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Groton seeks $20,000 contribution to leverage $300,000 stormwater grant and green‑infrastructure design for Five Corners; tactical urbanism demo proposed
Summary
City staff told the committee the Nature Conservancy and a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation award will fund a Five Corners stormwater design phase, and asked the city to contribute $20,000 from FY26 public‑works funds; separately, staff sought authorization to contract with Street Plans for an $80,000 tactical urbanism demonstration in the same neighborhood.
Groton economic development staff asked the committee of the whole on June 8 to support moving two linked projects in the Five Corners neighborhood toward implementation: a stormwater design and permitting phase under a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation award, and a temporary “tactical urbanism” demonstration of pedestrian and bicycle improvements.
Sierra Patrick, economic development, said the city partnered with The Nature Conservancy on a two‑year assessment of flooding and resilience opportunities in Five Corners. The assessment led to a concept and a request for engineering, permitting and design to move the proposals forward. The Nature Conservancy is the grant administrator for a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation award of $300,000; staff asked the committee to authorize a total $320,000 contract (the $300,000 grant plus a $20,000 city contribution from public‑works FY26 operating funds) to complete design, engineering and permitting for green‑ and gray‑infrastructure solutions. Staff noted the grant performance deadline requires project completion and use of funds by Dec. 31, 2027.
Councilors asked about where the $20,000 would come from; staff said the public‑works operating budget has funds earmarked for engineering and drainage work this fiscal year and that the contribution would come from those savings rather than a FY27 appropriation. The committee voted unanimously to refer the design authorization to the June 15 mayor and council meeting for final approval.
On a related but separate ask, staff described a tactical urbanism demonstration — temporary curb treatments, paint, planters and other low‑cost materials — to test road‑diet and crosswalk designs and collect community feedback. Staff asked the committee to provisionally authorize the city manager to enter a contract with Street Plans (a firm that has worked in Connecticut) for design, project management and installation at a total cost of $80,000, with funding proposed across FY26 departmental budgets (Economic Development $38,000; Planning $8,000; Public Works $34,000). Councilors discussed vendor experience in New England, the timing of a demonstration (likely next spring), and auditing/purchase‑order procedures for encumbering FY26 funds. The committee voted unanimously to refer the contract authorization to the June 15 mayor and council meeting.
Staff said if the demonstration proceeds, public‑works and police would be coordinated for traffic control and cleanup would return the streets to pre‑demonstration condition; the demonstration was described as temporary and adjustable during the pilot period.
The committee did not authorize spending that night; both requests were referred to the mayor and council for final action on June 15.
