The City of Plant City has begun the Westside Canal Project to improve water quality in Midtown, an area south of Historic Downtown that is being enhanced for further development. The water quality project is not to exceed 90 days and is expected to be completed before Jan. 30.
The construction process directly affects Washington and Hunter Streets.
A 60-inch wide reinforced concrete pipe will be installed at Washington Street, instead of an open ditch. The pipe is 346 lineal feet and will run from Washington Street north to the existing pipe on Ball Street.
Another 747 lineal feet of 24-inch wide reinforced concrete pipe will be installed at Warren Street and will run south to an existing pond.
The pond that will receive the water runoff is located adjacent to Hunter Street and is specifically designed to improve water quality. As part of the project, the pond is being enlarged by between 0.25 acres and 0.5 acres. A variety of plants are being added to the pond, including pickerelweed, golden canna and alligator flag. The new plantings will cover about 0.35 acres of the pond. The plants will absorb some of the pond’s phosphorous and nitrogen loadings, creating a long-term improvement to Midtown’s water quality.
“This I believe is the last (stormwater) capital improvement project that has a direct relationship to the Midtown area,” City Engineer Michael Schenk said. “I think it’s a good project. I think it will definitely help improve water quality.”
The Westside Canal Project was awarded to the Tampa-based Kamminga & Roodvoets Inc. for $478,588.50 at the City Commission meeting Monday, Aug. 24. In June, the same company was awarded a contract with the city to complete work on South Howard Street, which was previously prone to flooding.
The City of Plant City also received two grants for the project from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Community Development Block Grant. The FDEP awarded the city $350,000 and the Community Development Block Grant was $373,093.
“This makes Midtown more development ready,” Mark Hudson, director of Planning and Zoning, said.
There are no expected negative environmental impacts from the pipe construction or pond improvements.
Contact Emily Topper at etopper@plantcityobserver.com.
ABOUT MIDTOWN
Midtown is a live-work-play community planned for the vacant 85 acres south of Historic Downtown. The mixed-use district will include cafes, local boutiques, restaurants, bars and condos centered around the new Village Green park.
The idea for Midtown was first proposed by Mayor Rick Lott eight years ago. Since then, the city has been cleaning up the parcels that make up Midtown. Much of the land was a brownfield site, defined by the Environmental Protection Agency as an expansion and redevelopment which may be complicated by the potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant.
Because Stock Lumber, Hydraulic Hose and Cylinder, and other industrial businesses had been located where Midtown is planned the City of Plant City has to ensure that pollutants are removed. For example, two years ago about 1,175 tons of petroleum-impacted soil and contaminated water were removed from the former site of Hydraulic Hose and Cylinder on the northwest corner of Ball and Evers streets.
The Westside Canal Project is further solidifying cleanup efforts.
GREEN THUMB
The plants added to the pond south of Warren Street will absorb some of the pond’s phosphorous and nitrogen loadings.
Pickerelweed: known for its violet-blue flowers. The nectar attracts bees and butterflies.
Golden canna: an emergent plant that only needs to have wet feet. They are mostly used for ornamental purposes and have bright yellow flowers.
Alligator flag: is named for the reptiles that may hide among its tangled roots. In the summer and fall, purple flowers bloom. It is a food source to Brazilian skipper caterpillars.
