Council approves additional studies for Bluffs drainage project, authorizes DGR work minus staff presentation
October 07, 2025 | Brandon , Minnehaha County, South Dakota
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The City Council approved additional studies and design tasks for the Bluffs Drainage Project and directed staff to contract with DGR for specific items requested by residents, excluding the $5,000 task to present to city staff and council.
The council reopened the Bluffs project after a neighborhood meeting Sept. 22 that drew about 50 residents and produced comment cards asking for a landscaping plan, review of relocating the drainage way and sanitary sewer, wetland delineation and additional modeling. Staff presented a DGR proposal of optional tasks on page 84 of the packet with line‑item costs.
Staff summarized the optional tasks and costs: an additional environmental analysis including a wetland delineation for $25,000; additional drainage modeling for $11,000; an alternative analysis for relocating storm or sanitary lines for $5,000; coordinating and attending two public open‑house meetings for $10,000; a landscaping plan for $14,000; and meetings with city staff and council for $5,000. The full set of tasks would total $70,000 if all were authorized.
Councilmembers who attended the neighborhood meeting urged the council to return to residents with more options. One councilmember said the wetland delineation and landscape plan were two of the biggest requests coming from neighbors. The council discussed whether to authorize all proposed tasks, some subset, or none and whether to proceed while the project remained tabled.
A council motion authorized DGR to proceed with the environmental analysis (including wetlands), additional drainage modeling, the alternative analysis (to evaluate relocation of storm and sanitary), the public open‑house coordination, and the landscaping plan — specifically excluding the $5,000 meetings with city staff and council. The motion carried.
Staff said the additional modeling and environmental work would allow the city to return to the neighborhood with alternatives and cost estimates. The work is intended to address neighborhood concerns about drainage alignment, sewer relocation and landscaping impacts; costs will be managed under the contract with DGR per authorization.
The council reopened the Bluffs project after a neighborhood meeting Sept. 22 that drew about 50 residents and produced comment cards asking for a landscaping plan, review of relocating the drainage way and sanitary sewer, wetland delineation and additional modeling. Staff presented a DGR proposal of optional tasks on page 84 of the packet with line‑item costs.
Staff summarized the optional tasks and costs: an additional environmental analysis including a wetland delineation for $25,000; additional drainage modeling for $11,000; an alternative analysis for relocating storm or sanitary lines for $5,000; coordinating and attending two public open‑house meetings for $10,000; a landscaping plan for $14,000; and meetings with city staff and council for $5,000. The full set of tasks would total $70,000 if all were authorized.
Councilmembers who attended the neighborhood meeting urged the council to return to residents with more options. One councilmember said the wetland delineation and landscape plan were two of the biggest requests coming from neighbors. The council discussed whether to authorize all proposed tasks, some subset, or none and whether to proceed while the project remained tabled.
A council motion authorized DGR to proceed with the environmental analysis (including wetlands), additional drainage modeling, the alternative analysis (to evaluate relocation of storm and sanitary), the public open‑house coordination, and the landscaping plan — specifically excluding the $5,000 meetings with city staff and council. The motion carried.
Staff said the additional modeling and environmental work would allow the city to return to the neighborhood with alternatives and cost estimates. The work is intended to address neighborhood concerns about drainage alignment, sewer relocation and landscaping impacts; costs will be managed under the contract with DGR per authorization.
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