Milwaukee Downspout Disconnection Program

HWTN Neighbors – You’re Invited
Murray Hill Neighborhood Association’s March Meeting
Tuesday, March 26th 7PM
Urban Ecology Center – 1500 East Park Place
Milwaukee Downspout Disconnection Program

Please read the message below from the Murray Hill Neighborhood Association regarding this informative meeting:

Hello Neighbors!

We hope that you have enjoyed the first few days of spring!  Please join us for our March Murray Hill meeting on Tuesday, March 26 at 7 PM at the Urban Ecology Center (1500 E Park Place)  We will be talking about the City’s new downspout disconnection program and other residential rain water issues.  Our guests include:

  • Kurt Sprangers, Stormwater Manager with the Milwaukee Department of Public Works.  Property owners in Murray Hill may recall receiving a letter in the mail a few months ago about the Downspout Disconnection Program which will be rolled out in 2019.  He’ll provide some background on how we arrived at this program, where we are currently at, and next steps for residents.
  • Bre Plier, Manager of Sustainability for the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District. With the rainy season right around the corner, Bre will talk to us about MMSD’s Fresh Coast Resource Center which can help homeowners figure out how to make your home rain ready while protecting Lake Michigan.  Learn how to get your hands on a rain barrel, rain garden plants, and other free services available to residents.
  • Chris Dwyer, master’s student at the School of Freshwater Sciences at UW-Milwaukee.  Chris is part of a team developing a Water Stewardship Plan for UWM and he is gathering community input for this plan.  More information is in the attached flyer.  Chris will be joined by Alyssa Conrardy, UWM Neighborhood Housing and Relations Manager.

Milwaukee Police Department District 1 Community Liaison Officer Tom Kline will also join us at the beginning of the meeting for quick community safety updates.

It should be a great meeting with lots of information to share!  Hope to see you there!

 

 

HWTN, Murray Hill Opposing Proposed Skywalk Over Prospect Avenue

Historic Water Tower Neighborhood and the Murray Hill Neighborhood Association have passed resolutions opposed to Columbia St. Mary’s plan to build a skywalk over N. Prospect Avenue just south of the Maryland Avenue Montessori School.

Columbia St. Mary’s has shown its plans, not yet approved by its board, to representatives of the two groups, the E. North Avenue Business Improvement District and Ald. Nik Kovac.

OnMilwaukee.com recently wrote a great story summarizing the proposal and neighborhood concerns.

In November, HWTN’s board passed a resolution opposing the skywalk and listing several concerns, including visual blight, inappropriateness in a residential neighborhood, reduced neighborhood vibrancy by taking pedestrians off the street, decreased pedestrian and auto safety, precedent for future skywalks and lack of demonstrated need.

“Like a lot of the neighbors, my opinion is still forming. The architect, Jim Shields (of HGA), made some changes in response to neighbor concerns which improved design. But many people object on the grounds that skywalks pull pedestrians off the street, and pedestrians on sidewalks are good for commercial corridors.” – Ald. Nik Kovac in OnMilwaukee.com article

Below is a view from North Avenue looking north and a rough sketch showing where the skywalk would connect over the street between the doctors’ offices above Whole Foods and the hospital.

“It’s possible that the supports for such a skywalk could even further diminish visibility for pedestrians and drivers at an already challenging spot.” – Author and Maryland Montessori parent Bobby Tanzilo in OnMilwaukee article

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