Public works building site plan approved by Ocean View P&Z

The Ocean View Planning & Zoning Commission this week unanimously approved the final site plan for the town’s future public works building.

John Murray of Kercher Engineering presented the design to the commission, noting that the proposed 3,500-square-foot building includes three bays, two of which open straight through.

Murray also said that filter strips and bio-swales, which are similar to drainage swales or a roadside ditch, will help control runoff in an environmentally-conscious way.

“Because this property is within the inland bays watershed, we are required to adhere to a pollution control strategy with our stormwater management. Any water that hits the paved surfaces is going to sheet flow off of that pavement and go across these grass strips and go into the bio-swales.”

“They run alongside of the building and down the ditch that runs on an angle there,” explained Charlie McMullen, director of Public Works. “They are environmentally sound and a green type of technology that the Sussex Conservation District has given their initial support of.”

Murray noted that the site of the future public works building previously housed trailers for construction and sales for the Freeman Communities and already has existing sanitary sewer connection on site.

“We won’t have to extend the connection… We will have to extend water service to the building from the Lord Baltimore subdivision,” he explained, adding that the water to the building would be provided by Tidewater Utilities.

There will be six parking spaces for the building – three paved spaces in the rear of the building, as well as three geo-block spaces in the front, which they expect to be used as visitor/overflow parking.

“They aren’t going to be paved. The geo-block material is a composite honeycomb-type structure… What the contractor would simply do is put that into the ground, fill it with topsoil and have a stone base underneath, and then you would seed over it like you would with a lawn,” he explained.

Murray said that area could be mowed, like any other lawn, and would be able to expand for additional parking in the future. He added that geo-blocking was rated for and could be used for parking vehicles ranging in size from sedans to large trucks.

“What it’s simply meant to do is limit the impervious area impact on the site, limit the runoff from a paved surface and help improve water quality and infiltration.”

McMullen said that the building would have an equipment storage area, office area, break room, shower room, locker room and a mezzanine area that will allow for additional storage area on the second floor.

“I’m not sure it’s appropriate at this point… but I don’t like the idea of a second floor available for storage without an elevator,” said Commissioner Bill Wichmann. “It is an accident waiting to happen. It’s only a matter of time until some employee is lifting something up and it comes back down. Cheaper is never better. I’ve never been able to do a building cheaper and better. I’m not sure it’s not up to us at this point, but I would urge that a freight elevator be considered for use, because it’s a large storage area.”

McMullen pointed out that, although the building does not have an elevator in the design plans, they do plan on having a lift.

Commissioner Gary Meredith asked whether or not a town generator could be used during the construction of the new public works building. McMullen said that the generator was not a part of the presentation but that the suggestion could be presented to council.

The commission approved the presentation as a final site plan with a vote of 3-0, with the condition that all agency requirements will be met and that an enclosed trash container will be shown on the final plan.