Soil probe during Ovenell farm wetland delineation.
The City of Stanwood’s Community Development Department is developing a master plan to convert a former dairy farm, the “Ovenell Farm,” into a park and historical site. Confluence has conducted several tasks to support the master planning process and future permitting for this project, including completing a wetland and ordinary high water mark delineation, Shoreline Master Plan update, and cultural resources review of the farm buildings, residence, and the original river dike and railway located on-site.
Approach
During the critical areas studies in 2015 and 2016, Confluence rated the wetlands and evaluated the site for mitigation opportunities and constraints. Confluence prepared a critical areas study report that met the requirements of the Stanwood Municipal Code, Washington State Department of Ecology, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The report included the results of the wetland and ordinary high water delineations and wetland ratings. The report also summarized the relevant regulations of the delineated wetlands, ditches, and the Stillaguamish River on or adjacent to the site. Confluence summarized the relevant permits potentially needed for the proposed park and discussed the potential mitigation opportunities on the site.
In 2018, Confluence assisted with an update to the City of Stanwood Shoreline Master Plan for the Ovenell and Hamilton properties. The proposed park improvements on both these sites have potential to impact existing wetlands, streams, and buffers. These potential impacts necessitated an update to the Shoreline Master Plan Confluence’s completed tasks include conducting a site reconnaissance, developing conceptual park designs and associated mitigation concepts that are appropriate to achieve regulatory approvals, developing a summary of Shoreline Master Plan uses and policies that may need to be revised on order to allow such uses, and developing a preliminary cost estimate to construct the park features. The update was approved in 2019.
Currently, this project is in scoping for the 30% design, for which Confluence will update the wetland delineation and develop a permit matrix.
Project Location
Stanwood, Washington
Client
City of Stanwood, Washington
Project Timeline
2015-Present