Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Park Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Taneytown connector road at Memorial Park held up after State Highway flags stormwater runoff
Summary
City staff said State Highway review found the Memorial Park connector design would exceed the agency's 1% stormwater runoff limit by 0.2 percentage points if a proposed sidewalk is included; staff are seeking on-site talks with SHA and an easement has been prepared with a neighboring property for revised storm piping.
Taneytown Parks and Recreation staff said plans for a connector road at Memorial Park are delayed after a State Highway Administration review found the project would exceed SHA's 1% stormwater runoff threshold if the design keeps a sidewalk from St. Joseph's Church to the connector road.
The difference is small on paper but significant in review: staff said the engineered plan including the sidewalk yields 1.2% runoff versus the 1.0% limit, and the new SHA reviewer is focused on stormwater. Parks staff said they will ask SHA representatives to meet on site to consider either removing the sidewalk (which would reduce runoff below 1%) or granting the project a 0.2 percentage-point exception so the sidewalk can remain.
Lorena (Parks and Recreation staff member) told the advisory board the town's consultant, Arrow (engineering consultant), initially heard SHA's local reviewer was comfortable with the design, but a later change in consultants produced the stricter stormwater review. "The best they've been able to do is 1.2, which I think is pretty good," Lorena said, and staff are seeking either an on-site meeting or written confirmation from SHA to resolve the issue quickly.
Lorena also described progress on related site work: the easement deed to reroute new stormwater piping across the adjacent Rentahan property has been prepared and the Rentahans have agreed in principle to the piping alignment, subject to attorney review and a minor county coordination item. She said the town attorney has reviewed the easement and provided comments and that one outstanding county matter remains before finalizing the deed.
Separately, staff said the sewer rehabilitation that traversed part of the park is complete and that a dirt stockpile remains behind Field 1 on the expansion area for future grading work. Parks staff indicated they hope to finalize the SHA matter and move the connector project to design procurement and eventual construction in spring or summer if the runoff question is settled.
No formal action was taken at the March 13 meeting. Staff said the next steps are to arrange the SHA discussion and to report back to the board on SHA's decision and any required design changes.
