Item 4 on the 7/8/08 Common Council agenda: "Reimburse the Shoppes at Wyndham Village for the City’s share of the cost of the storm water management facilities for the reconstruction of W. Drexel Avenue from W. Loomis Road (STH 36) to S. Lovers Lane Road (STH 100)."
The council voted to "reimburse" Shoppes at Wyndham Village (Carstensen Development) $98,000, their share of creating an up-to-standards stormwater basin engineered to handle, hopefully, what the previous wetlands used to take care of. Alderman Wilhelm was the sole "no" vote.
Why vote no?
I wonder if anyone at the Sendik's grand opening yesterday wandered over to the east side of the store - - where the 200 year-old trees used to be.
What's wrong with this picture? Evidently, NOTHING, because Tuesday night the City of Franklin Common Council voted to immediately "reimburse" Carstensen Development $98,000 for what is at present a messed up, steep-grade, kid-eating (fence, anyone?), bank-eroding stormwater basin.
Did they fulfill the landscaping requirement? Look closely on the middle left side of the photo. Those two dead trees evidently represent the landscaping efforts to date.
Is it engineered correctly? The caved-in edges show you what happens when there aren't root systems and connective wetlands in place during torrential rain events like what we saw last month. If you've ever visited or seen pictures of the Grand Canyon (or, for that matter, my basement), you know that water goes where it wants to go and will make a path if one is not provided.
But the money was paid, even though it is obvious to the naked eye that this basin has issues that have yet to be addressed by Carstensen Development. Will they address those issues now that they have been paid, in effect, "on trust."? Let's watch closely.
In the meantime, ponder the implications - - and cost savings - - of a thoughtful site plan that would have embraced the natural conditions on the site rather than try to wrestle them into submission.
In other news, the position of City Development Director will not be immediately filled because the city cannot afford the $83,137 salary.
John,
As you know I'm not the greenest person you know, but I know a $98,000 "shit-hole" when I see one, and this is a "SHIT-HOLE."
Excuse the "French."
Posted by: Fred Keller | July 10, 2008 at 12:14 PM
Merde. The French is "merde."
$98,000 merde.
Posted by: John Michlig | July 10, 2008 at 12:18 PM
Makes me think of the Danbury Fair Mall, built by Wilmorite Inc of Rochester in 1986 on top of 130 acres of field and wetlands. The spot had been home to a spectacular 112 year old country fair. The mall parking lot has little "wetland spaces" on its perimeter but the rest is asphalt. The geese and ducks still stop by on their way south but people don't like the poop. Excuse me, merde. Good luck.
Posted by: Liz Stone Abraham | July 10, 2008 at 03:17 PM
Reminds me of some of the stormwater basin projects around here in Williams Bay, which are equally abysmal . Its shameful when many of the Chicago collar counties are light-years ahead in naturalized storm water basin standards and holding them to them, when Wisconsin is supposedly the progressive state on environmental standards. Such a poor-performing project would be red-tagged in Lake or Dupage County in Illinois, and the bond money would not be released until a thick growth of native prairie vegetation and wetland vegetation was well-established in the basin.
For some alternative perspectives on sustainable stormwater management, wasteful lawns, and native plantings, check out these: Our Landscaping supports Exxon Mobil (http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/3/9/105451/0047/237/309966) and this site (http://www.delafleur.com/168_Elm/index.htm) detailing some of the sustainable stormwater management initiatives that can be done. There are alternatives to landscrape "architecture" that are cheaper, aesthetically pleasing, and are less of a "mosquito hatchery", as unlike the mudhole you illustrate, they provide an ecosystem and habitat for mosquito predators such as dragonflies, frogs and bats.
Posted by: Joshua Skolnick | July 20, 2008 at 01:51 AM