Currently there are drainage problems along Winter Park Road between Norris Avenue and Parkland Drive (see pictures attached following intense downpour several years ago).  Since this is the low point along Winter Park Road, there is approximately 60 acres flowing to this point.   During intense storm events, the drainage system is overwhelmed and spreads into the travel lanes and front yards of the residents in this block.  During several past storm events, water flowed onto/into the garage of 2410 and 2412 Winter Park Road. 

The City has performed some work providing sidewalk and driveway improvement to limit the spread of the water onto  private property.  During our investigation and modeling of the problem, it became apparent that, even if the collection system were expanded with more inlets and curbing along the road, the downstream pipe system is undersized to handle the size of the winter park drainage basin flowing to this point. Preliminary investigations were undertaken to estimate the cost of enlarging the downstream pipe system.  Since this system is over 1500 feet long to Lake Sue and traverses through several private yards crossing 3 separate jurisdictional boundaries(Winter park, Orange County and Orlando), the feasibility  of performing this pipe upgrade is highly questionable.  The City then estimated the cost to provide detention volume to lessen the peak flow rate using underground methods in the city owned rights-of-way.  The estimated cost to provided adequate underground detention storage is in excess of $3 million and was beginning to be funded in the stormwater 5 year CIP. 

The City then observed a large (double lot) ideally located for surface detention that had changed hands in the past 2 years. As this area is experiencing significant redevelopment, it was very likely this lot was destined for the same. The City has reached out the current owners and has negotiated an agreeable purchase price of $600,000, which is fair market value for this size lot in this neighborhood.  Purchasing this lot and performing approximately $300,000 of inlet and piping improvements will solve this ongoing problem for now and the future and will provide a natural park setting for the neighborhood (see statement from Darryl Hoffman of J.L.L, the City's real estate partner regarding market price of lot).  As this area will function as a detention system, it will not be a pond that stores water for more than 30 minutes after a storm event.  It will function more like a “surge tank” to reduce the peak flows during the most intense part of the storm.  Since the wet season groundwater is over 6 feet below the ground surface (from recent borings in the area), this area will be dry even with the proposed grade being lowered approximately 3’ below the road level.  This area will be grassed and trees will be planted throughout the lot along with a sidewalk walking path as shown in exhibit "A." In summary, we feel the acquisition of this lot will provide effective and efficient drainage improvements with minimal future maintenance efforts (as compared to underground storage) along with a neighborhood park and green space for passive recreation.  Furthermore, this project will provide some level of stormwater treatment by removing sediment and debris from a portion of the basin, furthering our goals of improving stormwater quality and water quality improvement in our City’s lakes