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Edgewater presentation lays out stormwater, fill and home-raising tradeoffs
Summary
Staff warned stricter stormwater standards and limits on fill could increase on-site stormwater area, reduce developable land and raise housing costs; Solstice estimated stormwater currently consumes ~30% of new development acreage and cited raising-home costs at about $150 per square foot.
Ryan Solstice explained how stormwater standards, groundwater depth and design choices affect both the quantity of developable land and the cost of new housing.
He said Edgewater sits over high groundwater in many areas, requiring larger or deeper retention ponds for closed-basin analyses; raising standards could push stormwater to consume more of each site's acreage. "Right now about 30% of the new development is storm water ... we could get easily up to 50% of the site," Solstice said, outlining the tradeoff between environmental protection and housing yield.
Solstice also reviewed construction tradeoffs and costs: using fill, stem walls or pilings raises foundations but increases cost and changes neighborhood character (smaller yards, elevated decks). He estimated the average cost to raise a home at roughly $150 per square foot, and said staff will weigh palatability and equity when proposing code changes.
