Oakland water system needs upgrades

The Oakland Town Commission at its April 8 meeting learned the results of a water system capacity evaluation in a report prepared by Kimley-Horn, engineering planning and design consultants. The recommendation is to add a second 500,000-gallon ground storage tank and a fourth 1,500-gallons-per-minute high-service pump at the water treatment plant.

Commissioners accepted the report and directed staff to plan for certain improvements.

In a report to the commission, Public Works Director Mike Parker explained the upgrades are necessary because of the rapid growth in service area in the last five years. The town asked two of its consulting firms to assess the water system capacities and make recommendations.

CPH will address the commission with its findings at an upcoming meeting.

Kimley-Horn representatives conducted a site visit in April 2024 for a visual equipment inspection.

At the time of inspection, the water system operated with a treatment capacity of 2.392 million gallons per day, which services about 1,600 connections, or 5,600 persons. As of Feb. 1, the number of services has grown to 1,736 connections, or 6,076 people — and continues to grow.

“We will very soon have new customers in the final phase of Oakland Park, new customers in The Grove, new customers in Briley Farms, new customers in Bay View, new customers in The Harvest and new commercial customers in The Exchange,” Parker wrote. “Do you see the issue here?”

Kimley-Horn found the town’s water system needs immediate upgrades to provide sufficient capacity to handle anticipated flows through the end of the study period.

Parker said it also was recommended the town perform a feasibility study to interconnect with the city of Winter Garden’s system for an emergency interconnect.

“This will help aid the town with planned maintenance events, construction activities and emergency situations such as unexpected watermain breaks,” he wrote.

“While these improvements will come with a hefty price tag, they must be addressed before any large-demand projects are approved for construction,” Parker said. “Raising impact fees or applying for grants will not take care of the problem, nor will raising the monthly utility charges to all customers be a good solution. Compelling the developers to pay for these improvements is the most effective way to deal with it.”

The entire project could take two to three years to complete. A Kimley-Horn representative said the new capacity would take care of the town’s needs “for a very long time.”

ROUNDABOUT CONCERNS
Commissioners heard from two residents concerned about the roundabout at the intersection of Oakland Avenue, J.W. Jones Road and Old County Road 50. Kevin Cox said he has seen other roundabouts that are overgrown with weeds and hopes Oakland will maintain this one once the landscaping and the acorn sculpture are added. His desire is for the town to keep the landscaping low enough for drivers to see other vehicles as well as the pedestrians and cyclists who are on the West Orange Trail, which runs through the area.

Mayor Shane Taylor explained the reason for the roundabout at that intersection.

“The thought was it didn’t work with a traffic light; it doesn’t work with stop signs,” he said. “I think there’s a learning curve on the roundabout that everyone goes through. … When FDOT surveyed the area … is it conducive to a roundabout. Even though they cost more in the beginning, it’s cheaper in the long run than putting in a stoplight as far as maintenance.

“As for the acorn and the masonry wall that will go around it, I feel myself that having that as a placemaking entrance into the town from the west is important for us,” Taylor said. “I’d like to see something similar as a placemaking entrance as you come in from Winter Garden.”

Town Manager Elise Hui said a landscaping plan for the roundabout has not been completed, and she suggested Florida-friendly, drought-resistant plants.

“We’ve been looking forward to that (roundabout completion), and it won’t be an eyesore,” Commissioner Sal Ramos said. “We’ll make sure of that. I am concerned about the pedestrians. … I think the acorn is going to stop some of the traffic down … but there are a lot of bikers and walkers, and people driving around it don’t know if they should stop for them.”

Another resident, Scott Hren, questioned safety because of the number of cyclists who speed down the trail and the streets.

Oakland Police Chief Darron Esan said he has a plan to keep the roundabout safe for everyone.

“Those stop signs are not enforceable by us, but we’ll do what we can to educate (people),” he said.