Politics & Government

Petitioners May Save Park From Flood Mitigation

The state Department of Environmental Protection held a public hearing at Town Hall last Thursday, after a group of concerned residents petitioned the town's Baker Park Flood Mitigation Project.

The state Department of Environmental Protection, along with town officials and members of the Coalition to Save Baker Woods, met at Town Hall last Thursday, September 8, for a public hearing on the Stony Brook Tributary Flood control project.

The Baker Park Flood Mitigation Project, as it is more commonly known, is the town’s proposed solution to a flooding problem that has, on numerous occasions, devastated homes and business in the surrounding area.

The most controversial aspect of the town’s resolution is the plan to turn Baker Park into a large detention basin, which requires the removal of over three acres of 100-year-old forest. Neighbors and fans of the park adamantly oppose the project, which the town says is the only feasible and prudent solution.

In May of this year, the town filed an application to the DEP for a water diversion permit and dam safety construction permit to initiate the project; over 25 members of the Coalition to Save Baker Woods signed a petition in opposition. Thursday’s public hearing by the DEP was held to collect further evidence, which the state commissioner will consider before making a final decision on permit issuance.

The hearing began with presentations by the involved parties. Director of Public Works Bob Steeger spoke on behalf of the Town, in support of the project. In the past seven years, flooding has devastated Darien homes, businesses and lives, said Steeger. He recalled the storm of October 2007 that left shops on Heights Road under four to five feet of water.

Steeger went on to outline the town’s proposed project, the result of four years of careful management practices and engineering studies. The project was joint effort of Dewberry Incorporated, Leonard Jackson Associates, William Kenny Associates and the Darien Department of Public Works. It will affect four sites. The project includes:

  • Additional drainage on Heights Road through creation of additional inlets
  • New pipe (60 inch diameter) under MNPR tracks to increase conveyance capacity
  • Box culvert from I95 to Baker Park to ease flooding on Maple Avenue and Relihan Road
  • Detention basin in Baker Park at the north end of Dubois Street with outlets to mitigate flooding downstream
  • Wetlands mitigation on Darien High School property and stream bank mitigation at Town Hall, both of which are part of the town-owned Stony Brook watershed

In the four-year planning process, the town looked at a number of alternatives, all of which proved unfeasible for a variety reasons including high costs, environmental concerns and property ownership issues. The ten alternative plans studied include:

  • Detention in north-end of Noroton Heights rail station parking lot (pumped)
  • Detention in north-end of Noroton Heights rail station parking lot (gravity)
  • Protect buildings with barrier
  • Raise building elevations
  • Raze buildings on Heights Road
  • Detention in Stop and Shop parking lot
  • Open detention at Baker Ball Field
  • Closed detention under Baker Ball Field
  • Original submission for Baker Park for entire detention basin in Baker Field
  • Original submission alternative for Baker Park for entire detention basin in Baker Field

The current, preferred alternative at Baker Park has a large, irregular shaped detention basin and a revised outlet control structure location (farther west), with a defined channel back into the existing watercourse that is compliant with the DEP’s wetland mitigation regulations. 

Due to the magnitude of the project, federal and state regulatory agencies require two permits to proceed: a water diversion permit and a dam safety permit. The state Department of Environmental Protection was called to further explain use of the permits.

The DEP does not always require dam safety permits, said Peter Spangenberg, civil engineer for the DEP’s Inland Water Resources Division. In this case, the proposed dams are seven-foot-high, and because “breaking away” could potentially damage nearby homes or roads, the DEP has jurisdiction over the dams and requires a safety permit. The DEP issues a water diversion permit after considering the environmental impact of the project and the integrity of the engineering.

 “It’s not perfect, but overall we were okay with the design,” said Spangenberg.

After the DEP’s presentation, Jim Tatum spoke on behalf of the Coalition to Save Baker Woods, a group of homeowners and concerned citizens who are impacted by the project and petitioned to the DEP.

“Critically important to our town are the parks; our parks are gems,” said Tatum, who went on to cite a number of reasons why the coalition opposes the project including the elimination of green space and wildlife, noise and toxic runoff from traffic, and the health risk of creating standing pools of water.

“The mosquitoes are pretty bad this year,” said Spangenberg. “With West Nile in Darien, that’s a health concern.”

Tatum said that while the proposed solution is viable from an engineering standpoint, it is not a resolution that reflects the town’s values.

“It is important for us to save the beautiful things we have in Darien, and this project throws away a three and a half acre forest that’s over 100 years old,” he said.

The coalition brought environmental engineer and land surveyor Barry Hammons to the hearing, to offer additional perspective on the town’s project. Hammons said he was struck by the impact of the flood mitigation project and had a particular appreciation for Leonord Jackson’s work, which he studied in university. However, when Hammons analyzed Jackson’s engineering for the Baker Project, he uncovered a number of flaws in the hydrologic and hydraulic calculations.

“Only 50 percent of the pond was evaluated,” said Hammons who presented maps and diagrams to illustrate the inaccurate data.

Hammons proposed that the town consider a combination of the alternative flood mitigation projects instead.

“Does this thing have to be 100 percent solved right now? Can we fit 50 percent of it now? Five percent here, and another five percent there?”

The hearing officer then opened the floor to public comment.

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First Selectwoman Evonne Klein spoke about the “havoc” of flooding in Darien, and debriefed the town’s effort and progress to date.

“The Board of Selectmen are in the audience today, and we’re listening to you. We’re listening to what you have to say, and we stand at the ready to respond,” said Klein.

A dozen concerned citizens gave comment on the project; all in opposition. Joe Doran of 30 Casement Street, whose home abuts Baker Park said that among other negatives, the proposal will decrease property values.

“It will not only decrease our own property values, but as taxpayers we will pay for the property value of its decline,” said Doran.

Darien resident Jennifer McFadden’s home is situated “smack dab in the middle” of the proposed project area. McFadden and her family moved to Darien last year and currently lease a home on Noroton Avenue. The flood mitigation project has so upset McFadden and her family that they do not plan to stay.

“I’m here, because I’m pissed. I’m pissed that I’m going to have people walking through my back yard. I’m pissed that I have two young children that are going to be there while the construction is going on, and I’m pissed that someone knowingly leased the house to us knowing that this was going on,” said McFadden.

McFadden’s eight-year-old daughter Grace sang a song about the trees to the tune of “This Land is My Land,” before leaving the podium with her mother.

It’s not just the neighbors who oppose the plan. John Schlachtenhaufen of 58 Peach Hill  is currently a member of the Town Beautification Commission. Schlachtenhaufen expressed concern over the wetland mitigation project at the high school, which he says will result in the loss of many trees. The town could easily have substituted the DHS property with land owned by the Darien Land Trust, he said, which would have greatly reduced the overall cost and environmental damage. His comment was met with a round of applause.

The DEP’s hearing will continue in Hartford on September 15, where the commissioner will consider the evidence and testimony brought fourth by Thursday’s public hearing officer, Kenneth Colette, before making a final decision on permit issuance. 

Kenneth will accept written comment until Thursday, September 17. His email address is kenneth.collette@ct.gov.


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