a case of being proactive instead of reactive.
Mr. Biggert said installation of similar rain gardens and bio-retention areas throughout Gates Mills would help protect the river and treat and infiltrate additional storm water prior to discharge into the river.
Village Council President Karen Schneider said it sets a good example for residents,
The plan would be to use the project as an educational opportunity to instruct residents regarding the proper methodology for design, construction and maintenance of a rain garden, Mr. Courtney said.
Education and outreach activities would include installing a rain garden display at Village Hall and the Gates Mills Public Library, conducting a workshop on how to install a rain garden and drainage issues, write an article for the village newsletter and present the project at a Chagrin River Watershed Partners meeting.
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