The City of Oconomowoc and neighboring property owners worked together to improve over three acres of adjacent municipal and private parking lots on South Street and Church Street. These improvements were made to increase parking and include storm water treatment facilities over the entire parking area. The joint parking lots serve the downtown commercial area, the library, the community center, and the summer farmers market. The parking lot drains through underground storm pipes approximately 500 feet north to Lac la Belle.
The newly reconstructed and re-striped parking lots now hold 336 vehicles - 50 more than before. Three sunken parking lot islands with curb cuts allow storm water to flow across the parking lot and into the vegetated bioretention areas. The sediment, nutrients, metals, and other pollutants are captured in the vegetated treatment practices, allowing the cleaner storm water to continue through the storm sewer and out to the lake.
These vegetated parking lot islands are in a highly visible downtown area, where residents and visitors alike see the importance of storm water treatment to the protection of the lakes in Oconomowoc.
About the Authors
Maureen A. McBroom
Environmental Coordinator
Maureen is dedicated to the protection and improvement of Wisconsin’s resources through close collaboration with municipalities and their citizens. Efficient & effective implementation, driven by strong relationships and communication, are drivers behind her project implementation strategies. She has experience in the WDNR’s Runoff Program, specifically issuing WPDES Permit coverage for construction site erosion control & long-term storm water plans, industrial storm water sites and municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) permittees. Maureen has been with R/M since 2015.
Violet V. Razo
Project Engineer
Violet is involved with the design and construction administration of municipal utility and street projects. She has worked as a project engineer on numerous road, water main, sanitary, and storm sewer projects. Violet has been with R/M since 2005.
