In May 2008, President Barry Chernoff and Executive Director John Hall testified before Middletown’s Inland Wetlands Commission, urging improvements to the proposed parking lot construction at Palmer Field. Specific recommendations included reduction of pavement area, retention of storm water run off, and a vegetated buffer to mitigate the parking lot’s negative impact on the adjacent Coginchaug River which had already suffered from recent development projects. The parking lot project is now complete, with the results of the Jonah Center’s intervention clearly shown in the photos to the left.
Top photo: Original plan included 4.0 acres of asphalt paving, extending very close to the bank of the Coginchaug River. Run off from pavement is very harmful to aquatic life.
Middle photo: Middletown’s Inland Wetlands Commission ordered a revised plan, reducing the area of pavement to 1.3 acres and including a 40 foot vegetated buffer between the parking area and the river, sub-surface storm water retention basin, pervious gravel parking of 1.7 acres for overflow parking on rare occasions when needed. The revised plan also yielded a $100,000 cost reduction for the city.
Bottom photo: A view of the vegetated buffer, which includes 70 trees and shrubs, and the gravel parking area at right. The Coginchaug River is just down the hill to the left,
Wow. Thank you SO MUCH to the Jonah center and the city boards and staff who collaborated on this solution. This is the best kind of outcome for a public project.
ReplyDeleteIt started with a proposal that just considered things from a public works and parking perspective, but then changed to consider the environment. And then there were cost savings! Terrific!