On November 16, 2021 the Planning Board voted 6-0 in approval of granting the Town of Cape Elizabeth a Resource Protection Permit to alter 940 square feet of wetland as part of the replacement of the Willow Brook culvert.  The culvert is located on the Portland Water District easement, approximately 750 feet east of Starboard Drive.  On November 9 the Conservation Committee reviewed the application and voted 7-0 in favor of deeming the application complete and in favor of recommending that the Resource Protection Permit be granted.

In a Cape Elizabeth Culvert and Habitat Assessment Study from March of 2019, the Willow Brook Culvert project was identified as a top priority for replacement due to its deteriorated condition and location underneath two large diameter sewer lines that carry treated and untreated sanitary waste.  Failure of the culverts could lead to significant ecological impact and restriction of tidal flows.  Currently, it is a barrier to fish passage and other habitat throughout the region.  Due to its critical status, a grant in the amount of $350,000 from the Maine Natural Resources Conservation Program (MNRCP) was received to replace the Willow Brook Culverts.  In addition to funding, the grant from MNRCP includes a five-year monitoring period to monitor the success of the culvert crossing.

The culverts will be replaced with an open bottom concrete culvert installed to maintain the sewer lines in their current elevation.  The open bottom culvert will allow for tidal flow and a head cut into the bottom surface under the culvert anticipated once the Spurwink Avenue culvert is replaced downstream.  Overall, the culvert replacement project will improve the flow of surface waters and ecologic conditions.