9 ways to make green infrastructure work in cities

7/29/2019 9 Ways to Make Green Infrastructure Work in Cities

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Ways

toMake

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Infrastructure

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ii Regional Plan Association 9 Ways to Make Green Infrastructure Work November 2012

Securing the Space

Finding the Funding

Rethinking Management


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iii Regional Plan Association 9 Ways to Make Green Infrastructure Work November 2012

Introduction & Overview 1How Green Inrastructure Works 3

Challenges to Implementation 9

Securing the Space 11

Finding the Funding 17

Rethinking Management 23

Contents

AcknowledgementsTis report was written by Paul Winters, CoreyPiasecki, and Robert Pirani and designed by JeFerzoco and Benjamin Oldenburg. We thankthe Park Foundation and the Leon LowensteinFoundation or their support o this project andour work to advance water resource management.

Tis work builds on an earlier report preparedby RPA/America 2050: A Systems Approach to

Water Resources available at www.america2050.org/2009/10/new-paper-a-systems-approach-to-

water-resources.html.


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iv Regional Plan Association 9 Ways to Make Green Infrastructure Work November 2012

Market

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Expand

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Retroft

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Flip

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Foster

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Scale

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Incentivize

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Coordinate

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Code

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1 Regional Plan Association 9 Ways to Make Green Infrastructure Work November 2012

Concentrating development is an impor-

tant strategy or improving water resourcemanagement. Locating population andjobs in existing urban and suburban centerscan protect ragile headwaters, aquiers,streams and wetlands. Intensive land usesallow wastewater and water supply systemsto operate more eciently by enabling costeective collection, distribution and reuse.

But managing the rainwater that alls orows within urban areas poses challenges.Te purpose o this document is to help

planners working in urban, suburban andrural areas achieve both land useandwatermanagement goals.

Impervious pavement and buildingsdisrupt the inltration o water into theground, depriving plants and aquiers omoisture. Instead, urban rainall quicklyows over parking lots, rooops, streetsand sidewalks, picking up pollutants andsediment on the way downhill. Tis con-centrates stormwater both time and space,making urban areas prone to ooding anddownstream watersheds subject to erosionand pollution. For low-lying neighborhoods,this accumulated water can inundate homes,businesses and critical inrastructure, placing

people at risk and costing millions o dollars

each year in damage and lost business. Incities with combined sewer systems, evenmoderate rainall can overwhelm treatment

plants and trigger overows that dumpuntreated sewage into watercourses.

Moreover, rainwater is an importantresource that can be productively used or a

variety o purposes. Limited access to resh-water and increased energy costs o pumpingand cleaning water, makes this importanteven in water-rich regions o the country.

Our changing climate will exacerbatethese problems. Scientists anticipate morerequent high-intensity storms, challenging

the design o water systems engineeredor gentler weather patterns. Tere will begreater incidences o drought, making thereuse and storage o stormwater a necessity.

Single purpose, end-o-the-pipe solu-tions that rely heavily on pipes, storage tanksand other physical structurescollectivelyreerred to asgray infastructurearemethods traditional o addressing waterquality and quantity concerns. But thesecapital-intensive solutions are becoming

Introduction & Overviewincreasingly cost-prohibitive, dicult to site

and inadequate or meeting todays waterchallenges.Green inrastructure systems which

help manage stormwater and wastewaterthrough conservation o orests, elds and

wetlands as well as engineered processes thatdraw inspiration rom nature oer great

promise or improving water resource man-agement in urban areas. Green inrastructuresystems encourage inltration and reduce

peak ows to streets and storm sewers. Teyhave been used to successully address a

variety o critical water management goals,including protecting clean drinking water,

providing water or irrigation and protectingpeople and property rom ooding.

Green inrastructure has additionalbenets. Te plants and soils, green citystreets and sidewalks, improve air quality,reduce energy demand and enhance wild-lie habitat and recreational opportunities.Protecting and enhancing stream corridorsand other green spaces can be an importantcomponent o an overall design strategy orcommunities, helping create a place that

people want to live, work and play.Tese innovative solutions have gained

currency in the Environmental Protection

Agency and some state and local govern-ments. Projects are being built across thecountry. But the long-term success o greeninrastructure depends on its integration

with land use, site design and architecturaldecisions.

Increasingly, municipal planners andocials are being asked to work with watermanagement proessionals to address theollowing challenges:

Aligning land use and site planning deci-sions to help site and manage systems on

public and private property not under

the direct control o the agency directlyresponsible or water resources;

Gaining regulatory and budgetaryapprovals or a technology that oenrelies on innovative engineering, soilmixes and biological processes in a di-used series o smaller projects; and

Accounting or signicant co-benets,including community amenities and airquality improvements that are dicult tomonetize and monitor.

Tis report summarizes green inrastruc-

ture practice and presents nine successulways by which planners and policy makersare integrating this innovative technology

with land use and site planning decisions.Tese include measures to secure space orgreen inrastructure, nd the unding to

pay or construction and management andrethink management responsibilities.


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Green Roo. Flickr/Chesapeake Bay Program


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Existing and new land development can

produce adverse impacts on water resourcesin urban and suburban communities. Tesechallenges include:

Poor water quality that limitshuman use and enjoyment o

streams, lakes and coastal areas.Dense settlement patterns concentratesewage treatment plant efuent and add

polluted runo rom streets and rooopsas well as overows rom combined sewersystems1;

Diminished groundwater recharge

and quality. Impervious suracesprevent rainwater rom inltrating thesoil, reducing the quantity and quality o

water reaching drinking aquiers and thesubsurace baseow that sustains streamsand rivers;

Degraded stream channels andshorelines. Hard suraced urban water-sheds add energy and volume to streamsand water bodies. Te result is erosionthat degrades water quality and destroysimportant habitat and scenic resources.

Increased incidence and severity oooding. Pavement expands oodplainsand puts more people and structures atgreater risk more oen.

Green inrastructure oers a valu-able addition or alternative to traditionalmethods o addressing these issues. Te US

How GreenInrastructure Works

One o most notable aspects o green

inrastructure systems is the broad array oco-benets that are generated. Making useo soil and vegetation rather than pipes andstorage basins can enhance wetlands, streambuers and oodplains, reorest the land and

provide vitality and microhabitats to oth-erwise sterile pavement and buildings. Teresult is better air quality, enhanced sh and

wildlie habitat and new and improved greenspaces or communities, building owners andtheir tenants.7

Green inrastructure also oers manysocial benets. Te green and distributednature o the technology makes installations

an asset, rather than a burden to neigh-borhoods. Revealing ecological unction

provides opportunities or environmentaleducation and encouraging water conserva-tion. Green inrastructure oen requires

working across agency and political bound-aries; cooperation that can translate to othermunicipal unctions. Incorporating existingopen space as part o an overall stormwaterstrategy can reduce long term maintenancecosts. Managing plantings can create green

jobs or neighborhood residents.Te promise o green inrastructure

is that every site at every scale can con-

tribute to the unction and quality o itssurrounding ecosystem. Ultimately, greeninrastructure systems can help ensure thatthe built environment does not just mitigatethe impacts o development, but actuallyregenerates and even improves the benetsand services provided by an undevelopedlandscape.8

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

denes green inrastructure as an array oproducts, technologies and practices thatuse natural systems or engineered systemsthat mimic natural processes to enhanceoverall environmental quality and provideutility services.2 Te term has also beenused to more broadly encompass protectednetworks o open space. A more expansivedenition is oered by Te InternationalCouncil or Local Environmental Initia-tives (ICLEI): Green inrastructure is a network composed o natural lands, workinglandscapes, open spaces and the built envi-ronment that conserve ecosystem values and

unctions and provide associated benets tohuman populations. 3

Tese practices rely heavily on conserva-tion o existing drainage networks as well asengineering structured soils and specialized

plants to detain and retain stormwater.4Te captured water is sometimes reused ordomestic needs and irrigation. Green inra-structure techniques can help reduce energyand material use; an important tool or man-aging water assets in a cost eective manner.Reliance on biological processes makes greeninrastructure more powerul than simpler

physical systems and oen more reliable and

cost eective.At the site level, green inrastructure

includes such practices as green roos, treesand enhanced street-tree pits, porous pave-ment, rain gardens and bioswales. Greeninrastructure at the neighborhood andregional scales may include the preserva-tion, restoration, or enhancement o larger

patches and corridors o vegetation, suchas orests, oodplains, stream corridors and

wetlands.5,6


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Green Roos

Engineered soil, vegetation,and drainage systems ona at or pitched roof.

DownspoutDisconnection

Downspouts/guttersdischarging directlyto stormwater systemrerouted to rain gardensor stored in cistern

Cisterns/Rain barrels

Below ground (cistern) orabove ground (rain barrel)storage to detain rainwater,store for later use.

Rain Gardens

Landscaped depressionsinltrate and lterstormwater runo withspecialized plants, possibleunderdrain. Also known asvegetated inltration basin.

MinimizeImperviousCoverage

Site design reduces pavedsurfaces to maximumextent possible and/oremploys porous pavement

Working With Buildings/SitesLandowner incentives provide the necessary motivation at the building and site level, in particular

or existing properties. Guidelines and changes in building code can require or simply enable

implementation during new construction. For larger developments, site plan review standards

and negotiations can be used to encourage landowners to consider green inrastructure.

Flickr/Diana Marsh

Flickr/Beau Owens Photography

Flickr/La Citta Vitta

Flickr/Dawn Easterday

Flickr/416style


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Porous Pavement

Special asphalt, concrete,or spaced paving enableswater to inltrate soil,evaporate, or drainappropriately

Trees andEnhanced Street-Tree Pits

Tree canopies, rootsand tree pits facilitatestormwater inltrationand detention andhelps cools runno.

Bioswales

Sloped drainage areas lledwith vegetation, soils, and/or stone to direct, inltrateand lter stormwater runo

Working With Neighborhoods/Public Spaces(Streets, Plazas, Parks, Playgrounds, and Parking Lots)

Municipalities can lead by example by showcasing the range o green inrastructure techniques that

justiy incentives and mandates. These investments can amiliarize planning, zoning and public works

staf and their private sector colleagues with the maintenance, installation and best practices technique.

High-PerormanceStreets

Streetscapes minimizepavement and includeporous pavement, curbcuts, bioswales and/or enhanced tree pits

Cool Suracesand Paints

Alternate roof types, paint,and shade tree coveragecool stormwater andreduce evaporation.

Flickr/Facility Records | MSU Physical Plant

Flickr/Richard Eriksson

Flickr/Eric Fischer

Flickr/Chesapeake Bay Program

Flickr/Community Environmental Center


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Wetlands, StreamCorridors (man-madeand restored), andFloodplain Ordinances

Sensitive hydrologicalfunctions are protectedto provide stormwaterstorage capacity andminimize ooding

LandConservation

Conserved land througheasement and feesimple acquisitionmaintain groundwaterinltration and reducepeak runo events.

Master Planand Zoning

Control bulk and densityof development to limitbuildings and impervioussurface in sensitive areas

ConservationSubdivision

Create smaller buildinglots and/or concentrateconstruction andpavement in specicbuilding envelopes.Balance of land placedin conservation status.

Steep Slope andErosion Controls

Limit erosion anddownstream sedimentation

Forest, Farm,and RangelandBest Practices

Best management practicesto minimize erosion

Working With Landscapes / Townscapes(Watersheds, Towns and Counties)

Public and private investments in conservation, master plans, zoning ordinances, environmental review

processes and land management can promote green inrastructure at the municipal or landscape scale.

Flickr/Ken Sturm - USFWS

Flickr/Radclie Dacanay Flickr/Brett VA Flickr/Chesapeake Bay Program

Flickr/dgphilli Flickr/Byron Cain


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Parking Lot Rain Garden. Flickr/Chesapeake Bay Program


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5

Market it

Establishing

mitigation bank

& ecosystem

services markets

Charlotte, NC

8

Expand itExpanding the

territory

Albany, NY

2Retroft itProviding incentives

or owners to retroft

existing buildings

Chicago, IL

& Cincinnati, OH

6

Flip it

Avoiding costs by

substituting green

inrastructure or gray

Portland, OR

& Los Angeles, CA

9

Teach itEncouraging

innovation

Chicago, IL

& Syracuse, NY

3Scale itBringing green

inrastructure to scale

Los Angeles, CA

4

Incentivize it

Implementing

stormwater ees

and incentives

Minneapolis, MN

& Cleveland, OH

7

Coordinate itCoordinating powers

and responsibilities

Milwaukee, WI

& Richmond, VA

1Code itIncorporating green

inrastructure into

codes & practices

Ventura County, CA

& New York, NY

planners are making green inrastructurework in their communities.


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Communities are implementing green inra-

structure in a variety o ways. Municipali-ties install systems on their own lands andbuildings, in particular on streets, sidewalks,

parks and rooops. Stormwater regulationsand zoning, site plans and other municipalordinances may require private landownersand developers to take action while estab-lishing stormwater ees can help pay or andurther incentivize implementation.9

Te very aspects that make green inra-structure so useul small-scale installations,utilization o trees and other living thingsand diverse benets are also at the root osome thorny challenges:

Challenges toImplementation

The nature o the technology

requires siting and managing sys-tems on properties that are gener-

ally not under the direct control o

the agency responsible or water

resources. Whether it is a buildingowner installing equipment correctly, aninteragency agreement with the trans-

portation department, or a maintenanceagreement with a community group, suc-cess oen relies on people whose missionis not necessarily driven by water. Tese

property owners and neighborhood resi-dents may also be asked to give up valu-able real estate and assume responsibility

or ongoing management and liability.

Traditional water resource proes-sionals are not always comortable

with the use o plants and soils that

makes the technology innovative.Liecycle perormance evaluations arestill largely unavailable and engineersare uncertain about how to account orcumulative benets o individual installa-tions. Despite high level support at EPAand elsewhere or this new approach,managers and regulators are hesitantabout relying on unproven technology.

Community amenity, air qualityimprovements and energy sav-

ings are difcult to quantiy and

monetize.10 Even when an ecosystemservice can be quantied, clean wateragencies may have trouble justiying theimprovements to water and sewer rate

payers. Te plants and soils that providethose co-benets may be seen as addingextra costs and complicated managementresponsibilities above and beyond direct

water management concerns.

Addressing these challenges in urban and

suburban centers requires aligning waterresource goals with other inrastructure,land use and site planning decisions. Tiscoordination includes:

Securing the spaceor building these systems at thesite, street and municipal scales;

Finding the undingto pay or the constructionand management o greeninrastructure acilities; and

Rethinking managementto ensure systems are builtand operated eectively.

Te ollowing chapters showcase nineways communities across the country areovercoming these challenges.


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Market

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Expand

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Retroft

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Flip

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Foster

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Scale

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Incentivize

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Coordinate

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Code

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Retroft

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Scale

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Code

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Securing the SpaceTe success o green inrastructure systems

depends on siting and managing a largenumber o properties and small engineeredsystems, oen on private property or instreets, parks, or other public acilities thatserve other purposes. Planners can helpgreen inrastructure succeed by incorporat-ing this technology into zoning ordinances,site reviews, building codes and redevelop-ment decisions that protect and enhanceexisting watershed unctions and encourageretrots o already developed areas andbuildings. Creating a larger-scale context orthese practices can help envision, implementand account or their benets.

Porous Pavement. Flickr/Center or Neighborhood Technology


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Ventura County Watershed

Plan Code Review

Ventura County, Cali., is using a watershed

ramework to integrate its land use codeswith its eorts to implement green inra-structure at the site level. County ocialsrealized that zoning codes can inadvertentlyrestrict the use o green inrastructure and

discourage smart growth policies. Te LocalGovernment Commission, a nonprotthat helps local governments create morelivable communities, is partnering with

Ventura County on the revamping o itszoning codes. Te collaboration is unded byCaliornia Water Boards to help the countyand its cities comply with NPDES storm-

water permit guidelines. Zoning rules (or

combinations o zoning rules) were evalu-ated based on whether they increased orminimized land disturbance and impervioussurace cover. Te team reviewed codes orthe parcel, lot, site, community, neighbor-

hood and regional scales. Tey were princi-pally ocused on municipal codes coveringnatural systems and green inrastructure,inll and redevelopment, compact design,mixed-use zoning, streets and mobility, park-ing and loading, special district design andstormwater management.15

how to manage water and other resources.

Such a process can be undertaken underthe auspices o interagency tasks orces oroutside expert panels.

Te EPA oers a simple scorecard thatoutlines ways communities can implementgreen inrastructure to protect open spaceresources, promote compact development,design complete streets, right-size parkingrequirements and include green inrastruc-ture on building sites.12 Sample guidelinesand standards like those rom the EPAare easily incorporated into zoning andother land use ordinances, site plan reviewsand building codes. Tese provisions can

range rom preventive measures that limitimpervious cover, establish setbacks romstreams and wetlands and control erosionto codes that specically encourage best

practices such as downspout disconnection,permeable pavement; tree plantings andecologically minded landscapes; and make

Problem

Existing regulations and building codesoen discourage private developers andpublic agencies rom incorporating greeninrastructure into their sites and build-ings. Outmoded standards and mandatesmay push project proponents to proposetraditional water management practices toexpedite approvals, rather than spend timeand money pursuing more innovative andultimately more benecial options. At thesame time, poorly constructed codes maydiscourage redevelopment i the standardsor retrots are too burdensome.11

ResponseA review o existing regulations and guide-lines is an opportunity to assess how acommunity manages its water resources. Tecode review process provides a orum oragencies, developers and the public to workout dierences and reach agreement about

provisions or long-term management and

responsibility.13

Stormwater regulations canbe a valuable tool or incentivizing redevel-opment and inll projects.14 Te SustainableSites Initiative, ICLEIs SAR CommunityIndex and LEED standards are examples o

voluntary national standards that plannerscan adapt into their local codes.

Codes requiring perormance standardsoer more exibility than prescriptive treat-ment methods and give developers the ex-ibility to meet code requirements even whilethey address specic site constraints. Newbuilding codes that rely on perormancestandards or general guidelines will require

additional administrative capacity to reviewmore complex construction permit applica-tions, as opposed to simpler administrativereview.

High Perormance

Landscape Guidelines: 21stCentury Parks or NYCIn 2011, the Design rust or Public Spacecollaborated with the New York CityDepartment o Parks and Recreation to

publish New York CitysHigh PerormanceLandscape Guidelines: 21st Century Parks orNYC. Te document is the rst comprehen-sive, municipal design primer or sustainable

parks and open space in the nation. Tedocument oers detailed guidelines orcreating sustainable urban parks and open

spaces that provide a range o environmentalservices and recreational opportunities. Te

guidelines address best management prac-tices or soil, water and vegetation.16 Imple-mented citywide, these strategies will helpaddress many o the environmental concernsNew York City aces. Te Parks Departmenthas high hopes or the guidelines improv-ing practice because the recommendationsare clear, incremental and implementable atscale.17

1 Code it.Incorporating Green InrastructureInto Codes and Practices

Flickr/Ken Lund

Flickr/Payton Chung

New York, NY

Ventura County, CA


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Problem

New construction alone cannot solve thewater management problems acing metro-politan centers, no matter what voluntary ormandated guidelines they meet. In a maturecity like Philadelphia, or example, theannual redevelopment rate is too slow ormeeting Clean Water Act goals or to addressrecurring ooding or water shortage prob-lems. But the high capital costs and designchallenges o retrotting existing buildingsis also problematic. Mandating such retrotscarries the risk that stormwater regulations

will threaten economic development in theurban and suburban centers where develop-

ment is most needed.

Response

Local governments are encouraging theretrots o existing building stock or greeninrastructure through a variety o mecha-nisms. Mandating or encouraging private

retrots, even with public unds, is an

attractive option because o the opportunityor municipalities to reduce overall costsand maintenance responsibilities.18 Plannerscan target the building stock contribut-ing signicantly to stormwater and CSO

problems. Municipalities and clean wateragencies can leverage their borrowing powerto nance the upront costs o installinggreen inrastructure; or instance, tappinginto state revolving loan unds that have lowinterest rates.19

Communities also oer grants to prop-erty owners to plant rain gardens and installother BMPs. Te grants subsidize plant

materials and the other costs o construc-tion. Some clean water agencies are usingtheir grant programs to improve their stra-tegic planning by making eligibility or the

program dependent on property owners sub-mitting inormation about their property.

Communities with stormwater utility

ees requently oer property owners theopportunity to reduce the ee in proportionto the amount o imperviousness they caneliminate using green inrastructure. Tisexibility recognizes the varied nature oexisting building stock and possible designtreatments. Fees are sometimes used to subsi-dize installing green inrastructure where

potential benets are high, but propertyowners lack the unds to make improve-ments, such as older industrial areas withlarge building ootprints and parking lots.

It is important to get the price right.Some municipalities nd that the demand

or implementing green inrastructure islow even when subsidies and other nancialincentives are oered. Subsidies need to bestructured to reect the range o benetsoered by green inrastructure, accountingor improvements in things like energyeciency and clean air.20

Shepherd Creek

Pilot ProgramTe ederal Environmental ProtectionAgency is working in the Shepherd Creekto evaluate new nancing mechanisms orinstalling stormwater green inrastructuresuch as rain gardens and rain barrels. Te

program is designed to manage stormwateron private property through incentives orhomeowners.24 Te EPA is using a wholly

voluntary economic auction approachdesigned to encourage landholders to installstormwater management practices so as

to control runo without necessitating alegal mandate.25 Property owners were

asked to submit sealed bids indicating howmuch compensation they required romthe EPA or the agency to use their prop-erty to site rain gardens and rain barrels.Bids were ranked based on cost and relativeenvironmental benet. Te rst three yearso maintenance o the rain gardens was theresponsibility o the EPA project team.Rain barrels were maintained by the prop-erty owner. Te EPA is eager to continue

pursuing this auction method because theybelieve it can help improve the water quality

in Shepherd Creek. Te EPA uses thebenchmark o 8%-12% impervious surace

in a watershed as the threshold where bioticimpairment o streams begins to occur.26 InCincinnati, adoption o best management

practices by all o the local homeownerswould reduce the impact o impervioussuraces below the critical threshold.27

Chicago Green

Permit Program

In Chicago, public ocials are experiment-ing with dierent ways o encouraging

property owners to incorporate best man-agement practices into renovations, rede-

velopment projects and new developments.One approach is the citys Green Permit

Program. Permits are expedited or qualiy-ing projects that incorporate greening intotheir proposals. Eligible projects may alsoreceive a permit ee discount. For qualiy-ing permittees, the wait time or approval

is reduced to as little as two weeks rom thedate o submission21, resulting in signicantcost savings or developers. Te more greenstrategies, the aster the review process or

permits.22 Te program explicitly calls out

Exceptional Water Management as one othe greening strategies. Projects are rewardedor reducing water consumption and storm-

water runo since they lessen the demand oncity inrastructure and preserve Lake Michi-gan and the Chicago River.23 Te program isseen as benetting all parties involved. Cityocials use the program to inuence privatedevelopment to meet citywide sustainability

goals. Developers save money and time andgain access to technical assistance and designadvice about eciency opportunities thatthey might not have known about already or

were unskilled at deploying.

2 Retroft it.Provide Incentives or Owners toRetroft Existing Buildings

Flickr/416style

Cincinnati, OH

Chicago, IL


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Los Angeles River

Revitalization Plan

Te 32-mile Los Angeles River owsthrough the heart o the city, a commoneature or one o worlds most diverse

metropolises. Te citys comprehensive,multi-objective plan will restore a continu-ous, unctioning riparian ecosystem alongthe River Corridor renaturalize the riverand its shoreline and addressing severalimportant aspects o Los Angeles civic lie,including recreation, parks, stormwatermanagement, real estate development andtransportation.31,32 Te plan also callsor a continuous greenway that connectsriverront neighborhoods across the cityand spurring economic development and

neighborhood revitalization. Te planwill also enable high-impact water qualityimprovements or Los Angeles that other-

wise might not be easible. Removing con-crete rom the river, one o the most visibleaspects o the plan, will benet water quality,

habitat and recreation.33 Along its banks, thechannel walls will be remade into landscapedterraces with greenery that improve waterquality. Te long-term goal is to reduce ow

velocity by expanding the rivers channeland storing ood waters during peak ows.But perhaps most importantly, the drive torestore the River proper is also leading tostormwater management projects across theCity as neighborhoods and property ownersseek to manage their contribution to theRiver.

Problem

Decentralized green systems are dicult andcostly to monitor and maintain. Ensuringcompliance o a system o BMPs sited onindividual properties stretches the resourceso the regulatory agency. Site-by-site imple-mentation can take years beore system-widebenets begin to accrue. Meanwhile, waterquality, ooding and other environmentalconcerns are acute problems with near-termcompliance deadlines.

Response

Protecting or enhancing existing drainagenetworks and engineering road systems,greenways, coastlines and other large linearcorridors to sustainably manage stormwateris one method or bringing green inra-structure to scale. Another is establishing orenhancing parks or other public spaces withgreen inrastructure systems that serviceadjoining properties.

Larger sites enable use o swales, raingardens and ponds that are more cost eec-tive than smaller, more heavily engineeredacilities like green roos or tanks.28 Large-scale green inrastructure projects are also

more cost eective to manage and monitoror both the individual property owner andthe regulating authority.29 Larger projectsmake it more cost eective or a clean wateragency to participate in its maintenance orto share the responsibility.30

Perhaps most signicantly, a larger-scaleproject is more likely to yield new publicgreen space and other environmentalbenets. A bold vision can help capturethe imagination o the public and electedocials, even i implementation occursincrementally. It can create a ramework orregional cooperation on a variety o other

important issues.

3 Scale it.Bringing Green Inrastructure to Scale

Flickr/U.S. Army Core o Engineers, LA District

Los Angeles, CA


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Mt. Fye Subdivision. Flickr/asgw


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Market

it.

Expand

it.

Retroft

it.

Flip

it.

Foster

it.

Scale

it.

Incentivize

it.

Coordinate

it.

Code

it.

Market

it.

Flip

it.

Incentivize

it.


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Finding the Fundingraditionally, capital unding or water

resource management has come in the ormo grants or low interest loans rom ederaland state programs, sometimes with bondsbacked by the ratepayers using water ordischarging their sewage.34 But current allo-cations are well below orecasted needs.35As a result local governments are lookingor alternative means o nding the undingneeded to build green inrastructure systems.Tese methods include revising their eestructures so storm water generators paytheir air share o treatment costs, establish-ing eective mitigation and credit strategiesto compensate or development impacts and

substituting lower-cost passive strategies ortraditional inrastructure. Te success othese strategies depends on close coordina-tion between agencies, municipalities and

private property owners.

Green Roo by Flickr/Chesapeake Bay Program


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Problem

o pay or capital improvements andthe maintenance o stormwater systems,municipalities clean water agencies andstormwater utilities assess a ee on propertyowners. Oen, property owners are chargeda ee based on the amount o potable waterthat they use each month, rather than theamount o stormwater they generate. As aresult, high-occupancy dwellings pay a dis-

proportionate share, while large commercialproperties and parking lots that have low orno water usage, but generate large volumeso stormwater, pay relatively little. Tere islittle nancial incentive or property owners

to retrot their buildings or parking lots.

Response

Many municipalities and clean water agen-cies are adopting ee structures that accountor the impact o stormwater rom private

property. Tere are more than 400 entitiesacross the nation that bill property ownersbased on the amount o impervious sur-ace.36 Tese ees can both generate neededrevenue or capital improvements andencourage best practices.37

Stormwater ees can be targeted toward

specic land uses and conditions that posethe greatest challenges to water quality.Fees can be calculated based on the numbero residential units on a property, squareootage, or impervious surace area.38 Teadvent o GIS mapping has allowed publicagencies to very accurately understand

where and to what extent surace areas areimpervious.39 Te charge can be based ona cost-benet analysis o using green versusgray inrastructure, retention versus deten-tion practices, or implementing a stormwaterBMP and not taking any action.40

Te ees can also be the basis or pro-

moting private sector installation o BMPsand better design practices. Many localitiesoer discounts based a propertys installa-tion o BMPs or meeting a specic peror-mance standard. Stormwater perormancestandards may only require detention ostormwater until the storm subsides, or itcan give credit or the benets o inltra-tion, which provides water or plant mate-rials, evapotranspiration or cooling the airand harvesting water or reuse. Propertyowners can be oered exemptions or other

Northeast Ohio RegionalSewer District

o help pay or regional watershed manage-ment projects and provide technical assis-tance to local communities, the NortheastOhio Regional Sewer District in Clevelandassesses ees on property owners. Single-amily homeowners are charged based onthe square ootage o their house; Mixeduse, commercial and industrial properties arecharged based on the amount o hard surace

in 3,000 s increments. Property owners willbe eligible or a ee reduction i they imple-ment Stormwater Control Measures thatreduce stormwater quantity (up to 75%) orimprove stormwater quality (up to 25%).Tese can include rain gardens, impervioussurace reduction, pervious pavement and

vegetated lter strips.45

Minneapolis Fee

Reductions

Minneapolis has had a stormwater ee inplace since 2005. Minneapolis stormwa-ter ee is based on calculating a propertysimpervious surace areathe most sig-nicant actor contributing to degraded

water quality in urban communities.43 Tecitys ee is designed to generate unds or

managing stormwater and encourage prop-erty owners to take steps to reduce impervi-ous surace. Property owners can take stepsto reduce their ee by managing stormwaterquality or quantity on site. A ee credit

program compliments the stormwater ee.Retaining a 100-year storm makes a propertyeligible or 100% stormwater ee credit.44

incentives or smarter development prac-

tices, including protection o stream buersor redevelopment o existing buildings.Exemptions can be targeted to specic landuses. Te property owners savings romdiscounts on storm water ees can also beused to privately nance capital improve-ments, using methods similar to thoseused to nance energy eciency. Teseinclude project developer models, wherethird parties take on the risk and reward onancing the project and publicly enabledmechanisms that draw directly rom the bill

payments.41

A variation o this approach are volun-

tary oset programs that encourage installa-tion o best management practices througha reverse auction, whereby property ownersbid to receive ree landscaping and otherservices. Te bids are sorted based on a or-mula that considers cost and the hydrologicbenet, enabling the market to determinelargest benet or the least amount o moneyspent.42 Critical to the success o any othese landowner programs is appropriate

pricing, exibility o implementation andand establishing compliance programs.

4 Incentivize it.Implementing Stormwater Fees and Incentives

Minneapolis, MN

Cleveland, OH

Flickr/Ken Lund

Flickr/Dawn Easterday


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Charlotte-Mecklenburg

Umbrella Mitigation BankIn 2004, the City o Charlotte adaptedNorth Carolinas Ecosystem EnhancementProgram model to create the rst mitiga-tion bank and water-quality improvement

program entirely within an urban water-shed. Te program keeps mitigation dollars

within Mecklenburg County.50 Prior tothe ormation o the bank, city and county

public works projects causing signicantimpacts to streams and wetlands requiredthe purchase o mitigation credits rom

the state. Te bank is administered byCharlotte-Mecklenburgs Storm Water Ser-

vices.51 Its mission is to improve water qual-ity and reduce the risk o ooding throughregular monitoring and stream bank and

wetland conservation and restoration proj-ects. Its mitigation bank allows the utility torecoup the costs o these existing projects,minimize delays as projects can be executedin advance o impacts. Credits are bankedand used by city and county public works

projects needing Clean Water permits.

Problem

Siting green inrastructure on individualproperties is challenging in dense communi-ties. Tere typically is not enough real estateto incorporate desired best practices andully compensate or the loss o unction on-site. Individual property owners oen lackthe technical skills, the capacity, or the desireto install or maintain these acilities.46

Response

Mitigation banks and ecosystem servicesmarkets pool unding - oen in the ormo credits - rom development projects toimplement green inrastructure projects at

larger and/or higher priority sites. Tesemarkets oer communities exible andecient ways to protect ecosystem services

while still supporting redevelopment.Local, state and ederal regulators have

long relied on wetland mitigation banking toaccomplish large-scale restoration, creationand enhancement. Increasingly, the mitiga-tion bank model is also being used to miti-gate stormwater impacts by consolidatingunding to pay or installation and mainte-nance o BMPs.47 In a similar way, transero development rights programs can be usedto compensate landowners or addressing

stormwater and ooding issues throughconservation o sensitive areas.

Banks work by securing land and under-taking the needed engineering and permit-ting required or construction o the BMP.

Developers seeking approval o their projects

must purchase rom credits rom the bank.In some cases, the banks simply acilitate thetranser o credits between private parties,connecting landowners to service providersand buyers and oering third-party verica-tion. Te means o valuating credits candier widely. For the purchaser, the pricemust be commensurate with the avoidedcost o any alternative mitigation. Whenthe seller is a public agency, the sales priceshould aord the opportunity to restore oreven enhance the hydrologic service beinglost. Many programs, especially or thoseinvolved in ecological restoration, also

require an administrative ee and nancial orother assurances that the site will deliver theservices over a period o time.

A robust credit and mitigation bankprogram or stormwater can streamlineorganizational responsibilities. Tey can

provide signicant operational eciencies,in particular easier monitoring and guaran-tees or long-term stewardship.48 Mitigationbanks improve the viability o redevelop-ment projects in urban and suburban centers

where space is at a premium. Large-scaleimprovements can be combined with other

planning eorts such as greenways and

parks to provide additional hydrologic andecological benets.49

5 Market it.Establishing Mitigation Banks andEcosystem Services Markets

Charlotte, NC

Flickr/Willamor Media


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Sun Valley Watershed Plan

Los Angeles Countys Department o PublicWorks originally proposed constructing anine-mile long box storm drain to mitigateooding in the Sun Valley Watershed atthe cost o $42 million.55 reePeople, alocal environmental non-prot, convincedL.A. County to divert the unds they had

allocated or the storm drain to projects thatretrotted the larger Sun Valley watershedusing sustainable stormwater manage-ment practices. Te Sun Valley WatershedStakeholders Group was ormed in 1998as a result o reePeoples eort to redirectthe unds or multi-purpose projects. Testakeholder group provided a orum or non-

prots, the public and city and state agencies

to nd collaborative solutions, acknowledg-ing that rainall is a signicant componento [the] water supply in this semi-aridregion.56 By expanding the territory to thelarger Sun Valley Watershed, more people inmore places benet. Te sites were cho-sen to represent a successul mix o need,benets, organizational capacity to supportimplementation and pride and ownership

amongst neighborhood residents.57 Whereasthe benet-to-cost ratio or the originalstorm drain was 0.99, the alternative that

was ultimately chosen had a ratio o 1.72.Te plan that was chosen had benets orcity and county ood protection, water con-servation, bacteria total maximum daily loadreductions, other environmental co-benetsand water transer benets that led to higher

rates o groundwater recharge.58 Te totalcapital and operation and maintenancecosts amounted to about $172 million and

will produce about $295 million in ben-ets to a wide range o public agencies andcommunities.59

Portlands Downspout

Disconnection ProgramTe City o Portland, Ore., is known or itsreliance on green inrastructure to controlstormwater run-o and combined seweroverows. Te encouragement o down-spout disconnection is one o the mostsuccessul components o the program. Raingutters are disconnected rom the municipalsewer system and channeled onto lawns, rainbarrels and specially designed rain gardens.From 1993 to when the program endedin 2011, 56,000 downspouts rom more

than 26,000 properties were disconnected,removing 1.2 billion gallons rom the com-

bined sewer system annually.53 City ocialsenthusiastically promoted the downspoutdisconnection program because it was costeective and the public could play a directrole in the citys management o stormwaterrun-o. Portlands Bureau o EnvironmentalServices spent $8 million on the program,including the $53 payment or each down-spout disconnection. Te departmentestimates that it saved approximately $250million in avoided inrastructure costs.54

Problem

raditional gray inrastructure solutions tostormwater management require expensivepipes, detention basins and storage tanks.Tey can entail increased energy costs associ-ated with pumping water. ypically builtor only a single purpose, they can also bedicult to site in dense urban communities.

Flip it.Avoiding Gray Inrastructure Costs by Going Green6

Response

Tere are many non-structural opportuni-ties to reduce ows and keep water out o astorm or combined sewer system. Loweringthe volume o water can reduce the need orany new large-scale inrastructure develop-ment. Tese avoidance schemes includeremoving impervious suraces, protectingstream buers, acquiring open space, soen-ing shorelines and promoting water-useconservation. Tese practices are generallyless expensive to build than traditionalengineered solutions.52 Capital unds canbe redirected toward green systems that

produce multiple environmental benets.

Making conservation the ramework ornew development can also impose ar ewerlong-term operating costs on a community.

Making the existing drainage network and

inltration the backbone o a system ostreams, green streets, high perormanceparcels and park areas can developers meetstormwater goals without costly streetsidestorm drains and catch basins. Tis translatesto less built inrastructure and lower long-term maintenance costs.

Flickr/Francis Storr

Flickr/U.S. Army Core o Engineers, LA District

Portland, OR

Los Angeles, CA


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Stormwater Detention Stream. Flickr/Dawn Easterday


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Market

it.

Expand

it.

Retroft

it.

Flip

it.

Foster

it.

Scale

it.

Incentivize

it.

Coordinate

it.

Code

it.

Expand

it.

Teach

it.

Coordinate

it.


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Most water and other capital unding deci-

sions are made by individual, single-purposeagencies ollowing traditional cost-sharingrequirements and project-ocused plan-ning guidance. Stove-piped regulatory andmanagement authorities make it diculteven within agencies to encourage innova-tive solutions. For instance, there are distinctrules that govern the management o storm-

water, waste water and drinking water. Mostwater resource agencies are not equipped totake on the care o plants and soils that arethe heart o green inrastructure systems.Understandably, these agencies are loath totake on added operational responsibilities

and liabilities. Institutionalizing the greeninrastructure approach requires decisionmakers to operate outside o their traditionalsilos and lines o responsibility.

Rethinking Management

Green Aordable Housing Initiative Rain Garden by Flickr/Center or Neighborhood Technology


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Richmonds

Stormwater Utility

In 2009, a new stormwater utility with itsown dedicated unding stream was created

and housed within Richmonds Depart-ment o Public Utilities. Richmond joinsthe approximately 400 other communi-ties nationwide that benet rom having autility devoted entirely to the managementstormwater.63 Creating a separate stormwa-ter utility provide several key benets to thecity. Te stormwater utility is able to raise$7.8 million in new annual revenue. Terevenue rom stormwater rates guaranteessteady, long-term unds or capital projectand maintenance o critical inrastructure.

ying stormwater unding to utility ratesallows the city to assess property ownersmore equitably.64 Stormwater rates are nowbased on a propertys impervious surace.Non-residential property owners may install

green inrastructure and other best manage-ment practices to receive a ee credit orup to hal the stormwater ee. Homeown-ers are not eligible to receive credits orbest practices. Dedicating a utility solelyto stormwater provides leadership and aocus on critical water issues.65 By housingthe stormwater utility within RichmondsDepartment o Public Utilities, it also cansave on administrative costs and utilizethe resources o the wastewater treatmentdivision, while hiring its own stormwater

experts and building technical knowledgeabout compliance, water quality monitoring,oodplain management, stream restoration,

water quality retrots, master planning andmaintaining BMPs.66

Problem

One o the biggest challenges to better watermanagement is the inter-agency coordi-nation necessary to develop sustainable

projects. raditionally, there are separateadministrative structures or managingdrinking water, waste water, stormwater andooding. But agencies that only have juris-diction over a limited portion o the system,or that are only responsible or one elemento water resources, are not positioned toleverage the benet o individual best man-agement practices60 Greeneld developmentin areas outside the control o a clean wateragency not only hinders eorts to create

density in the urban core, but it also deniesurban-based utilities o needed revenue.Run-o rom newly developed sites can

adversely aect other areas o the watershed,

undermining the best management practicesimplemented elsewhere.

Response

o integrate water management, agencies areexpanding the scope o their activities. Con-solidating all aspects o water managementhas enabled agencies to better consider howindividual projects scale up to contribute tothe improvement o overall system health.Combining the responsibilities o several

water agencies streamlines the decision-making process and helps to develop a uni-ed vision or how the community ought to

manage its water resources.

Coordinate it.Coordinating Powers and Responsibilities7

Menomonee River

Stormwater Control

A partnership o 17 local communitiesin southeastern Wisconsin is developingnew strategies or controlling stormwater

pollution across political boundaries. Tewatershed-scale collaboration is expected toimprove regional water quality and reduce

the costs o water treatment.61 MilwaukeesSewerage District will administer EPA grantunds to the 17 communities and the South-eastern Wisconsin Watersheds rust, knownlocally as Sweet Water. Water quality studies

prepared by the Southeastern Wisconsin

Regional Planning Commission and a water-shed plan or the Menomonee River draedby the Milwaukee Sewer District and Sweet

Water are assessing the easibility o creat-ing a watershed-based permit, addressingthe challenges and opportunities to issuing

watershed-wide permits while placing theregulatory and nancial burdens on indi-

vidual municipalities, identiy the role o

green inrastructure and other best manage-ment practices in the permit, develop moreaccurate monitoring procedures and create aramework or incorporating total maximumdaily load calculations into the permit oncethey are complete.62

Tere are signicant obstacles to

recasting the role o agencies to integratemanagement. Each agency may have jurisdic-tion at a dierent geographic scale, resultingin a dierent constituency to which they areresponsible. Water utilities may be public or

private. Revenue may come rom dierentsources. Expanding agency jurisdiction mustbe ramed in the context o shared goals ,cost savings and other greater eciency orall stakeholders. For example, Clean WaterAgencies have the narrow responsibility o

providing clean water, and may be reluctantor prohibited rom allocating unding oraspects o green inrastructure projects

beyond the clean water benets.

Flickr/Michael Pereckas

Flickr/thanh.ha.dang

Richmond, VA

Milwaukee, WI


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Albanys Collaborative

Long-Term Control Plan

Te Capital Region is made up o six com-munities with a total o 92 combined seweroutalls. . Tese communities realized thatthe cost o developing long-term control

plans independently o one another wasexceedingly expensive, duplicative in eortand potentially less eective. Instead, in2007, the communities o Albany, Cohoes,Rensselaer, roy, Watervliet and GreenIsland agreed to pool their resources todevelop a a coordinated, regional commit-ment: the Albany Pool Long erm Control

Plan. In June 2011, a dra version o theAlbany Pool plan was submitted to Depart-ment o Environmental Conservation or

approval. Te plan calls or $110 million inimprovements; a mix o gray inrastructureimprovements and eciency projects com-

plimented by a suite o green inrastructurebest management practices to limit the owo sewage and stormwater run-o reach-ing the treatment plants. Installing greeninrastructure region-wide eases the burdenon existing gray inrastructure and limits theneed or new inrastructure and producessavings in attendant costs or operations andmaintenance.

Problem

Water and watersheds, dont respect politi-cal boundaries. Progressive policies in onecommunity may be counteracted by othercommunities that ail to adopt similar best

practices. For agencies that rely on impactees, a larger territory is needed to preventdevelopers rom initiating projects on green-elds outside o agency jurisdiction. Tetraditional route o each community under-taking their own long-term control plan orother water management policy results inlarge amounts o duplicate scientic analysis,

policy and expense.

ResponseCommunities are joining together and work-ing across political boundaries to coordinatetheir water resource management. Workingtogether allows communities to think about

water resources systematically, even whenthere are wide variations in land use betweenthe urban core and outlying areas. Headwa-ter protection helps control ooding and

water quality concerns downstream. Sharingservices lowers the cost o installing BMPs.

For example, urban communities withcombined sewer systems are required byEPA and state regulators to create long-term

control plans that show how overows willbe addressed.67 Working with neighborsallows a comprehensive, cost-eective water-quality control strategy.

Concerned citizens, activists and prac-titioners can also create voluntary net-

works. Voluntary associations advocate or

Expand it.Expand the Territory8

water resources policies, engage in citizen

monitoring programs, conduct indepen-dent research and perorm educational andoutreach services to businesses and privateresidents in the community. Since regionalnetworks work towards non-bindingsolutions, there is a signicant amount oexibility in how individual communitieschoose to implement the recommendationso the network. Communities and/or clean

water agencies that work together throughinormal networks have been able to over-come some o the rigidity in state and ederal

permitting and grant programs.68 Inormalnetworks may also become institutionalized

as their agenda gains more traction amongpoliticians and policy makers.

Flickr/Andy Arthur

Albany, NY


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Problem

Local governments are oen hesitant toapprove green inrastructure because thedocumentation o perormance capabilitiesand management requirements is not asrobust as traditional practices. While thereare excellent examples o successul technol-ogy all over the country, these experiencesmay not be calibrated to local conditionsand/or provide enough condence to keydecision makers.

Syracuse Save theRain Website

Save the Rain is a comprehensive stormwater management plan intended toreduce pollution to Onondaga Lake andits tributaries.71 o date, the program hascompleted more than 30 gray inrastruc-ture projects and is working to implement50 green inrastructure projects as part oits Project 50 initiative. Save the Rainsinnovative open-source website is acilitating

greater adoption o green inrastructure bestpractices across the city. Webpages outlinesthe projects green eatures and constructiontimeline. Pages also eature downloadabletechnical specications and project plans inCAD le ormat. Details about pricing andspecic materials are also included in the

package o supporting material.

Teach it.Encouraging Innovation9

Response

Communities can help build agency exper-tise and experience through pilot projects onpublic property. A number o these projectshave engaged those most responsible or tra-ditional stormwater systems, like a Depart-ment o Public Works. Finding a progressivedeveloper willing to take a leadership posi-tion can also provide courage to others andcreate champion in the community.

Direct education is critical since manyproperty owners will become stewards o thegreen inrastructure system. Tis expertisehas to be delivered locally as systems are sen-sitive to local conditions. Showing how new

technologies apply to local conditions usingdemonstration projects and educational

programs is vital.69

Chicago Wilderness

Sustainable Watershed

Action TeamChicago Wilderness is a landscape-levelconservation initiative that connects people

with nature in the greater Chicago region.Te initiative brings together more than250 organizations to restore ecosystems and

protect natural resources. Chicago Wilder-ness created the Sustainable WatershedAction eam to assist with implementation

o neighborhood and community scale work

related to the inrastructure plan. Te orga-nization is reaching out to local governmentocials in northeastern Illinois who arestruggling to manage sprawling development

patterns. Te SWA oers hands-on tech-nical assistance to improve their planninginrastructure and incorporate sustainabledevelopment practices.70

Flickr/John W. Iwanski

Flickr/James Lazio

Syracuse, NY

Chicago, IL


31/32


1. Te ederal Environmental Protection Agency requiresthat municipalities with urban areas establish a Munici-

pal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (or MS4) program tocontrol o the quality o discharges rom areas o newdevelopment and redevelopment (see http://cpub.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater/munic.cm). Clean water agen-cies in these cities are expected to develop long-termcontrol plans that address Combined Sewer Overowissues under the Clean Water Act (See http://cpub.epa.gov/npdes/cso/cpolicy.cm?program_id=5 ).

2. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Glossary oCommonly Used erms, at http://cpub.epa.gov/npdes/greeninrastructure/inormation.cm#glossary

3. Te American Planning Association oers this varia-tion Green inrastructure is the network o landscapespaces, places, and design elements that connect thebuilt and natural environments, perorming multipleunctions and providing associated benets orhumans. David Rouse and Ignacio Bunster, WR,

APA PAS Report: A Landscape Approach to GreenInrastructure, under development 2011. Another is

rom Te Conservation Fund: A network o naturalareas and open spaceswoodlands, wetlands, trailsand parksthat conserves ecosystems, helps sustainclean air and water and provides many other benets topeople and wildlie at http://www.conservationund.org/green_inrastructure.

4. See http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/water_pd/swdm-2010chptr3.pd or a list o techniques.

5. Te EPA has proposed a simple scorecard that outlinesthe ways communities can implement Green Inra-structure 1.Protect Natural Resources and Open Space;2.Promote Compact Development and Inll; 3.DesignComplete, Smart Streets that Reduce Imperviousness;4.Encourage Ecient Parking Supply; 5.Install GreenInrastructure On Site. http://epa.gov/smartgrowth/water_scorecard.htm Other sources: Center or Wa-tershed Protection, Code and Ordinance Worksheethttp://www.cwp.org/documents/cat_view/77-

better-site-design-publications.html; Low ImpactDevelopment Strategies and ools or NPDES Phase IICommunities: Policy and Ordinance Considerations,Low Impact Development Center http://www.lowim-pactdevelopment.org/lidphase2/

6. See or example. NYS Stormwater ManagementDesign Manual (2010) http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemi-cal/29072.html

7. Ibid.

8. (For more inormation on the relationship betweenecosystem services and sustainable landscaping seeTe Sustainable Sites Initiative: Te Case or SustainableLandscapes, 2009.) http://www.sustainablesites.org/report/Guidelines%20and%20Perormance%20Bench-marks_2009.pd

9. Green Inrastructure Case Studies: Municipal Policiesor Managing Stormwater wit h Green Inrastructure.EPA-841-F-10-004 | August 2010 |http://www.epa.gov/

owow/NPS/lid/gi_case_studies_2010.pd10. See or example http://www.cnt.org/repository/gi-values-guide.pd

11. Aurbach 9

12. http://epa.gov/smartgrowth/water_scorecard.htmOther sources: Center or Watershed Protection, Codeand Ordinance Worksheet http://www.cwp.org/documents/cat_view/77-better-site-design-publica-tions.html; Low Impact Development Strategies andools or NPDES Phase II Communities: Policy andOrdinance Considerations, Low Impact DevelopmentCenter http://www.lowimpactdevelopment.org/lidphase2/

13. See Julie Beth Hinds, etratech Inc, presentationprepared or US EPA and partners, Te role o codesand ordinances in water quality and stormwater

management at http://www.epa.gov/npdes/pubs/gi_webinar_part2.pd

14. EPA Water Quality Scorecard (2009), p. 23 | Also seeEPAs Using Smart Growth echniques as StormwaterBest Management Practices, p. 20:

15. See Local Government Commission, Water Resourcesand Land Use Planning Watershed-based Strategies orVentura County December 2008 at http://water.lgc.org/ventura/Chapter_04_102008.doc.

16. http://www.designtrust.org/publications/publication_11hplg.html

17. http://www.designtrust.org/pubs/2011_HPLG.pd(Design rust Preace)

18. http://www.epa.gov/npdes/pubs/gi_munichand-book_retrots.pd

19. See or example, http://www.nasma.org/Guid-ance%20Manual%20Version%202X.pd and

20. Center or Neighborhood echnology, Te Value oGreen Inrastructure pg. 55

21. http://www.grabs-eu.org/membersArea/les/chicago.pd

22. http://www.grabs-eu.org/membersArea/les/chicago.pd

23. http://www.cityochicago.org/city/en/depts/bldgs/supp_ino/helpul_tips_oranyoneapplyingoragreen-permitmenuitems.html

24. http://www.epa.gov/nrmrl/pubs/600r08129/600r08129.pd (pg. 7)




28.Aurbach 2010, Dense and Beautiul Stormwater Man-agement, pg. 6-8;

29. See or example, Te National Research Councils Ur-ban Stormwater Management in the United States, p. 372.

30.Aurbach 2010, Dense and Beautiul Stormwater Man-agement, pg 17

31. http://www.thelariver.com/revitalization/lar-master-plan/

32. http://www.lariverrmp.org/Background/guiding_prin-ciples.htm

33. http://www.thelariver.com/revitalization/lar-master-plan/

34. See National Association o Flood and StormwaterManagement Agencies, January 2006. Guidanceor Municipal Stormwater Funding. at http://www.nasma.org/Guidance%20Manual%20Version%202X.pd

35. EPA estimated in the 2004 Clean Watersheds NeedsSurvey that nationwide capital investments or con-trolling stormwater and wastewater pollution over a

20-year period will be $202.5 billion, including $54.8billion or combined sewer overow corrections and $9billion or stormwater management.

36. NRDC, February 2012. Financing Stormwater Retro-ts in Philadelphia and Beyond at http://www.nrdc.org/water/les/StormwaterFinancing-report.pd.

37. US EPA, September 2008 Managing Wet Weather withGreen Inrastructure Municipal Handbook at http://water.epa.gov/inrastructure/greeninrastructure/up-load/gi_munichandbook_unding.pd

38. http://www.planning.org/practicingplanner/print/2007/all/charges.htm?print=true

39. See Exemplary Systems in Government Award Applica-tion or Te Philadelphia Stormwater Billing Applica-tion PhillyStormwater, p. 7:

40. Te Value o Green Inrastructure pg. 55

41. NRDC, February 2012. Financing Stormwater Retro-ts in Philadelphia and Beyond at http://www.nrdc.

org/water/les/StormwaterFinancing-report.pd.42. Te Value o Green Inrastructure pg. 55

43. http://www.minneapolismn.gov/publicworks/storm-water/ee/stormwater_ee_stormwater_aq

44. http://www.waterlaws.com/commentary/bulletins/GreenRoofops.html

45. Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District Stormwa-ter Fee Credit Manual, 2011 at http://www.neorsd.org/I_Library.php?a=download_le&LIBRARY_RE-CORD_ID=4699. See also other inormation at http://www.neorsd.org/stormwaterprogram.php

46. Scarlett 29

47. Southeast Stormwater Association, Mitigation Bank-ing A way to und watershed projects? http://www.seswa.org/Files/Services/Links/National/mitigation-banking.pd

48. EPA Mitigation Bank webpage

49.Aurbach 1050. http://charmeck.org/stormwater/StormWaterAgen-

cies/Pages/StreamandWetlandMitigationBank%28City%29.aspx

51. http://charmeck.org/stormwater/basics/Pages/CMSWSorWaterCo.aspx

52. US EPA Reducing Stormwater Costs through LowImpact Development Strategies an d Practices. EPA841-F-07-006, December 2007. In most cases LID de-signs showed cost savings over traditional stormwaterdesigns with capital cost savings ranged rom 15% to80%.

53. http://southeastportland.katu.com/news/com-munity-spirit/downspout-disconnection-program-dries/440854

54. http://www.ccap.org/docs/resources/989/Green_In-rastructure_FINAL.pd (iv)

55. http://www.treepeople.org/sun-valley-watershed

56. http://www.sunvalleywatershed.org/watershed_man-agement_plan/wmp-1.pd (pg. 1)

57. http://www.treepeople.org/sun-valley-watershed

58. http://www.sunvalleywatershed.org/watershed_man-agement_plan/wmp-0ES.pd (pg. 3)

59. http://www.sunvalleywatershed.org/watershed_man-agement_plan/wmp-0ES.pd (pg. 2)

60. Scarlett 5, 9

61. http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/128839043.html

62. http://www.sewrpc.org/SEWRPC/Environment/MenomoneeRiverWBPFramework.htm

63. http://www.richmondgov.com/publicutilities/Storm-waterUtility.aspx

64. http://www.pvpc.org/val_vision/html/toolbox/PDFs/building%20blocks/Stormwater%20Utilities.pd (pg. 2)

65. http://www.spokanecounty.org/StormWater/content.

aspx?c=175966. http://www.pwmag.com/industry-news.asp?sectionID=0&articleID=1091408

67. EPA

68. See ualatin, Oregon example rom Green Clean andDollar Smart

69. H.R. 2030, Section 3 (http://www.govtrack.us/con-gress/bills/112/hr2030/text)

70. http://www.chicagowilderness.org/GIV.php

71. http://savetherain.us/about/

Notes


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Regional Plan Association is Americas oldest and most distinguishedindependent urban research and advocacy organization. RPA

works to improve the infrastructure, economic competitivenessand sustainability of the New York- New Jersey-Connecticutmetropolitan region. A cornerstone o our work is the developmentof long-range plans and policies to guide the growth of the region.Trough our America 2050 program, RPA also provides leadership in

the Northeast and across the U.S. on a broad range of transportationand economic-development issues. RPA enjoys broad support romthe business, philanthropic, civic and planning communities.

For more inormation about Regional Plan Association, please visitour website, www.rpa.org.

Chairman

Elliot G. Sander*

Vice Chairman, Co-Chairman, New York Committee

Robert L. Billingsley*

Vice Chairman, Co-Chairman, Connecticut Committee

Michael J. Critelli

Vice Chairman, Co-Chairman, New Jersey Committee

Christopher J. Daggett*

Vice Chairman

Douglas Durst

Vice Chairman, Co-Chairman, New Jersey Committee

The Honorable James J. Florio

Vice Chairman, Co-Chairman, New York Committee

Maxine Grifth

Treasurer and Co-Chairman, Long Island Committee

Matthew S. Kissner*

Chairman Emeritus and Counsel

Peter W. Herman*

President

Robert D. Yaro*

Secretary of the Corporation

Thomas K. Wright*

Rohit T. Aggarwala

Hilary M. Ballon

Joseph G. Barile

Stephen R. Beckwith

Edward J. Blakely

Relina B. Bulchandani

Tonio Burgos*

Michael J. Cacace

Susan E. Chapman*

Frank S. Cicero*

Kevin S. Corbett*

Anthony R. Coscia

Alfred A. DelliBovi

Brendan P. Dougher

Ruth F. Douzinas

Brendan J. Dugan

Fernando Ferrer

Luke Eberly Fichthorn IV

Barbara Joelson Fife*

Michael Fleischer

Emil H. Frankel

Doreen M. Frasca

Timur F. Galen*

Carl Galioto

Armando F. Goncalves

Jerome W. Gottesman*John S. Griswold Jr.

John K. Halvey

Dylan Hixon*

David Huntington

Adam Isles

Kenneth T. Jackson

Marc Joseph

Richard D. Kaplan*

Marcia V Keizs

John Z. Kukral

Trent Lethco

Christopher D. Levendos

Charles J. Maikish*

Sean Patrick Maloney

Joseph J. Maraziti Jr.

Peter Miscovich

J. Andrew Murphy

Jan Nicholson

Michael OBoyle

Richard L. Oram

Kevin J. Pearson

Neil Peterson

James S. Polshek

Richard Ravitch

Gregg Rechler

Michael J. Regan

Denise M. Richardson*

Peter Riguardi

Michael M. Roberts

Elizabeth Barlow Rogers

Gary D. Rose

Lynne B. Sagalyn

Thomas Santiago

Lee B. Schroeder

Anthony E. Shorris*H. Claude Shostal

Susan L. Solomon

Monica Slater Stokes

Robert Stromsted

Gail Sussman

Luther Tai*

Marilyn J. Taylor*

Sharon C. Taylor

Richard T Thigpen

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9 ways to make green infrastructure work in cities

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