Capitol Area Stormwater Management Study

Capitol Region Watershed District, Capitol Area Architectural and Planning Board & Barr Engineering, Saint Paul, MN, 2022

Background
The Capitol Area of Saint Paul is a highly developed portion of the City. Centered around the Capitol Building, the area includes 60 surrounding blocks of dense urban development, including West University Ave, Interstates 94 and 35, the vacant Sears campus, the History Center, and Fitzgerald Park. The area has a larger concentration of racial and ethnic diversity compared to other portions of Saint Paul. Capitol Region Watershed District (CRWD) and the Capitol Area Architectural and Planning Board (CAAPB) are leading a joint effort to study stormwater management in this area for the potential to incorporate green infrastructure and improve stormwater management.

Strengths & Solutions
Young Environmental developed a comprehensive stakeholder engagement plan to guide meaningful discussions with a diverse group of partners. In July 2022, we led a workshop to facilitate conversations and dive deeper into ideas for the study area. Building on the collective brainstorming from a talented group, this meeting resulted in a wide variety of concepts to use in a stormwater management design. Through these discussions, we worked to build consensus surrounding goals and vision. These workshop themes will be used to guide next steps of development, where the team will begin to discuss design guidelines and the tangible ways to bring these concepts to reality. Our team summarized findings from the workshop and will continue to engage with partners on next steps to move forward with this holistic vision for Saint Paul.

Project Impact
The comprehensive plan for Minnesota State Capitol Area will improve public health through the incorporation of vibrant public spaces, diverse land uses, and walkable streets. In this vision of a sustainable and resilient district, stormwater infrastructure plays a large role. Redevelopment of this area could provide a high level of environmental, social, and financial benefits for this portion of the local community.

Stakeholder Engagement, Stormwater Management, Green Infrastructure, Restorative Communities, Environmental Justice