PORT ANGELES — Port Angeles’ completed city hall east parking lot low-impact development project cost the city a little less than $180,000, although total project costs were around $1.61 million.
About 89 percent of total project costs were funded through a $1.43 million grant from the state Department of Ecology, while the rest was paid for through city stormwater fund reserves and real estate excise tax funds.
The project was officially completed Sept. 9.
“[The project] will significantly improve stormwater management at city hall and contribute to cleaner downstream waterways,” a city press release stated.
The project used low-impact development (LID) techniques that are designed to slow, filter and infiltrate stormwater on-site, according to a city press release.
To accomplish those goals, the city installed both a porous asphalt parking lot over an aggregate stormwater storage reservoir and five cisterns under the roof line. These then slowly release stormwater runoff into two bio retention cells.
Together, the bio retention cells will treat more than 500,000 gallons of runoff each year and remove zinc, copper, petroleum, tire wear pollutants and more from the water before it reaches Peabody Creek and then Port Angeles Harbor, the press release stated.
“For years to come, the runoff from this rather large parking facility will be treated for contaminants prior to entering the receiving waters of Peabody Creek, thus improving the creek’s water quality and health,” city public works and utilities director Mike Healy said in the press release.
The project also stands as an educational tool that can showcase LID techniques and offer a model for how they can be implemented to meet permitting requirements for new and re-development projects, according to the press release.
“This unique project demonstrates how a parking lot can be built in a sustainable way that improves water quality in our urban creeks,” city engineer Jonathan Boehme said in the press release.
The project was designed by Herrera Environmental Consultants, Inc., and completed by Bruch and Bruch Construction, Inc. It has 86 parking spaces, including four accessible parking spots.
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Reporter Emma Maple can be reached by email at emma.maple@peninsuladailynews.com.
