Residents press Woodbury leaders to pause plan to convert Wedgwood Park into stormwater basin; city says project required for water treatment pipeline

Craig Bauman, a resident of Williamsburg Court, told the Woodbury City Council at its April 2 meeting that he learned only recently about plans to convert Wedgwood Park into an infiltration-style stormwater basin and asked the city to pause the work until neighbors could be involved. “I am here to express my concerns about the lack of communication and the community involvement for the project that will impact our neighborhood,” Bauman said.

Brad Johnson, who lives adjacent to the park and said he moved there 32 years ago, told the council the open space is actively used for family recreation and winter skiing and said he did not receive mailed notice of the project. Emer Scheibner, another nearby resident, said many neighbors reported they “never got one” of the mail notices the city said it sent.

Chris Hartzell, Woodbury’s engineering director, told the council the need for the basin stems from the large water treatment plant and distribution pipeline project that will add or disturb impervious surface in many places. Hartzell said staff and consultants examined 36 potential sites across the city and selected seven sites that together can meet the watershed…