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Donor offers earthwork and irrigation for Castlewood Park; commission weighs permit waiver and costs
Summary
An engineering firm representing ACES proposed donated earthwork, grading, irrigation and hydroseeding for Castlewood Park. Commissioners discussed drainage, neighbor impacts, HDR review recommendations and whether to waive permit fees; a motion to approve and waive fees was made but the transcript does not record the final vote.
A representative from ACES presented plans on Nov. 7 for donated earthwork and irrigation for Castlewood Park, saying the donor could begin grading and stabilization quickly if the city approved moving forward and the commission considered waiving permitting fees for the donation.
"The city has been approached with a donation for some earthwork and improvements... directed toward this Castlewood Park area," ACES representative Leah told the commission, summarizing plans to preserve the existing trees, add a meter pit for irrigation and reshape low areas to control ponding and runoff.
Staff said HDR reviewed the submission and requested additional details; staff also noted the commission has authority to waive permitting fees in the case of a donation. Public‑works staff told the commission the 2025 budget includes about $15,000 for a sprinkler system but did not include funds for hydroseeding; ACES said it was awaiting a hydroseed quote and proposed alternatives (hand seeding, straw, erosion matting) to stabilize the site for winter.
Neighbors raised concerns about slope, a nearby basement, and possible retaining walls if the site were made flat. Staff and the presenter responded that grading would direct flow away from the adjacent house and that the contractor would strip topsoil, bring in fill, and aim for usable space without creating negative drainage impacts.
At the meeting staff asked for a motion "to approve the plan as presented by Asus Engineering and to waive all permit fees required by the city." A commissioner seconded that motion; the transcript records the motion and second but does not include an explicit roll-call or final "motion carried" statement tied to that motion.
Next steps: Staff will obtain additional quotes (hydroseed and electrical/meter work), confirm whether the HDR concerns require plan revisions, and report back to the commission. The motion to waive fees was recorded as moved and seconded in the meeting record; the vote result is not shown in the provided transcript.
