UCONN Athletic District Improvements Scoping Meeting Paul Ferri, - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

CEPA Scoping Meeting | October 10, 2017

UCONN Athletic District Improvements Scoping Meeting

Paul Ferri, Environmental Compliance Professional, UCONN Scott Bighinatti, Lead Environmental Scientist, Milone & MacBroom, Inc.

Purpose of Tonight’s Meeting

• Provide background information
• Present the project scope

and objectives

• Provide information relative

to the overall schedule and future efforts

• Provide a forum for gathering input
• Understand the topics of public interest / concern
• Identify questions to be answered

• A State Act that applies to certain State‐funded

projects in Connecticut.

• A mechanism for planning and coordination among

interested parties, including the public at large.

• A process of identifying and evaluating environmental

impacts such that they can be avoided, minimized and mitigated.

What is CEPA?

Why Third Brook?

CEPA Process

Identification of State Action Project Scoping Alternatives Analysis Analysis of Impacts Publication of EIE Record of Decision Submitted to OPM Public Scoping Meeting Public and Agency Review and Comment Public Hearing Public and Agency Review and Comment EIE Determination Memorandum of Findings & Determination No Yes

Environmental Review

UConn Lead: Assisted By: Review and Determination: Review Status:

• Scoping ongoing, ends

October 20, 2017

• Determination of need

for EIE in November

Project Designers

Project Lead: Project Designers: Project Status:

• Conceptual Design

completed

• Construction in Spring of

2018 through Fall 2020

2015 Master Plan

• Identified many athletics facilities in need of upgrades
• Identified need to layout new facilities with careful

consideration of sunlight and wind (e. g. baseball)

• Keep similar sports facilities together whenever possible
• Improvements to baseball, softball, soccer, and

hammer/discus identified in five‐year plan (by 2020)

Project Purpose and Need

• Upgrade playing surfaces and facilities to NCAA

Division I Standards

• Provide attendant facilities adjacent to playing surfaces
• Relocate appropriate Athletics personnel to provide

additional space for other Athletics staff

Anticipated Project Outcomes

• New playing surfaces with field drainage – less

postponed / relocated games

• New Performance Center to house locker rooms,

athletic department offices, rest rooms

• Increased interest from prospective student athletes
• Improving spectator experience
• Defined entries to sporting events (security)

• Redevelop soccer field:

 New synthetic turf field with field drainage  Full‐cutoff lighting  New seating

• 50,000 +/‐ square foot

Performance Center to house related:

 Locker rooms  Athletic Department offices  Public restrooms, concessions  Weight training  Sports medicine

Proposed Project Elements

• Performance Center will

be designed to be certified a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold rating

• Proposed relocated baseball field:

 New synthetic turf field with field drainage  Full‐cutoff lighting  NE/SW axis (sun alignment)  Improved pedestrian connection to Y‐Lot  Maintenance may relocate to batting / pitching facility  New bleachers, press facility

Proposed Project Elements

• Redevelop softball field:

 New synthetic turf field with field drainage  Full‐cutoff lighting  New bleachers

• Possibility of slight adjustment
• f axis / position
• New central utility corridor

beneath roadway

Proposed Project Elements

• Minor improvements to

throwing area to meet NCAA Division I standards

• Move practice soccer field

to present location of baseball field

• Sound barrier for ice forum

chillers

Proposed Project Elements

• No Action
• Other Locations
• Full Redesign (included

Road Closure or Relocation)

• Redevelop in‐situ to

extent possible

Alternatives Considered To Date

• Creation of new Athletic District
• ff‐campus too expensive
• Off‐campus facilities not viable for

these programs

• Does not encourage on‐campus

student participation

• Baseball / softball practice and play
• n same field
• May not address desire to

consolidate certain Athletics personnel

Other Locations

• Goal was to centralize Performance Center for access
• Prohibitively expensive
• Closure of Jim Calhoun Way expected to create

significant traffic impacts

• Relocation of Jim Calhoun Way may not work due to

grading and layout of other roads

Full Redesign

• No change in district land use
• Nominal expansion of district

footprint to support baseball field

• Performance Center proximal to

stadia

• Pedestrian / parking accessible
• Meets project purpose and need

 Upgrades to NCAA Division 1 Standards  Relocates certain Athletics Staff  Amenities for Student Athletes  Public Facilities / Concessions

Redevelop In‐Situ

Proposed Project Location / Concept

Source: UConn

Impact Analysis

Physical

• Air Quality

Air Quality

• Noise & Li

Noise & Light ght

• Traffic

Traffic, Parkin Parking & g & Cir Circulation ulation

• Public Utilities

Public Utilities

• Potable W

Potable Water Suppl ter Supply

• Stor

Stormw mwat ater Drai Draina nage

• Solid &

Solid & Hazar Hazardous

• us

Wa Waste

• Aesthetic Resour

Aesthetic Resources ces

• Cultural Resour

Cultural Resources ces

Natural

• Geolo

Geology, Topo Topograph aphy & & Soils Soils

• Surface W

Surface Water Resour ter Resources ces

• Gr

Ground

• undwater Resour

r Resources ces

• Floodplains
• odplains
• We

Wetlands

• Fi

Fisheries

• Plants &

Plants & Wildlif ildlife/ State / State Listed Species Listed Species

• Specimen Tr

Specimen Trees ees

Socioeconomic

• Land

Land Use & Zonin Use & Zoning

• State

State, Local & Local & Campus Campus Master Plannin Master Planning

• Open

Open Space & F Space & Farmland land

• Public Health &

Public Health & Saf Safety ty

• Econom

Economy, Emplo Employment ment & & Income Income

• En

Envi vironme nment ntal al Justice Justice

• Community F

Community Facilities & cilities & Ser Services ices

• Proposal is compatible with State Plan designation (PFA)
• Use is consistent with existing land use
• Pedestrian access and transportation infrastructure is

adequate

• Adequate utilities and services are available
• No apparent cultural resources within the project footprint
• Natural resources are limited within the project footprint;

minimal expansion of footprint

• Topography, geology, and site conditions are suitable
• Opportunity to improve stormwater management controls

Affected Environment

Affected Environment – Watershed Divides

Affected Environment – Water Quality

Affected Environment – Geology

Affected Environment – Wetlands

Affected Environment – Listed Species

Affected Environment

• Eagleville Brook Water Quality (Total Maximum Daily

Load [TMDL] for Aquatic Life criteria)

• DEEP requires that proposed projects demonstrate no net

increase in 100‐year storm event runoff until Campus Master Drainage Plan approved

• CMDP expected to be completed by end of 2017
• The site is adjacent to the Hillside Circle

Neighborhood (private residences) and baseball stadium lighting could potentially present concerns

• Full cut‐off lighting proposed to avoid spillover and to

limit uplight affecting dark sky conditions

• Detailed specifications not yet available

• Review public and State agency comments
• Determine one of the following:
• Proceed to EIE per CEPA
• EIE not necessary per CEPA

Next Steps

Comments & Questions

Until October 20, 2017, written comments and questions regarding the project and/or the CEPA process may be directed to:

Paul Ferri, Environmental Compliance Professional University of Connecticut Office of Environmental Policy 31 LeDoyt Road; U‐Box 3055 Storrs, Connecticut 06269‐3055 f: 860‐486‐5477 paul.ferri@uconn.edu

Public Opportunity to Provide Input

Comments & questions are welcome!