Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
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