JOHNSTOWN – The Fulton County Board of Supervisors Monday voted unanimously to support a $1 million grant to the Parkhurst Field Foundation in Gloversville to jumpstart its “Legends Park at Parkhurst Field” project.
C. T. Male Associates Director of Engineering Chad Kortz appeared before the Planning Board Tuesday with updated plans for the redevelopment of Parkhurst Field, a month after the board questioned whether proposed bioretention areas for the site would sufficiently reduce stormwater runoff.
The 9.6 acre property located at 54 Harrison St. currently consists of three baseball fields, two T-ball fields, one softball field and several smaller fields.
Redevelopment plans call for the construction of four new regulation baseball diamonds, a stadium and spectator seating to be performed in three phases. The existing softball field will remain in its current location and the two T-ball fields will be reconfigured.
Three fields will be constructed at the northern end of the site along Industrial Parkway with walkway access and a T-ball field at the southern end during phase one.
Phase two will include the construction of the premier field and grandstand, restrooms, concession stand, the second T-ball field and new parking areas will be created with access from Harrison Street and Industrial Parkway.
Phase three of the project will involve landscaping and the construction of batting cages and field lighting.
Initial plans called for the implementation of stormwater management measures during phase two utilizing bioretention areas that hold up to six inches of water that is retained, treated and slowly released as runoff in accordance with state Department of Environmental Conservation requirements.
The measure was expected to reduce the rate of site runoff below current levels, but city officials questioned whether the system would be sufficient and whether the city’s current storm sewer infrastructure on Harrison Street would be able to adequately convey the field’s output given that rainwater currently collects along the perimeter of Parkhurst Field on Harrison Street.
Additionally, Building Inspector Brandon Myers said that it was unclear where the rainwater from the site and neighboring properties was going as nearby infrastructure did not appear to connect to a system, something Department of Public Works Director Dale Trumbull was researching for the city.
On Tuesday, Kortz related to the board that plans for a bioretention area had been discarded, instead plans call for the use of a pervious paving material that allows rainwater to pass through it and into the ground for parking areas and walkways between fields. The material will be similar in appearance and feel to asphalt.
The project previously called for the use of crushed stone for parking and walkways, but Kortz said using permeable paving materials will reduce impervious areas on the site by 33 percent following construction, exceeding DEC requirements and eliminating the need for any additional stormwater management measures.
“Essentially if you envision the parking lot that’s there now that’s now considered impermeable surface, that’s all going to be considered permeable,” Kortz said. “Under DEC’s regulations if you improve it by more than 25 percent you don’t need to implement any other treatment practices.”
Under normal circumstances rainwater will infiltrate the ground once the pervious pavement is in place. If water levels rise in the event of a 10 or 100 year storm, an underdrain system will be in place to convey and discharge the water in the roadside swale.
The Planning Board members raised no objections to the proposed change, however the city previously retained Greenman-Pedersen, Inc. to review site plans as they relate to stormwater management. GPI was unable to review the revised design before the meeting and will have to provide an opinion to the board before final approval for the project can be given.
“We have to have that information as far as what the stormwater is, if any issues come up that has to be seen and looked at,” Planning Board Chairman James Anderson noted.
The board then reconvened the public hearing that was opened during the Sept. 10 meeting. No members of the public commented during either meeting.
The Planning Board then approved motions to close the public hearing and table further action on Parkhurst Field redevelopment plans pending site plan review by GPI.
