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Proposal: North Clearwater Neighborhood Park (Expansion of State Street Park/Betty Lane

Forested Habitat Preservation Site project)

Enhance and expand parkland amenities creating a significant wildlife habitat and wetlands area

in the north Clearwater neighborhood.

We are looking for support, guidance and execution from city council and staff.

Background:

The proposal is similar to Clearwater’s Betty Lane Forested Habitat Preservation Site project,

which is part of the Stevenson Creek Watershed Management master plan.

“Adjacent to the north side of the stream is a forested area that although disturbed by

draining and some clearing, has not yet been developed. This forested upland area is

approximately 25 acres and is located in the northeast quadrant of the intersection ofSunset Point Road and Betty Lane.

Despite the impacted condition of the parcel, it currently provides the only existing wildlife

habitat of any substantial size within the watershed. Discussions with City staff indicate that

residential development may be pending on portions of the site, despite the fact that the majority

of the property lies within the 100-year floodplain of Spring Branch.

Approximately six acres of this property is under City ownership and will be used as a park site.

If, however, more of the site could be preserved in a natural state through purchase of additional

privately owned property, it would have the potential to become locally significant wildlifehabitat, floodplain preservation, and neighborhood recreational area. The site would need to be

cleaned up, and all nuisance vegetation and trash removed. If the site were to become a

passive park,

fencing the site would be essential.”

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Trail pathway through Betty Lane Forested Habitat Preservation site.

Much of the North Clearwater Neighborhood was platted during the state’s big land boom in the

1920s. Developers bought farm and forested lands, subdivided it, then resold it for a tidy sum.

Sometimes these parcels were wetlands.

This is the case of a few undeveloped platted acres in the North Clearwater Neighborhood,

including part of an area mapped as a lake. The city recently annexed hundreds of homes in the

North Clearwater Neighborhood as part of an infrastructure project adding stormwater and

sewer utilities.

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Woodlawn Terrace Stormwater Outfall

The increased stormwater runoff makes it way to the largely wooded area near what is State

Street Park. The area, with upgraded outfall piping from the stormwater project, will bring more

pollutants to an area that can not handle the strain.

Much of the land has naturally formed itself into a park amenity. There are miles of sinewy trails

to get lost in. Looking up you would hardly know you are in the most densely populated county

in the state. There are no power lines to be seen. And aside from the occasional horn honk,

siren blast or plane overhead, the area is extremely natural and serene.

What:

The city should take efforts to keep this natural area as it is by expanding State Street Park’s

footprint and implementing the Betty Lane Forested Habitat Preservation Site.

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Map of Stevenson Creek watershed.

Why:

The proposal is consistent with the Stevenson Creek Watershed Management Plan, Clearwater

Greenprint and other wetlands conservation/restoration programs.

The proposed park expansion is already part of the Stevenson Creek Watershed Management

Plan, and is listed as Project 1H. Betty Lane Forested Habitat Preservation Site.

The purchase and use of the land would be consistent with other stormwater park projects in

Clearwater namely the Glen Oaks Park which helped relieve flood waters in the Stevenson

Creek basin.

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Water quality issues are attributed to accumulated muck from urban stormwater runoff,

according to water quality report about Stevenson Creek.

“A heavy concentration of sediments within the estuary is contributing to fish and wildlife habitat

loss, water quality decline, reduced tidal circulation, and sediment loading within the estuary,”according to the report.

The Stevenson Creek Watershed is under extreme strain as it is, with the upstream area being

95 percent built out. The area surrounding the pond is a floodplain where it would be unwise to

develop, according to FEMA maps. Maintaining the natural condition of the area is of dire

importance.

“With the exception of golf courses and city parks, the watershed has little to offer in ways of

natural systems. Wetlands are predominately small isolated stormwater retention ponds or

natural lakes that have been altered such that their origin can only be determined from historicalphotographs,” according to the Stevenson Creek report.

The Stevenson Creek Watershed Management program works to identify flooding, water quality

problems and the viability of ecological systems in the watershed and potential areas for habitat

restoration and protection.

A project to widen Spring Branch to help stop erosion will also help more water flow through this

area and out to Stevenson Creek. To offset the potential downstream flooding, the bridges at

Springtime Avenue and Douglas Avenue could be enlarged, according to the project report.

“The project provides a significant opportunity for wetland habitat creation and water quality

improvements,” according to the report.

What we are asking for is essentially already proposed in the Betty Lane Forested Habitat

Preservation Site project, which serves an alternative to widening bridges as part of the Spring

Branch project.

The project also is consistent with the Clearwater Greenprint plan which identifies strategies to

reduce greenhouse gases, environmental conservation and water quality.

Cost:

Undetermined. Some private ownership of lots. Some are listed for sale on Realtor.com.

Sources of funding:

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Water and Land Conservation Amendment, Brownfield Economic Redevelopment Initiative,

Clearwater Engineering Department/Stormwater Management Division, Environmental Lands

Acquisition and Protection Program, Southwest Florida Water Management District

Water and Land Conservation Amendment: Passed by voters Nov. 4, 2014, offers money to

help protect drinking water, springs, beaches and shores. It is expected to make available $10billion over 25 years for restoration and conservation projects.

Brownfield Economic Redevelopment Initiative: City program designed to safely clean and

reuse areas hit hard by economic change. The program targets North and South Greenwood

communities as well as downtown.

Clearwater Engineering Department/Stormwater Management Division: The city’s Stormwater

Program includes planning, design and development for flood control and drainage; water

quality, habitat restoration; and sedimentation control.

Studies/Sources:

Water and Land Conservation Amendment

Stevenson Creek Water Quality Report

Stevenson Creek Watershed Management Plan

North Clearwater Drainage Map

Clearwater Greenprint