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Proposal:

NorthClearwaterNeighborhoodPark(ExpansionofStateStreetPark/BettyLane
ForestedHabitatPreservationSiteproject)

Enhanceandexpandparklandamenitiescreatingasignificantwildlifehabitatandwetlandsarea
inthenorthClearwaterneighborhood.

Wearelookingforsupport,guidanceandexecutionfromcitycouncilandstaff.

Background:

TheproposalissimilartoClearwaters
BettyLaneForestedHabitatPreservationSiteproject
,
whichispartoftheStevensonCreekWatershedManagementmasterplan.

Adjacenttothenorthsideofthestreamisaforestedareathatalthoughdisturbedby
drainingandsomeclearing,hasnotyetbeendeveloped.Thisforesteduplandareais
approximately25acresandislocatedinthenortheastquadrantoftheintersectionof
SunsetPointRoadandBettyLane.

Despitetheimpactedconditionoftheparcel,itcurrentlyprovidestheonlyexistingwildlife
habitatofanysubstantialsizewithinthewatershed.DiscussionswithCitystaffindicatethat
residentialdevelopmentmaybependingonportionsofthesite,despitethefactthatthemajority
ofthepropertylieswithinthe100yearfloodplainofSpringBranch.

ApproximatelysixacresofthispropertyisunderCityownershipandwillbeusedasaparksite.
If,however,moreofthesitecouldbepreservedinanaturalstatethroughpurchaseofadditional
privatelyownedproperty,itwouldhavethepotentialtobecomelocallysignificantwildlife
habitat,floodplainpreservation,andneighborhoodrecreationalarea.Thesitewouldneedtobe
cleanedup,andallnuisancevegetationandtrashremoved.Ifthesiteweretobecomea
passivepark,
fencingthesitewouldbeessential.


TrailpathwaythroughBettyLaneForestedHabitatPreservationsite.

MuchoftheNorthClearwaterNeighborhoodwasplattedduringthestatesbiglandboominthe
1920s.Developersboughtfarmandforestedlands,subdividedit,thenresolditforatidysum.
Sometimestheseparcelswerewetlands.

ThisisthecaseofafewundevelopedplattedacresintheNorthClearwaterNeighborhood,
includingpartofanareamappedasalake.Thecityrecentlyannexedhundredsofhomesinthe
NorthClearwaterNeighborhoodaspartofaninfrastructureprojectaddingstormwaterand
sewerutilities.


WoodlawnTerraceStormwaterOutfall

TheincreasedstormwaterrunoffmakesitwaytothelargelywoodedareanearwhatisState
StreetPark.Thearea,withupgradedoutfallpipingfromthestormwaterproject,willbringmore
pollutantstoanareathatcannothandlethestrain.

Muchofthelandhasnaturallyformeditselfintoaparkamenity.Therearemilesofsinewytrails
togetlostin.Lookingupyouwouldhardlyknowyouareinthemostdenselypopulatedcounty
inthestate.Therearenopowerlinestobeseen.Andasidefromtheoccasionalhornhonk,
sirenblastorplaneoverhead,theareaisextremelynaturalandserene.

What:

ThecityshouldtakeeffortstokeepthisnaturalareaasitisbyexpandingStateStreetParks
footprintandimplementingtheBettyLaneForestedHabitatPreservationSite.


MapofStevensonCreekwatershed.

Why:

TheproposalisconsistentwiththeStevensonCreekWatershedManagementPlan,Clearwater
Greenprintandotherwetlandsconservation/restorationprograms.

TheproposedparkexpansionisalreadypartoftheStevensonCreekWatershedManagement
Plan,andislistedasProject1H.BettyLaneForestedHabitatPreservationSite.

Thepurchaseanduseofthelandwouldbeconsistentwithotherstormwaterparkprojectsin
ClearwaternamelytheGlenOaksParkwhichhelpedrelievefloodwatersintheStevenson
Creekbasin.


Waterqualityissuesareattributedtoaccumulatedmuckfromurbanstormwaterrunoff,
accordingtowaterqualityreportaboutStevensonCreek
.

Aheavyconcentrationofsedimentswithintheestuaryiscontributingtofishandwildlifehabitat
loss,waterqualitydecline,reducedtidalcirculation,andsedimentloadingwithintheestuary,
accordingtothereport.

TheStevensonCreekWatershedisunderextremestrainasitis,withtheupstreamareabeing
95percentbuiltout.Theareasurroundingthepondisafloodplainwhereitwouldbeunwiseto
develop,accordingtoFEMAmaps.Maintainingthenaturalconditionoftheareaisofdire
importance.

Withtheexceptionofgolfcoursesandcityparks,thewatershedhaslittletoofferinwaysof
naturalsystems.Wetlandsarepredominatelysmallisolatedstormwaterretentionpondsor
naturallakesthathavebeenalteredsuchthattheirorigincanonlybedeterminedfromhistorical
photographs,
accordingtotheStevensonCreekreport
.

TheStevensonCreekWatershedManagementprogramworkstoidentifyflooding,waterquality
problemsandtheviabilityofecologicalsystemsinthewatershedandpotentialareasforhabitat
restorationandprotection.

AprojecttowidenSpringBranchtohelpstoperosionwillalsohelpmorewaterflowthroughthis
areaandouttoStevensonCreek.Tooffsetthepotentialdownstreamflooding,thebridgesat
SpringtimeAvenueandDouglasAvenuecouldbeenlarged,
accordingtotheprojectreport
.

Theprojectprovidesasignificantopportunityforwetlandhabitatcreationandwaterquality
improvements,accordingtothereport.

Whatweareaskingforisessentiallyalreadyproposedinthe
BettyLaneForestedHabitat
PreservationSiteproject
,whichservesanalternativetowideningbridgesaspartoftheSpring
Branchproject.

Theprojectalsoisconsistentwiththe
ClearwaterGreenprint
planwhichidentifiesstrategiesto
reducegreenhousegases,environmentalconservationandwaterquality.

Cost:

Undetermined.Someprivateownershipoflots.SomearelistedforsaleonRealtor.com.

Sourcesoffunding:

WaterandLandConservationAmendment,BrownfieldEconomicRedevelopmentInitiative,
ClearwaterEngineeringDepartment/StormwaterManagementDivision,EnvironmentalLands
AcquisitionandProtectionProgram,SouthwestFloridaWaterManagementDistrict

WaterandLandConservationAmendment:
PassedbyvotersNov.4,2014,offersmoneyto
helpprotectdrinkingwater,springs,beachesandshores.Itis
expectedtomakeavailable$10
billionover25yearsforrestorationandconservation
projects.

BrownfieldEconomicRedevelopmentInitiative
:
Cityprogramdesignedtosafelycleanand
reuseareashithardbyeconomicchange.TheprogramtargetsNorthandSouthGreenwood
communitiesaswellasdowntown.

ClearwaterEngineeringDepartment/StormwaterManagementDivision:
ThecitysStormwater
Programincludesplanning,designanddevelopmentforfloodcontrolanddrainagewater
quality,habitatrestorationandsedimentationcontrol.

Studies/Sources:
WaterandLandConservationAmendment
StevensonCreekWaterQualityReport
StevensonCreekWatershedManagementPlan
NorthClearwaterDrainageMap
ClearwaterGreenprint

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