The City of Kenosha (City) purchased approximately 6.19 acres of vacant land in the Village of Pleasant Prairie, with plans to build a stormwater retention basin. The project intends to improve surface water quality and reduce the risks associated with recurring flooding at the 75th Street and 57th Avenue intersection.
The Village Board, on Monday, May 18, approved a Comprehensive Plan Amendment that changes the land designation on the Village Land Use Plan Map from an Urban Single Family Residential District to a Park Recreational District. The property is generally located south of 70th Street and west of 52nd Avenue. The approval came after a favorable recommendation from the Plan Commission, which held a public hearing for the Zoning Map Amendment on May 11.
The stormwater retention basin will utilize a wet pond design consisting of clay-lined deep-water pools, along with emergent and natural wetlands. The City considered several retention basin designs for the project. The largest pond proposal was selected for its ability to contain stormwater surges and release them slowly into the existing system. Construction on the retention basin will begin this spring, with completion later this fall.
In conjunction, with the basin, a parallel storm sewer between 67th Place and 70th Street will be constructed to convey water runoff southeast to the new stormwater retention basin. The project will also upsize storm sewers within the City rights-of-ways on 67th Place, 57th and 58th Avenues, and 68th and 70th Streets. Stormwater from the new retention pond will release through a new 54-inch storm sewer, located on the south end of the pond that connects back to the existing system at the intersection of 73rd Street and 57th Avenue.
Due to the water quality benefits that the project provides, the City obtained an Urban Non-Point Source Construction Grant. The stormwater basin will serve the surrounding residential areas by managing stormwater runoff, preventing regional flooding, and improving water quality.