Authorize the Mayor enter into an Intermunicipal Agreement with the Cities of Chelsea and Everett to utilize MVP grant funding for the construction of tree filters in the Mystic River Watershed

Transcript (~7 min @ 1:35:12)

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▶ 1:35:11 Mark Garipay: On two orders. Next up we have ID 1, 2, 5, 6 3 authorize the mayor to, to enter into a inter municipal agreement with cities of Chelsea and Everett to utilize MVP grant funding for the construction of tree filters in the Mystic R River R River Watershed.

▶ 1:35:35 Speaker 7: Um, yeah, so about a year ago, um, Melrose, Chelsea and Everett, um, received some MVP funding in order to, um, design, um, study and look for places to implement tree filters, which are above grade. You wouldn't really know what they are. They just look like a a, a tree planted in the, um, next to the sidewalk. But what they are is underground, they, um, receive, treat and infiltrate runoff from a catch basin. Um, so it reduces the amount of storm water going to, um, our waterways like El Pond and such. Um, and it also cleans up the water as well because, um, it helps remove pollutants. Um, two locations have been, I identified in Melrose, um, just at the intersection of Vinton and Oris. Um, and, uh, Everett is the lead on this project. So they're going to going to be the ones taking care of the bid documents, the construction. Um, so there's again, no, um, financial impact or cash match from Melrose that's required. Um, just some city time that we've already put in and, um, maybe some construction oversight while they, um, or definitely some construction oversight while they in install them, um, as long as they continue to move forward in Melrose. So the Interm municipal agreement is to allow, um, Everett to take the lead on this while they're doing work in in our city.

▶ 1:36:56 Speaker 5: Thank you. Council Williams,

▶ 1:36:59 Speaker 7: Did you say the intersection of Vinton and Aus? Yes. So that's where Vinton turns into Aus, correct? Yeah. So one, they're both technically on Aris. Um, one is in front of the house at 2 98 Vinton and the other one is at four Aris. Okay. And why would you say these locations were chosen? So, a multitude of things. So Melrose is actually really hard to find these kind of, um, places because we either want kind of flat areas that are next to catch basins mm-hmm. That also don't have utilities going through the sidewalk. Um, and because there's houses virtually at every intersection, there's usually water, sewer, gas going through these. Um, so it's really hard to find locations. Um, these two, the one at 2 98 is really good. Location for OS might be a little tight, but we should be able to make it work. Are you envisioning taking some right of way and closing this intersection to create These tree bubbles? Not at all. Or where, where does it go? No. So you're not gonna notice after it's built, it's gonna look exactly like it does now, minus a tree in the grass strip. Um, basically the sidewalk and behind the sidewalk is dug up. The soil material is put underneath, a tree is planted and the sidewalk is, is put right back where it is. It's all happens underground from the catch basin to underneath the sidewalk. A new pipe is connected into the catch basin. So that water, once it goes into the catch basin goes, flows to this first flows to the tree filter first, um, underground.

▶ 1:38:29 Speaker 6: Hmm. Council

▶ 1:38:33 Mark Garipay: Vandiver and then council.

▶ 1:38:35 Kimberly Vandiver: Thank you. Um, I might make a recommendation that even though nobody needs to notice that anything changed, I think this is a really, um, forward, forward thinking type of project. And, and it might be something that is really, um, that there'd be some benefit of advertising mm-hmm. To the community that it's been done and where it is. Sure.

▶ 1:38:53 Speaker 7: Absolutely. Council,

▶ 1:38:56 Manjula Karamcheti: I'm just curious, when a project like this starts and finishes about how long does it take

▶ 1:39:02 Speaker 7: For construction? Yeah. Um, I'm going to assume each one of these are, would be built in less than a day. Okay. Um, so like two days and then, and then the, the concrete pouring. So it's short. They, they can definitely build each one in in less than a day. Yeah. They're pretty, it's a pretty quick turnaround.

▶ 1:39:21 Manjula Karamcheti: And the concrete pouring for the sidewalk would happen right at that time?

▶ 1:39:26 Speaker 7: It should, depending on when they build it, it should happen fairly quickly after. Um, I don't see why it wouldn't. Um, so they'll, they'll do the, the digging, replace the sidewalk all within a couple few days of each other,

▶ 1:39:39 Manjula Karamcheti: Uh, and folks in the area will be notified in, in advance.

▶ 1:39:45 Speaker 5: Absolutely. Yes. Okay. Yep. Thank you Romanul.

▶ 1:39:47 Devin Romanul: Thank you so much. Uh, what an exciting project. I wanted to ask if there was any way to measure, um, measure the impact of these installations and, uh, if it's something that we're looking to expand in the future. Mm-hmm.

▶ 1:39:59 Speaker 7: Um, so as far as depends on what impact you're trying to measure. Um, one impact that we are measuring is the reduction in phosphorus, um, to our waterways. Um, all of these green infrastructures do have calculations that we run. Um, and coming soon with the new EPA regulation, there's going to be a huge requirement of phosphorus reduction and it's a lot. Um, so we're trying to take advantage of as much as we can, um, especially when it doesn't cost us anything so Great. Um, yeah, so it is measurable for sure. Um, the amount of water is also measurable that, um, can be, um, reduced to our waterways as well. Um, they don't have a huge flood mitigation just because it's green infrastructure does not really, it's more treatment. Um, it is measurable, but it's small for volume anyways. Great.

▶ 1:40:52 Speaker 6: Mm-hmm. Thank you very much.

▶ 1:40:54 Mark Garipay: Thank you. Um, I just had one quick question mm-hmm. If that's okay. Yeah. Um, I know it's public property where we're putting it. Do the, are the residents involved? Are they on the tree list? Do they want one? And we, um, how, how did I know? I know we pick it, but

▶ 1:41:09 Speaker 7: As far as the tree list, I don't, I don't know. Um, to be honest, they could be, um, they were picked because they don't have any trees and they're open. Um, and would be a good location for a tree. So that was also another reason we looked into it. Um, we actually, when we were doing our planting, our tree planting this time around, we were looking for locations that would work and we weren't going to plant a tree and do it at the same time as this, but none of the locations actually lined up with the requirements we were looking for.

▶ 1:41:39 Mark Garipay: And are the residents aware that it's gonna be going there?

▶ 1:41:42 Speaker 7: Not yet. No. Okay. Okay.

▶ 1:41:46 Speaker 5: Any, um, anything else, any other questions?

▶ 1:41:48 Speaker 7: I'll make a motion to recommend

▶ 1:41:51 Mark Garipay: Second Motion to recommend by Council Williams. Seconded by Council Romanul. Ramal. Sorry. That's okay. I'll get it by the end of the meeting. Uh, on discussion.

▶ 1:42:04 Speaker 5: Mad clerk, can you please call the roll

▶ 1:42:09 Speaker 1: Counselor Ro? Yes. Councilor Hamilton? Yes. Counselor Rum Chetty. Yes. Cremsky? Yes. Councilor Romeo? Yes. Councilor Stewart? Yes. Councilor Vanderberg? Yes. Council Williams? Yes. Present Elli? Yes. Chair Gar Pay? Yes. Motion passes.

▶ 1:42:24 Speaker 5: All will be recommended. Thank you.