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Milton board recommends stormwater park for former wastewater site; wastewater plant construction estimated 3–5 years
Summary
Board and staff told the Community Improvement Board that the decommissioned wastewater treatment site (roughly 7.5 acres) is likely a brownfield unsuitable for new buildings; they discussed converting it into a regional stormwater park and estimated a new wastewater plant would take about 3–5 years to construct.
City staff told the Community Improvement Board that the site of Milton's existing wastewater treatment facility could be a brownfield after demolition and may not be suitable for new building construction. Steven said that decommissioning the plant would leave roughly 7.5 acres and that modern brownfield standards likely preclude placing structures on that footprint.
"We cannot put structures on top of a former wastewater treatment facility, we will not be able to develop because we will have to disturb the ground," Steven said, and he recommended considering the site for a regional stormwater park to capture runoff from future development and Highway 90 widening.
Board members cited examples from nearby communities (Bruce Beach in Pensacola and Cascades Park in Tallahassee) where former brownfield or stormwater projects were paired with trails, amphitheaters and small-business nodes. The board discussed moving existing stormwater functions into a regional pond and using interim holding areas on city-owned parcels or the CSX parcel while the larger park is planned and funded.
Staff estimated the timeline for a new wastewater treatment facility at 3–5 years and said Highway 90 expansion could be on a 5–10 year timetable; both sequences must align for some aspects of redevelopment. Staff also noted detention cells and underground systems are options but carry significantly higher costs.
Next steps: staff will explore grant funding and interim holding solutions, and include a stormwater-park option in the Riverfront Master Plan revision.
