Lafayette Park Outfall Flood Relief Project
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Lafayette Park Stormwater Outfall Flood Relief Project
The City of Tallahassee Stormwater Management Section has completed the first phase of community input on the Lafayette Park Stormwater Outfall Flood Relief Project and will proceed to further develop the preferred project concept, the "Tennis Court Wall" concept.
The goal of the Lafayette Park Stormwater Outfall Flood Relief Project is to reduce property damage and increase public safety by addressing flooding that occurs within the Old Town and Lafayette Park neighborhoods. Specifically, the project will alleviate flooding within Lafayette Park and downstream along Williams, McDaniel, East Brevard, Ward and Martin Streets, and Miccosukee Road.
On April 13, 2009, a community meeting was held at Lafayette Park Community Center. Fifty-three citizens attended. City staff presented three project concepts:
- A "Do-nothing in Lafayette Park" concept - provides no flood relief
- An "Elevated Walkway" concept - provides the highest level of flood relief
- A "Tennis Court Wall" concept - provides a mid-level of flood relief
At the meeting attendees were able to discuss aspects of the various project concepts with City stormwater engineers. Citizen input forms were distributed. Thirty-five forms were returned with the following project preferences:
- Nine for the "Do-nothing in Lafayette Park" concept
- Nine for the "Elevated Walkway" concept
- Seventeen for the "Tennis Court Wall" concept
In addition to the April 13 public open house event, City Stormwater Management staff held individual meetings with neighborhood citizens, property owners, staff with the City's Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Affairs Department, and representatives from nearby schools and churches.
While some residents supported the Elevated Walkway concept, which provided the highest level of flood relief, other neighborhood interests were adamantly opposed to this proposal due to child safety, security and impacts to Lafayette Park.
Based on input received through this public participation effort, Stormwater staff believes the Tennis Court Wall concept to be the most viable project alternative that balances the various and sometimes-competing interests. This option provides substantial flood reduction benefits while preserving elements of the park/neighborhood.
The Stormwater Management Section will schedule another public meeting to receive citizen input on specifics regarding the Tennis Court Wall concept (wall textures, colors, location and alignment, etc.). Staff will also proceed with analysis/design on several other elements of the project, such as improved inlet systems on Williams Street and potential improvements to the drainage system at the Lafayette Park softball field.
Elements of the Lafayette Park Outfall project were incorporated into the City's East Georgia at Meridian Flood Mitigation project that is currently under construction. The East Georgia project was accelerated so that construction on Miccosukee Road and areas around the Leon High School campus would be completed during the summer break to minimize traffic/parking/pedestrian impacts to the schools fronting Miccosukee Road (Leon High, Cobb Middle, Kate Sullivan Elementary, Trinity Catholic, and East Hill Baptist Church youth programs).
For more information please contact Mr. Jodie Cahoon, P.E. or Mr. Ray Einarson, P.E., with the City's Stormwater Management Section at 891-6860 (please refer to Lafayette Park/Old Town Flood Mitigation Project) or visit Talgov.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will impounding water behind the "elevated walkway" (PDF) or "tennis court wall" (PDF) damage existing trees in Lafayette Park by suffocating their roots?
No. For the vast majority of rainfall events the depth and duration of the water will be unchanged. Only in intense rainfall events that would have overtopped and flooded the tennis courts will there be a change. The water behind the walls will be gone in less than 3 hours following a major rainfall event. Although not desirable, areas around Lake Ella remain under water for up to 10 days following a major rainfall, and the large oak trees, pines, and crepe myrtles
around Lake Ella live under these conditions.
Will Lafayette Park become a holding pond?
No, this area will not be a stormwater retention pond. The area upstream of the wall will remain in its natural condition. The purpose of the wall is to temporarily hold back a "flash flood" type of event, which will reduce the flooding that occurs on the tennis courts and areas downstream of Lafayette Park.
Why do these areas flood?
Has recent development activity contributed to the problem?
The flood prone areas are within two natural ravines, which join together at Martin Street north of Leon High School. Two common misconceptions are that the redevelopment of Midtown has increased flooding, and that runoff is being diverted into this area. Neither are true. Midtown redevelopment has not increased runoff, and no runoff is being diverted from areas that do not naturally drain to these ravines.
What is the "elevated walkway" concept?
The walkway is, in essence, a bridge without large openings underneath. The walkway would be constructed to hold back stormwater only during major rainfall events and would provide an elevated path that will tie into the existing Lafayette Park trail system.
Won't the "elevated walkway" concept be dangerous for children?
The elevated walkway will have a railing that meets current safety standards for public facilities. Also, features will be designed to discourage children from climbing on or jumping off the walkway.
Will the "elevated walkway" concept create blind spots within the park and present a security concern?
This option will create blind spots from within certain areas of the park. The playground area will remain clearly visible from the Community Center and the tennis courts; however a person's line of sight from the tennis courts towards the hiking trail will be obscured. The shorter tennis court wall option addresses this concern.
Would the "elevated walkway" remain open after a storm?
Yes. The elevated walkway would remain completely functional at all times, during and after a major storm event (in contrast to the sidewalk around Lake Ella that is often flooded for days following a major storm).
Will the wall be ugly?
The goal is to make the wall an amenity to the park. There are several possible wall textures, architectural railings, landscaping and other options that can be utilized which will make the wall attractive.
Will these projects help reduce flooding at Leon High?
Yes, but only to a very limited degree. The Leon High School ball fields and parking areas will still flood. However, flooding along the north side of the high school that comes from runoff flowing overland from Miccosukee Road will be eliminated.
When will the East Georgia and Lafayette Park Outfall projects be under construction?
Construction of the East Georgia Flood Mitigation Project is scheduled to begin in June 2009 and will take approximately 12 months to complete. The design of the Lafayette Park outfall project has not begun, but if early agreement of a project concept is obtained from the community, construction could start as early as December 2009.