1. Why can’t I change the parkway swale in front of my house between the sidewalk and the street? The parkway swale was specifically engineered to reduce pollutants and storm water discharges in compliance with state law. The original approved design plan and maintenance responsibility is a condition of the memorandum of Agreement recorded with your property.
2. Do I have to hire a contractor and engineer or can I, the property owner, return the parkway swale back to its original design/state? Yes, the property owner can return the parkway swale back to its original design.
3. Can I meet with the City staff to discuss a parkway swale issue? Yes, you may schedule to meet with City staff to discuss a parkway swale issue. Additionally, City staff can meet at your property or can schedule a meeting at the City.
4. How do I return the parkway swale back to its original design? The swale should be exposed with city approved plant material. At a minimum, plant material should be placed at each side of the swale. Additionally, it is recommended the plant material be placed in line at the bottom of the swale.
5. How much plant material is needed in the parkway swale? At a minimum, the plant material should be placed at each end of the swale between driveway and property line. It is recommended that plant material be placed throughout the swale with the majority of plant material along the bottom of the swale.
6. Why is rock/mulch in the swale, instead of plant material, not an approved filtration method? Plant material is needed because the swale was designed to infiltrate storm water and filter out pollutants. The root system of the plant material along with bacteria breaks down pollutants.
7. If I don’t like the original parkway design, can I construct something different? Yes, you may construct something different from the original design with the approval of the City’s Building and Safety Department.
8. How much time do I have to return the parkway swale back to the original design? The City can work with each property owner on a case by case basis to agree on a reasonable timeframe.