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Committee approves Joliet Park habitat and access concept tied to EPA area-of-concern grant
Summary
The committee approved a concept design for Joliet Park focused on shoreline stabilization, in-water habitat structures, invasive-species removal, parking/access improvements and targeted wildlife features. Staff said an EPA grant will likely fund most habitat work; final design and permits will proceed with consultant direction.
The Parks, Recreation and Forestry Committee on July 9 approved a concept design for Joliet Park that aims to address shoreline erosion and improve aquatic and shoreline habitat as part of a Lower Green Bay area-of-concern effort.
Staff said the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources convened a committee to prioritize projects that could reduce the impaired-habitat designation in the Lower Bay. Joliet Park was selected for habitat and shoreline improvements; the city received an EPA grant to develop engineered bid documents and pursue necessary permits. The concept presented to the committee includes parking and access reconfiguration to improve safety, invasive-species removal and native plantings, shoreline bioengineering or targeted riprap where required, in-water rock and fish-habitat structures (described as a groin), and bird-nesting enhancements including owl boxes and an eagle nest or pole-mounted platform.
Consultants and the DNR told the committee they had engaged the neighborhood, completed a tree inventory and public meeting, and aimed to design features that are both permitable and achievable within the grant budget. Staff said the EPA grant will likely cover all habitat work; if city bonding is not approved for access or parking work, staff would proceed with habitat improvements covered by the grant and phase other items later.
The committee voted to approve the concept and directed staff and the consultant to proceed with final engineering and permit applications.
Staff said they will continue hydrodynamic and sediment modeling to ensure proposed in-water features do not cause adverse sedimentation impacts and will return with permitting-ready documents.
