The rain garden at the Grand Marais Library is an example of the Cook County Soil & Water Department’s ongoing efforts to improve the city’s stormwater runoff design.
Tristan Beaster of Cook County Soil & Water visited Grand Marais city councilors April 14 to talk about the agency’s ongoing effort to improve the city’s storm water runoff design. Specifically, Beaster raised the notion of creating more rain gardens around town—this time on privately owned land with the consent and financial contribution of the property owners.
Beaster explained that the next part of the project, funded through the Lake Superior Coastal Grant Program, is to identify areas where runoff volume can be reduced or slowed down significantly, and then plan and design a number of rain gardens in order to effect the improvements. The initial phase of the project does not include construction.
Last fall, Soil & Water had three rain gardens constructed in the city, all on public property—one at the courthouse, one at the Community Center, and the other at the Grand Marais Public Library. The gardens are designed to reduce the direct discharge of storm water into Lake Superior and capture most of the pollutants by collecting and holding the water and releasing it slowly.
Beaster said the rain gardens not only serve a vital function, but they can be used to beautify and enhance the city streetscape. By way of example, he showed slides of Burnsville, Minn., where there were serious water quality issues in Crystal Lake. Since there was not adequate space to construct retention ponds, the city installed about 17 rain gardens in key locations on both private and public land. The result was not only beautiful landscaping, but a 90 percent reduction of direct storm water discharge, said Beaster.
The next step for Grand Marais, he said, is to develop a preliminary inventory of the city streets and rights of way, and prioritize the areas in need of help. The land owners will then be contacted to gauge their interest.
“I believe there’s a newfound interest out there and a willingness to participate,” Beaster commented.
Beaster said he envisions the $36,000 project entailing between five and eight additional rain gardens. The state Clean Water Amendment as well as the Lake Superior Coastal Grant Program are likely sources for the funding. Property owners who agree to participate will be required to split the costs and pay about 25 percent of the total.
Beaster added that Soil & Water hopes to incorporate the data and plans resulting from the project into the city’s comprehensive storm water plan the next time it is updated. Councilors gave the project their blessing and encouraged Beaster to pursue funding and update them as the work progresses.
In other business:
. Council approved a request from Arvis
Thompson of the Girl Scouts to plant a tree in memory of Dean Detrick in front of the Detrick Building on the city lawn. Thompson said the tree will replace one that blew over in a storm last year, and will be either a Russian olive or redbud. The Girl
Scouts will work with city staff to determine
an exact location for the new tree.
. Street permits for the 20th Annual Grand
Marais Arts Festival on July 10-11 and the
North Shore Dragon Boat Festival on July
29-Aug. 1 were approved.
. North House Folk School Director Greg
Wright presented his annual report to council. He said that although 2009 was a difficult year-the nonprofit school lost $11,455 and the 17 percent decrease in student days was “a kick in the gut” — things are already looking brighter for 2010. Wright said enrollments are running 30 percent ahead of a year ago and 18 percent ahead of 2008 (the best year in the school’s
12-year history), so North House “is definitely
in the process of recovery.”
. Wright also updated council on the progress
of the new blacksmith shop construction, and discussed options about storm water runoff control and the Rec Park’s plans to develop a pedestrian entryway in the northeast corner of the park’s property. The terms of the lease require city council to approve the school’s building permit, and Wright said he would be back for that once the paperwork is finalized. It was also suggested that Wright get some feedback from the park board about the expansion plans.
“We can’t just approve a permit for a building without taking into account the northeast corner of the Rec Park and the park’s master plan,” said Councilor Tim Kennedy. “That’s something that’s important to both properties.”
Leave a Reply