Environmental Sustainability

Porous Pavement

Porous pavement was installed at the Longacre House in 2007 to explore pavement alternatives in order to reduce pollution in our waterways.

Porous or permeable pavement is made with the same asphalt material as regular pavement, but uses a different stone mix to provide larger void spaces within the pavement. With regular paved surfaces, rainwater sheets off into catch basins and storm sewers that head to detention areas or into creeks and streams. Alternatively, the void spaces in porous pavement allow water to percolate through. Beneath the surface, a stone reservoir is used to temporarily store and filter the stormwater runoff. Stormwater, which can contain contaminants such as fertilizer and vehicle oil, filters through the stone, sand and soil underneath. This process helps to remove pollutants naturally before it reaches groundwater. Another major advantage to the porous pavement system is that extra traditional detention areas that store stormwater runoff are not usually needed. Porous pavement can help reduce the risk of flooding by alleviating the sudden flow of water from impervious surfaces directly into waterways during major storms.

North Bell Creek Stormwater Master Plan

This pilot project will explore various stormwater best management practices for Farmington Hills that are consistent with environmental regulations yet provide a sustainable and cost-effective level of service for the community. Public outreach and City interdepartmental collaboration related to land use changes and practices will be essential to the development of a successful plan. Economic viability for both development and redevelopment will be considered. Maintenance requirements, procedures and strategies are part of the study.

When the study is completed, Farmington Hills will have a list of capital and regulatory improvements that, if applied as identified in the North Bell District, will improve stormwater quality, reduce flooding and provide for a sustainable drainage system that can be integrated into future land use considerations and City operations.

Danvers Pond

The Danvers Pond is located along the Pebble Creek, a tributary of the Main Rouge River, on City owned property in the Woodcreek Subdivision. The pond has a history of sediment accumulation that contributes to the degradation of water quality in the Pebble Creek. The pond has been dredged twice in the past 20 years to remove accumulated sediment at a considerable cost to the City. A significant amount of sediment has again accumulated in the pond. A dam at the outlet from the pond functions as the barrier to impound the pond water and prevent fish movement upstream of the dam. The dam is currently in a state of disrepair. Residents in the area have expressed concerns with the appearance of the sediment laden pond and odors that emanate from it during warm weather.

In order to address the ongoing and recurring problems involving the pond, development of a long term sustainable solution that is ecologically friendly and results in limited maintenance and future costs to the community has been recommended. The alternative selected for implementation involves the removal of the deteriorating dam and restoration of approximately 300 feet of natural stream channel utilizing bioengineering and naturalizing techniques. Michigan native vegetation will be used for restoration along the stream and approximately 2 acres of former impoundment bottom lands. The restored bottom lands will create habitat for terrestrial wildlife as well as help to store and filter flood flows. A State permit has been obtained and the project is scheduled to commence construction in spring 2012.

The City obtained a 50/50 matching (federal/local) grant through the Rouge River Wet Weather Demonstration Project that enabled completion of the design of the recommended alternative. A federal grant was subsequently secured in the amount of $499,254 for construction of the project.