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Birchwood Village council authorizes grant application for Tai Schmidt Park stormwater projects
Summary
The Birchwood Village City Council voted to authorize Washington Conservation District staff to submit a Watershed-based Implementation Funding application to pay for stormwater and drainage improvements at Tai Schmidt Park. The plan emphasizes preliminary designs, a required 10% local match and a 10-year maintenance commitment.
The Birchwood Village City Council on Friday authorized Washington Conservation District staff to submit a watershed grant application to fund a package of stormwater improvements at Tai Schmidt Park.
Justin opened the special meeting by describing the project partnership between the Council, the Parks Committee and the Washington Conservation District and saying the grant could cover most of the work. Lori Ta of the Washington Conservation District, who led the presentation, described a spreadsheet of about 30 prioritized projects drawn from a 2017 district study and the village’s 2040 comprehensive plan.
"It's preliminary and nothing's in stone — we just want to start moving forward," Lori said, describing infiltration basins, filtration basins, rain gardens and clogged-inlet repairs that would slow and clean runoff before it reaches the lake. She cited examples ranging from low-cost measures such as targeted street sweeping to larger wet-pond or infiltration projects near the ice rink and Delwood Beach.
Lori outlined the grant program the District plans to pitch: Watershed-based Implementation Funding administered through the Board of Soil and Water Resources. She said projects must be at least $50,000 to be considered, that the metro allocation pool is roughly $300,000, and that applicants must document water-quality benefits and show the project is prioritized in a plan. The program requires a 10% local match and expects a 10-year maintenance commitment from the landowner. "The city would have to be prepared to have a maintenance ... in place," Lori said, noting maintenance is typically not fully covered by the grant and that partners such as the Rice Creek Watershed District can assist with volunteer events or contracted maintenance.
Council members asked whether Highway 120 runoff and other areas were included; Lori said the Council can direct which projects to prioritize and suggested separating larger or unrelated runoff corridors into separate actions. Marcus, an engineer who toured the sites with Lori, told the Council the concept "looks like a good plan" and supported moving forward on readily implementable areas near the rink.
The motion to authorize Lori and the Washington Conservation District to submit the Watershed-based Implementation Funding application was made by Justin and seconded by Kathy. The Council approved the motion by voice vote; the Chair said the motion carried and invited Lori to proceed with the application process. Lori said the selection decisions are made by a cohort of district managers and city representatives, that the city would sign a contract in July if selected, and that projects would be implemented under a reimbursement schedule with a target completion window by 2027.
The meeting closed after members thanked Lori, Marcus and the Parks Committee. The Council did not provide a numeric roll-call tally in the record; the approval was recorded as a voice vote approving the motion.
Next steps: staff and District representatives will finalize project scoping, pursue the Watershed-based Implementation Funding pitch at the committee meeting Lori referenced, and return to the Council with more detailed designs, cost updates and maintenance arrangements if selected.
