Today the PI has an article about the storm-water issues in Madison Valley and the two options to resolve it.
Option 1 involves building a 2 million gallon underground storage tank at the southwest corner of the Arboretum, near the play fields, and a new storm drain to connect the valley to a main sewer pipeline. Cost estimates range from $24 million to $33 million.
Option 2 is less expensive at $18 million to $21 million, but requires condemning 17 homes around the 200 block of 30th Ave E to build a new 2 million gallon above-ground detention pond.
City Council President Richard Conlin says that “The public comment is very important” in their choice, so you may want to set aside time on May 14th if you want to put in your 2 cents. That’s the most likely date that the council will take community comments on the proposals, with a final decision by the end of May.
Construction would take about 2 years to complete either option.
Update: The mayor is recommending the option 1, avoiding any condemnation of houses.
Parks Department ballfield planners told me that they’ve moved the replacement of the ballfield surface at Miller forward in their schedule, while they await resolution on the Madison Valley flooding problem. Option 1 would involve work at the ballfield in the arboretum, and would (presumably) be followed by installation of new (plastic grass) field surface.
when done properly, synthetic turf (“plastic”) is much better experience for soccer/baseball/softball players and is managed at a fraction of the cost of the current grass or, in this case, mud field that exists. soccer and baseball associations all over the area are helping fund synthetic replacements b/c of the quality improvements they provide.
Hope the Council concurs. Now if they would really deal with the new watershed that John, Thomas and Denny have become….and the newly flooding basements of homes on MLK below new townhome developments.
I live nearby and, along with most of the Madison Valley community, have been supportive of the residents in the affected area determining what they want to see as an outcome. They got together and worked through quite a process. Despite the whole community traumatized by one drowning to the north, despite some almost drownings and PTSD, and having to deal with deferring fixing their homes, they want to stay put if it can be done safely. Happens the rest of us prefer not to have another useless pit in the ground in the middle of our neighborhood. But, realize that most of us would have supported that option if the residents had said, “Get me outta here.”
With that background, I hope that folks in neighboring communities will vocally or in writing support the results of this process.