October 4, 2019 marks WSB’s 24th year of business. Every year on our firm’s anniversary, I reflect on WSB’s journey. Recently, I was in New York City at a conference and was reminiscing on the past 24 years and thinking about the future. While in New York, I saw the musical Hamilton again and began to understand why I’m drawn to it. One of the early songs in Hamilton is called “My Shot.” Alexander Hamilton sings about his place in history and how he is not going to throw away the opportunity that he has been given. He says that he is like his country, “young, scrappy and hungry.” That description is a good way to describe WSB founders Ron Bray, Pete Willenbring, Don Sterna and myself 24 years ago. In terms of firm age and staff, that description remains true in 2019. We have grown from seven staff in one oversized office in 1995 to more than 500 staff in 12 offices throughout four states today. Our secret sauce has always been our attitude of hunger and scrappiness – now reflected in our WSB Way values that remind us to be bold, authentic, passionate, optimistic and visionary.
As four founders on the verge of something new, we didn’t throw away our shot and we continue to work every day to provide opportunities to our staff so they can take their shot in a supportive and collaborative environment. Now 24 years later, I am more inspired by our team and have more passion and fire to be the best that we can be. Our industry is changing at a pace that we haven’t seen before, and we must be at the forefront of that change. I’m amazed when successful companies choose to relax and rest on past successes. Nothing is promised to us and without continued improvement and change, those companies will not exist in the future. From technology, productivity, sustainability to diversity, there is much more to do, and I believe that we are well-positioned to continue to lead. In recent years, we’ve been improving quality, expanding our offerings to new markets and service areas, and focusing on hiring and developing an amazing team. I am so thankful for our staff and clients who have helped build WSB and I am excited for our future successes as we begin to celebrate our 25th year in 2020.
In the musical, Hamilton’s wife says that he writes like he is running out of time. I can appreciate that feeling as we race to be our best. WSB is still a young company and there is much more ahead of us. My advice to our staff is to keep their heads up and watch for opportunities. Don’t make assumptions or preplan your career. You might miss out on something wonderful that you couldn’t have imagined. We have lived by that philosophy over the past 24 years and I know that our 25th year will be no different.
Today, we take time to celebrate the success we have had for 24 years, and after we will look to the future and move forward with passion, optimism and a bold vision to be the most authentic firm we can be. As Alexander Hamilton says, “That would be enough!”
You encounter many opportunities to pursue grants throughout the year. Grants can be a great way to fund community needs. However, preparing applications comes with expense – staff time and effort or consultant fees. Not to mention, there’s no guarantee you’ll be awarded anything. Is it worth the effort? Below are some things to consider when making a decision.
1. Know the program requirements
Does your project or need fit the eligibility requirements? Try talking to the grant administrator to see how well your project fits within the program requirements.
If a local funding match is required, make sure your community has the funds available.
If the grant is for construction, does the project need to be let or constructed by a certain date? If so, be sure your community meet that requirement.
2. Know the real level of effort
Calculate the cost: consider staff hours or consultant fees needed to prepare the application.
Can your community meet all of the application requirements, including the due date?
3. Identify the grant team
Assign a grant champion – the person who will see the application through from start to finish.
Identify who will provide the technical portions of the application. For example: engineering layout; cost estimates; benefit/cost analysis; etc.
4. Obtain necessary approvals and endorsements
Is your community leadership on-board with pursuing the grant?
If the application will benefit from outside support from stakeholders or elected officials, be sure to request those items early.
5. Identify unstated factors that may influence success
Has your community recently been awarded money from this funding source? Oftentimes, grant administrators award money based on historic awards in an effort to ensure everyone has an opportunity.
Identify any outside factors that may influence selection.
Thinking about the items above will help you make an informed decision – balancing the level of effort required compared to the likelihood of success.
Need help deciding whether or not to go after a grant or wondering if any grants might fit a project? We can help.
Mary is a Sr. Transportation Planner at WSB with over 17 years of progressively complex transportation planning and project management experience, gained from working on a variety of transportation projects for modes including roads/bridge, transit, and trails.
In the past few years, there has been a push to utilize
renewable energy resources. In Minnesota and other states, there has been
legislation to require some of this renewable energy to come from solar. According
to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), Minnesota ranks 13th
in the nation for megawatt production, producing 1,140 MW of energy from solar.
This push for solar has resulted in the development of small-scale and
community solar gardens which construct panels across a variety of landscapes,
including low-lying wetland areas.
In Minnesota, there are rules and regulations for impacts to
wetlands that include regulations surrounding the placement of a structure in a
wetland. These rules are outlined in the Wetland Conservation Act (WCA). The WCA
allows the construction of some panels in wetland areas depending on the type
of impact, but regulation of these impacts is highly variable throughout the
state due to lack of specific language regarding whether solar panels truly
cause wetland impacts. There are opinions that suggest that the installation of
solar panels within wetlands affect the quality of the wetland vegetation under
the panels over time. In addition to these regulations, the Board of Water and
Soil Resources (BWSR) also has standards that encourage developers of solar
fields to plant vegetation that benefits pollinators.
Currently, there isn’t any research that explores the direct
impact of solar panels on wetland vegetation. From small community solar
gardens to large utility scale solar gardens, the energy generated can benefit
communities, but what is the impact on the underlying vegetation? If solar
panels are placed in a degraded wetland such as a farm field, would the
installation of panels and native seed mixes improve the quality of wetland
vegetation?
Where is the research?
The lack of research explaining direct impacts that solar
installations have on vegetation is a challenge for scientists and engineers.
Through communication with regulators and developers, we have discovered there
is room for growth and study in this area, and it is a topic that needs
continued exploration. This data gap has led us to develop our own vegetation studies
at community solar gardens. This data is imperative if we are to continue to
rely on solar energy resources. Without current guidelines that outline negative
or positive effects, we are unsure of the long-term overall environmental
impacts to vegetation quality under solar panels, which in turn affects the
quality of natural habitat and functional benefits provided by the landscape.
How do energy companies know if they are impacting the environment that
surrounds solar gardens? Pursuing funding for extensive research has been challenging
for those who are curious about the effects of installation of solar technology
on surrounding vegetation. Even after preliminary research, many questions remain
surrounding the shading of solar panels and vegetation, direct impacts, and
long-term effects.
What does this mean for the future?
SEIA projects that Minnesota’s solar energy consumption will grow by 845 megawatts within the next five years. Financial support to continue this research is necessary and will allow scientists to uncover data at solar sites that does not yet exist. With this data, we can better understand the environment, impact of projects on vegetation, and develop tools to distinguish impacts. Developers looking for land will better understand the risks involved when building a solar garden on or near a wetland. As need and desire for renewable energy increases, more energy companies will implement solar. However, if we are not aware of the impacts solar gardens have, how will we know if there is an additional cost to the environment? Knowing areas to avoid allows companies to be certain of regulations, save time and money, and limit impacts to surrounding wetlands. We are continuing to complete research to better understand the impacts and benefits of solar arrays on underlying vegetation.
Roxy is an environmental scientist and certified wetland delineator. She has a master’s degree in ecology and is a Certified Associate Ecologist . She has completed numerous wetland delineations and has experience with wetland monitoring, ecological restoration design, environmental site assessments, field research, biological surveys, ArcGIS mapping, and GPS Trimble.
As of September 1, Texas has made several changes to the land use planning review process. Specifically, the site plan and subdivision platting approval processes have been shortened to 30 days. The chart to the right demonstrates the revised work flow and timelines used in order to compile with the new planning review process. This new schedule is increasing pressure on local municipalities who are likely feeling pressure to comply with the new application process.
Our community planning team is experienced with navigating legislative
and ordinance process changes that create tight deadlines. We have spent years leading
clients through city internal reviews and staff capacity issues. By assisting
with ordinance and procedural changes, tracking applications, handling
communications, and ensuring that all statutory requirements are met, we help our
clients meet the needs of their communities. Our team uses an interactive and
quality control approach to account for every detail to ensure our clients’
success and the smooth operation of their Planning Department.
Client communities can relax and feel confident that their boards, councils and commissions have all the information they need to make educated decisions during the changing legislative landscape and the entire planning review process.
So, your comprehensive plan is done – and everyone is breathing a big sigh of relief. Now what?
A community’s comprehensive plan includes recommendations on
land use, housing, and other areas that are described and enforced by that
city’s zoning ordinance and subdivision ordinance. Without updating the zoning
ordinance many planning goals may not be attainable. Zoning is important to
promote and manage growth and to help residents and businesses manage
expectations about what they and their neighbors can do with their property. Simply
put, you can’t attain the development goals established in a comprehensive plan
without a zoning ordinance.
A sense of relief and accomplishment at the end of the comprehensive
planning process is understandable; it can take years to update a comprehensive
plan. As a former local government planner, I have been asked many times if a
plan will just “sit on the shelf.” This often stems from a lack of ability to
build the plan. Zoning means different things to different stakeholders. For
developers, zoning is a building tool. For residents, it is a tool used for
protection from the unknown. For local government, it is a tool to promote the
prosperity, health, and welfare of the whole community. For planners, zoning is
a tool to achieve the plan goals. Turning a comprehensive plan into a reality
can be largely based on the zoning ordinance. An update to the zoning ordinance
should be incorporated when updating a comprehensive plan.
Here are four reasons to update your zoning ordinance:
An update leads to increased buy-in from elected officials and community stakeholders. Planning is a visionary process. If stakeholders know that the zoning comes next, they may be more likely to participate and stay involved. The zoning ordinance puts plans into action.
It helps ensure the zoning work will be completed and budgeted for in advance of planning fatigue that can overwhelm the late phases of updating the comprehensive plan.
The comprehensive plan visioning may be stronger with the knowledge that zoning should occur immediately following completion. The comp plan will be more targeted to the conditions of the community and supported by stakeholders and elected officials. In other words, visions are rightsized to the community.
The plan visions may be sooner realized. Oftentimes planning fatigue and competition for staff time and resources result in zoning updates being pushed off for months or years, potentially resulting in legal challenges or extended project timelines.
And beyond just planning for the zoning update, here are six
reasons to update your zoning ordinance:
Legal protection. Zoning decisions that have no basis in the comprehensive plan are more successfully challenged in court. There must be a rational basis for zoning decisions and requirements. Additionally, cities in the Twin Cities metropolitan area must comply with the Metropolitan Land Planning Act which imposes certain mandatory zoning and regulatory requirements and requires that zoning directives harmonize with and not contradict the comprehensive plan.
To reflect federal and state law pertaining to land use and zoning. For example, how we regulate non-conformities has changed in Minnesota, with local authority over non-conformities weakening. Also, legal decisions regarding signage impact how local government reviews sign applications.
To incorporate plain language and resolve internal conflicts that are the result of decades of incremental updates. The use of plain and clear language to define uses and terms strengthens the legal standing of ordinance interpretations.
To address confusing concepts that have led to inconsistent application of code. Modern zoning codes use graphics to illustrate concepts such as setbacks, lot coverage, and floor area ratio.
To adapt to societal changes that conflict with narrow use categories and single-use zoning, such as allowing home offices, businesses, accessory units, and accessory structures within homes and on single-family lots.
To incorporate best practices in land use and development that focus on how a building fits into its context and ways to mitigate use conflicts rather than narrowly legislate use of private property.
Although, there are many factors that determine how quickly
a comprehensive plan can become a reality, zoning is certainly not a factor to
discard.
The Fallon Avenue Overpass project recently received an honorable mention for this year’s 2019 Minnesota Chapter APWA Project of the Year Awards. The APWA Awards program recognizes excellence in public works. We were honored to partner with the city of Monticello on a project that connects the community.
As infrastructure ages, you will need to prioritize which items to fix first. You need to determine which items to do this year and which items can wait for future plans. How do you know when it is time to put a lift station at the top of the list? Below are 5 signs that your lift station is nearing the end of their usable life cycle.
1. Clogged Pumps – Have your maintenance crews been spending an inordinate amount of time and resources addressing clogged pumps? Rags, sanitary products, and many other items find their way into your city’s sanitary sewer, but cannot be passed by the old style impellers. It might be time to upgrade your pumps to modern non-clog impellers to address this maintenance nightmare.
2. Increased Pump Runtimes – Over time, pumps lose their efficiency causing them to generate less flow at lower velocities. This can cause solids to settle in the forcemain and exacerbate the pump inefficiencies. Compare your electricity bills over time. If the number of kilowatt hours used has gone up, it might be time to dig into the issue.
3. Electrical & Communication Failures – Old starters, leaking mechanical seals, electrical service changes: these items can cause tripped circuit breakers and blown fuses. If your SCADA system isn’t communicating these failures to maintenance staff, you might find out from an angry resident with sewage backup in their basement. Electrical and communication upgrades will help your staff maintain real-time status updates and put your mind at ease.
4. Degraded Concrete, Piping & Equipment – Sanitary sewage can generate corrosive hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas that chews up the lift station concrete, pump rails, piping, hatches, and valves. Ensuring proper pump cycles and providing mixing to break up gas producing materials in the lift station can help reduce gas generation, but it may also be necessary to coat the concrete with a corrosion resistant barrier and replace lift station equipment with more robust materials. Have the field crew take photos for you to review.
5. Safety – Are your lift station hatches equipped with fall protection? Are your workers using tripods with harnesses for lift station access, or are they relying on deteriorated manhole steps? Review the safety features of your lift stations and make sure your crew has the right equipment to do their job safely. Lift stations are a very hazardous environment, but simple safety features and protocols can make all the difference.
If you are experiencing any of these issues or want more information, we can help.
Road reconstruction projects
affect residents of all cities, from large metropolitan areas to small rural centers.
While residents are very familiar with the sight of bright orange cones and
excavating machines that are shown for a few months in the summer, few know the
full amount of work that goes into improving roads and public utilities the
rest of the year. Here is a season by season breakdown of how a road
reconstruction project comes to life:
Summer/Fall
The summer/fall season is when work on a specific project typically begins for the upcoming construction season, with the start of preliminary design. Depending on the size and complexity of the project, preliminary design can begin months or even years earlier than this time frame.
The preliminary design begins by collecting extensive information on the existing conditions of the public infrastructure in the project area. This can be done through a topographic survey of the area, taking geotechnical readings on the materials in the area, and even reviewing asset management systems or old plan sets for the project area.
Based on the information gathered, the project team (typically consisting of transportation and municipal engineers) can identify improvements needed within the project area. The team then provides a preliminary overview of proposed improvements to the project owners, private utility companies such as gas or electric that could be impacted, residents, business owners and other stakeholders in the project area. At this point, public engagement becomes critical to connect with the owners, companies, and residents to solicit feedback on the proposed improvements and gather additional information on existing conditions. This feedback can be achieved through neighborhood meetings, showcasing visualizations, and conducting community surveys.
After gathering
feedback, the project team presents the proposed infrastructure improvements along
with estimates on costs and schedule to the project owners, and, if the project
is still supported, begins final design.
Fall/Winter
The fall/winter season is dedicated to final design of the project. The team (supported by site & landscape designers, water resource engineers and wastewater engineers) completes final design documents that specialists in infrastructure construction techniques will use build the project. These documents will complete the city’s vision for the project while ensuring it is properly engineered and safe for residents. The design includes not only the pavement that residents drive on, but also all of the public utilities in the project area, such as storm sewer, sanitary sewer and watermain.
During this time, the project will also be reviewed by permitting agencies that have jurisdiction over certain aspects of the project. These agencies, such as a county or state transportation agency, may have jurisdiction over neighboring roads. Other agencies, like a state departments of natural resources, may review the project for environmental regulations within the project area.
Once the plans and specifications are complete, the project team will share the finished design documents with the project owner. The project is then authorized to be bid for construction.
Winter/Spring
The spring season is
used to bid the project and prepare for construction. After the project is authorized
to be bid, a notice goes out to contractors notifying them of the project and
providing them access to the plans and specifications. If a contractor is
interested in constructing the project, they submit a set of documents to the
project owner. These documents include insurance information, proof of bonds,
and their bid of how much they believe it will cost to construct the project.
At an arranged time, a contractor will be selected from those that submitted a
bid.
Once a contractor has been selected, project management and construction administration begins. Preliminary construction meetings are held with the project owners, the project team, and other stakeholders, to prepare for the upcoming construction of the project.
Spring/Summer
After the preliminary and final designs are complete, construction -the most visible stage of a project – can begin during the spring/summer season. During this time, the project team monitors contractor progress on the project, and ensures that the construction is being done according to the plans and specifications that were prepared in the fall/winter. This monitoring consists of a variety of activities that include construction material testing, environmental compliance, and more.
Because the winter season is often the longest in the Midwest, the time frame for construction is extremely short. To protect the final product, some projects require contractors to wait until after winter to finish minor paving and restoration work during the following spring/summer season.
Once all of the work is complete and accepted by the project owner, the contract is finalized and closed out. Usually a maintenance period is required of the contractor, during which time they are responsible to address any workmanship or materials defects which are identified following close out.
At this point, the project is considered complete. The project owner is responsible for ongoing maintenance and repair of the infrastructure through their Public Works Department. The new seasonal cycle begins with the next project that was prioritized or identified within that community’s Capital Improvement Plan or similar planning document. Learn about how WSB can assist your community with any or all of these project cycles by visiting https://www.wsbeng.com/expertise/community/ or clicking on any of the linked services above.
Brandon is a Graduate Engineer with WSB and serves as the assistant city engineer for the City of Sunfish Lake, MN. He is experienced with reviewing developer and residential land development plans and management of cities’ Municipal State Aid Systems (MSAS) through the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT).
Solar production in Minnesota has seen dramatic increases in the past few years and continues to grow across the state. With this rapid growth comes challenges about how to regulate the installation of panels at a local level. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), Minnesota has already invested $1.9 billion on solar and additional growth is projected at 834 megawatts over the next five years. The installations of solar “farms”, vast arrays of solar panels, can be seen throughout the state and can generate up to a megawatt of electricity each. Development of these sites often requires large, vacant parcels which may also support natural habitats such as wetlands.
The development application process for these solar farms can be challenging for municipalities, especially those who act as the local government unit (LGU) for the Wetland Conservation Act (WCA). Developers must work collaboratively with LGUs to demonstrate a sequencing process that shows how their projects are avoiding, minimizing, and if necessary, replacing unavoidable wetland impacts. Under the WCA rule, the installation of posts and pilings from solar panels has traditionally not been considered a wetland impact if they do not significantly alter the wetland function and value. But, as the solar industry grows, LGUs have had questions about whether the installation of solar panels may lead to loss in wetland quality over time which would be a violation of WCA. A strong measure of wetland quality comes from the diversity of the plants within the wetland, factors like shading from panels and disturbances from construction may lead to conversion of the wetland vegetative community, and subsequently, the wetland quality. Loss of wetlands and wetland quality has overlapping effects on drinking water, lake and stream health, native wildlife, soil heath, and pollinators, all of which are important to our Minnesota ecosystems.
So why does this affect you? Many municipalities act as the
LGU responsible for implementing WCA. LGUs, alongside other regulating
agencies, have been struggling to make impact determinations for sites that
install panels in wetlands because there is little data available that
addresses the future outcomes of these natural areas. There is a growing need
for baseline data about how the quality of wetland vegetation changes
throughout the solar development process. If data were available, LGUs could
use these as a basis for making determinations.
Having baseline data about wetland vegetative quality under
solar panels is beneficial to both regulators and developers. Regulators will
have a scientific basis for making wetland impact determinations within their
jurisdiction and developers will see more consistency across municipalities
during the permitting process. We may see that wetland quality improves under
solar panels in certain circumstances through the planting of native vegetation
upon completion of development. In other scenarios, wetland quality may
decrease if the existing wetland was of higher quality prior to development.
WSB has started an exciting initiative to collect this baseline data at various solar sites in Minnesota. In 2019, environmental scientists at WSB surveyed wetland vegetation under existing or planned solar panels at four solar farms in varying stages of development. Additional data collection at these sites is planned for the summer of 2020. WSB is in the process of developing a Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) grant application to expand this research in 2021 to more sites across the state and to include other metrics that may influence vegetation such as fixed-tilt or tracker panel types. Support of this research from municipalities will be important for the LCCMR application process and we encourage you to join us in the process through letters of support, in-kind hours, monetary support, or providing access to solar farms within your area. It is an exciting time in the renewable energy industry and WSB is committed to helping advance the clean energy market in a way that is sustainable to our Minnesota environment that we all cherish.
Roxy is an environmental scientist and certified wetland delineator. She has a master’s degree in ecology and is a Certified Associate Ecologist. She has completed numerous wetland delineations and has experience with wetland monitoring, ecological restoration design, environmental site assessments, field research, biological surveys, ArcGIS mapping, and GPS Trimble.
