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Town orders fixes after Big Sky parking-lot work diverged from approved plan; aquifer protections required
Summary
Staff told the commission that construction at Big Sky (Brickyard Road) deviated from the approved site plan: end-island grading, sidewalk location and electrical work differed and new light poles were installed. Because the site is in a sand-and-gravel aquifer, the applicant must confirm yard drains are not open-bottom dry wells, provide video of pipes, submit revised water-quality calculations and an as-built survey, or face violation notices and fines.
Planning staff reported that contractor work at Big Sky parking improvements diverged from the approved site plan and triggered additional oversight because the site lies in a sand-and-gravel aquifer area. Staff described the issues: end islands originally intended for at-grade water-quality storage were built differently; a planned kidney-shaped basin was not implemented; sidewalks shifted from the intended alignment; and an electrician installed light poles that were not shown on the plan.
Shannon Rutherford said the town will not allow underground perforated pipes or open-bottom yard drains in the aquifer area. She told the commission the civil engineer has agreed to revise water-quality calculations, verify that yard drains are solid-pipe connections (not perforated or open-bottom), video the pipe runs to show where they connect, provide an as-built survey and conduct field oversight. Rutherford said staff will require adjustments to island grading and stone-liners to deliver the required water-quality volume and maintain plant quantities in new arrangements.
"Because this is in an aquifer, I cannot have any underground dry wells," Rutherford said. "They need to confirm the pipes connected to the yard drains are solid pipes and not perforated, and provide video documentation of the connections." Rutherford also said contractors can expect increased engineering oversight and costs to correct the work, and that a notice of violation and fines are possible if cooperation ceases.
The commission agreed staff could handle corrections under staff review (rather than requiring a full site-plan modification), contingent on receipt of the engineer's revised materials, video documentation and as-built survey. Staff said the site lighting had been reduced to 3,000K color temperature and that light levels were re-checked by town staff.
What's next: The civil engineer (Cole, referenced in staff remarks) must deliver revised drainage and water-quality documentation and an as-built survey; staff will inspect the site and proceed with enforcement actions if necessary.
