Town of Windermere presents draft stormwater master plan

The town of Windermere hosted a virtual public information workshop to discuss the draft stormwater master plan Monday, Nov. 6.

“Our stormwater master plan is a guidance document utilized in the long-range planning of stormwater conveyance, attenuation and treatment projects throughout town,” Public Works Director Tonya Elliott-Moore said. “The goal and objective of this stormwater master plan is to provide a framework for flood mitigation and water quality-improvement projects. The plan assists with gaining a full understanding of how stormwater affects the town and develops a five-year and 20-year plan to address these impacts.”

Elliott-Moore said the town has tasked Michael Galura with updating the stormwater master plan. He has worked with the town for many years on stormwater issues and has an in-depth knowledge of the town’s systems and infrastructure, as well as historical background.

The project is a joint collaboration with the Butler Chain of Lakes Advisory Committee.

Other notable attendees included David Hansen, Orange County Environmental Protection Division; David Hamstra, stormwater engineering consultant with the Butler Chain of Lakes Advisory Committee; and John Fitzgibbon, the town’s civil engineering consultant.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Windermere is set within the Butler Chain of Lakes, which is an Outstanding Florida Water, and is bound on both sides by the Butler Chain of Lakes; Lake Butler on the west, Lake Down on the east and Lake Bessie to the southeast.

The town is subdivided into four drainage basins: Lake Bessie, Lake Butler, Lake Crescent and Lake Down.

Galura said the main challenge the town faces is stormwater management, particularly with the dirt road sections of the town and other areas where development has occurred, as well as trying to maintain the quality of the Butler Chain of Lakes.

“We’re doing this master plan in close coordination with the state and federal agencies on providing protection for the lakes through various means, including permitting, through the town’s permit coordinator and also for the town’s capital improvements,” he said. “One of the things that we’ve done is developed a stormwater and drainage infrastructure inventory to identify and maintain the town’s facilities. At some point in time, we did not know exactly where everything was, but we did a thorough search of where all the town’s drainage structures are, pipes are, swales and stormwater ponds. This gives the town a road map to address the deficiencies, to address flooding, water quality and maintenance-related activities, which are the three primary components in determining the ranking for the capital improvement program.”

The team also will develop a fiscal plan to implement stormwater and drainage improvements.

Galura said goals and objectives for the project include gaining a full understanding of how stormwater affects the town; utilizing data and technology to develop a roadmap on how the town can manage stormwater runoff; developing a stormwater management and drainage infrastructure inventory and utilizing a Geographical Information System-based database to manage and maintain the inventory; being in full compliance with the town’s NPDES Phase II MS4 program, developing a short-term and long term Capital Improvement Program; developing a priority list on the implementation of the CIP; and assessing the fiscal requirements to implement the CIP. 

The team had to identify known structures, pipes and other drainage features within the town limits. This was completed utilizing various resources, such as applying GIS technology to inventory stormwater management and drainage infrastructure.

Galura said GIS provides the town staff with instant access to drainage features and all the information associated with the feature. It allows the town to collect data, such as debris removal, and to create a database for reporting for the Town NPDES MS4 Phase II biennial permit renewal.

The data collection is to meet state and federal agency requirements for inventorying stormwater management and drainage infrastructure.

The GIS allows the town to quickly update its inventory for newly completed improvements, provides staff with a mapping feature that best illustrates the location of the town’s stormwater management and drainage infrastructure, and allows real-time entry of data on tablets by staff using ArcGIS Online Services.

Regarding stormwater management and drainage infrastructure, Galura said the team has identified and mapped all known town-maintained stormwater management and drainage features, known planned development stormwater management and drainage features, and known Orange County stormwater management and drainage features within the town limits.

CAPITAL AND COSTS

Galura said the team has identified three distinct categories by which to categorize the CIP: flood protection, water quality and maintenance-related structural improvements. 

The cost that could be incurred in the town’s CIP program totals $24,506,163 with 23 different projects.

The top four projects are: West Second Avenue Roadway and Drainage Improvements, $2,624,780; Seventh Avenue and Butler Street Drainage Improvements, $693,974; Eighth Avenue and Bessie Street/East Boulevard Drainage Improvements; and 3rd Avenue and Magnolia Street Drainage Improvements, $720,781.

“These were selected as our first-priority projects, because these are projects that are already in the Hurricane Irma process,” Galura said. “We have actually received grant funding for the West Second Avenue roadway and drainage improvements, and that project is out to bid. The other three projects … we’re waiting from FEMA and DEM on the phase two funding.”

The draft plan is anticipated to next be presented to the Town Council at the January 2024 meeting.