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Burlington, Iowa Council OKs Flood Mitigation Plans, Sidewalk Cafés

The first phase costs $5.6 million and will consist of a flood wall.

(TNS) — The Burlington, Iowa, City Council voted this week to accept initial plans for a flood mitigation project that will change significantly the face of the city's riverfront during the next two decades.

Plans will come back for official council approval in January or February before the firms can take bids. Construction would start in July 2017.

Long-term plans shown in renderings and a fly-through video show a splashpad, floating dock, shade structures and trees. But most of what's shown in the video and renderings is 15 or 20 years down the road and would require additional funding, City Manager Jim Ferneau said.

The first phase, technically Phase V because the city's first four phases consisted of its sewer separation project, costs $5.6 million and will consist of a flood wall from the U.S. 34 overpass south past Memorial Auditorium, pavement, lights, overlooks, railings and trees.

Most places will have a 42-inch flood wall, with a taller removable wall to reach 9 feet that could be installed before higher waters. Davenport and Ottumwa have similar setups, said Leo Foley, civil engineer with Veenstra and Kimm Inc. The wall will be made of concrete, but there's not a design yet.

"We feel like if we don't have a roadmap that at least tells us where we're going, we're going to have trouble when it gets to the design," Foley said.

Foley presented revised plans to the council, which listened to public comment before voting to accept rough plans for the first phase. Several people spoke in favor of a splashpad, which both Mayor pro tem Jim Davidson and Councilman Tim Scott questioned last week at a work session. It wouldn't be installed in this phase, but infrastructure for it could be put in to lessen future costs.

A splashpad wouldn't be cheap to install or maintain, Foley said. A similar one in Racine, Wis., costs about $40,000 a year to maintain.

"This is a costly function," Foley said. "It's not part of our phase five, but it needs to be discussed."

Joanne Bauer, a member of the Riverfront Advisory Committee, said a splash pad would help children enjoy the area by the river.

"Just consider what's really important to the city is that the children can enjoy the riverfront as I did when I grew up," she said. "We all grew up on this river and I think the children should have the same opportunity to enjoy the river."

Former councilwoman Becky Anderson, who served on the Vision Iowa board, said many communities asked that board for funding for splashpads and were successful. It would also make the Burlington riverfront a destination for families outside of the city, too, she said, comparing it to memories she has of visiting Crapo Park as a child who didn't live in Burlington.

"We need to look at the future," Anderson said. "We need to look at what's right for the young people and the people who are going to call this home."

Councilman Bob Fleming added it was important to keep children in mind when developing Burlington's downtown, especially because unlike adults, they can't come and talk to the council.

Scott said he wasn't opposed to having a splashpad and would like to bring his grandchildren to it. But he said he needs to know it would be financially OK, adding the city had considered closing the Dankwardt Park pool for several years because it didn't think it could support it.

"The one thing I've got to know before we turn the water on is is it going to be sustainable?" Scott said.

Dave Wiemer of the Riverfront Advisory Committee said his committee wants to see the splashpad and floating dock, but not an ice rink.

An ice rink could cost $300,000 or $400,000 to construct, Foley said. Other cities do temporary ice rinks and decide whether they want to spend money to install a more permanent site, he said.

While the final plans call for the removal of almost all parking between the Memorial Auditorium and Port of Burlington, the initial phase would result in the loss of 23 spaces.

Parking concerns are overrated, said Andrew Mahoney, who moved back to Burlington two years ago after leaving the city nine years ago. People would have to walk further in bigger cities, he said, and Burlington's trying to grow.

"I just see so much positive change downtown, and I just want to see that ball keep rolling as someone who wants to settle down here long-term," Mahoney said.

Chelsea Tolle, executive director of the Greater Burlington Convention and Visitors Bureau said her office is looking forward to not having to close its welcome center at the Port of Burlington because of high water.

"One of the greatest critiques I hear from my peers across the state is we have a beautiful riverfront but we don't use it to its full potential," she said.

The firms tasked with engineering Burlington's flood mitigation will present final plans for council approval in January or February, and construction's expected to begin in July 2017.


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