Working Together –A Case Study on Involving Community Stakeholders during the Design of the CSO 044 Conveyance Project, Onondaga County, New York

Construction of the CSO 044 Conveyance Project commenced in March 2011, with restoration of a three-acre green area scheduled for completion in September 2012. The significance of this project is that community stakeholders were involved during the design phase of the project and provided input on the outcome of the project. Mitigation measures to address and reduce construction-related concerns of the community were incorporated into the project documents. Through project public information meetings, the community became educated with respect to green infrastructure and stormwater management issues, and worked with Onondaga County to improve an asset within the community. The green area will be restored with a walking/bike trail that is constructed of porous pavement, a butterfly garden, and two rain gardens. The success of this project is the result of community stakeholders and the County's project team working together to address the concerns of the neighborhood and create the opportunity to use the construction project as a means to improve the open space in the neighborhood to develop it into a local asset. The methodology employed and the key items to consider when developing a project with community relations elements are reviewed.