INCREASED POTENTIAL WATER

QUALITY

& NATURAL RESOURCE PROBLEMS

INCREASED INTENSITY OF LAND

USE

INCREASED AMOUNT OF IMPERVIOUS

SURFACE

Communities can grow while still protecting water and other natural resources.

LOOK AT THE COMPLETE PICTURE

Zoning Ordinance

SubdivisionOrdinance

EconomicsOf Growth

Comprehensive Plans

WellheadProtection

Stormwater Phase II

Total MaximumDaily Load

CombinedSewer

Overflow

WatershedPlanning

Local Planning

and Zoning

Planning with

POWER

Let’s first look at the impacts of intensifying land use on water and other natural resources...

Loss ofOpen Space

Fragmentation andHabitat Loss

Increased Runoff

Increased Pollution

Over 100,000 acres of farm land are converted to development each year

in Indiana

Loss of Open Space

From 1992 – 97, the national rate of development more than doubled to 3 million acres per year.

Fragmentation and Habitat Loss

Fragmentation does three things:

• Increases isolation of wildlife and plants

• Increases contact between natural and man-made habitat (edge)

• Reduces the area of natural habitats

From 1979 – 94, the number of private forest owners in Indiana tripled but the number of acres in forest remained approximately the same.

Why is it a Problem?

Increased Runoff

Natural Stream Degraded Stream

Why is it a Problem?

FLOODING

Increased Runoff

Why is it a Problem?

Erosion

Increased Runoff

Increased Pollution

Polluted Runoff is the #1 water

quality problem in the United States today

What can you do about it?

Remediation and Maintenance

Improving Site Design and Best Management Practices (BMPs)

Natural Resource

Based Planning

Comprehensive Planning is a Key Step

Inventory natural

resources

Prioritize areas for

protection

Target development to the most appropriate

areas

Incorporate open space planning

Develop plan of actionRevise zoning and

subdivision regulations

• Encourage natural and vegetated stormwater controls – swales vs. curbs

• Emphasize on-site drainage of stormwater – percolation vs. Detention

• Target and protect open space, prime farm land, and critical wildlife habitat – retain natural landscape and minimize impervious surfaces

• Encourage agricultural BMPs

• Require proper septic system placement, design, maintenance. Use cluster systems when possible.

Improving Site Design and Best Management Practices

(BMPs)

Lake and Porter Counties - Lake and Porter County Plan Commissions are working with POWER on natural resource protection, septic issues, and a Smart Growth Initiative Project in collaboration with the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission. A series of workshops have been developed to help address the regional growth issues and their impact on the Lake Michigan shoreline and surrounding farmland in these counties.

Tippecanoe County – Planning with POWER has been working closely with the Tippecanoe Soil and Water Conservation District on protection of natural resources and is helping the District’s Rural and Urban Study Committees look at future land use impacts on natural resources. POWER is also working with the joint Storm Water Management Committee consisting of officials from Lafayette, West Lafayette, Tippecanoe County, and Purdue University in addressing storm water education, post construction storm water issues, and best management practices. POWER is working with the newly formed seven county Wabash Valley Resource Conservation & Development on growth and protection of natural resources.

Elkhart County - Planning with POWER has held several meetings to discuss natural resource protection and to help initiate a comprehensive land use plan update. The POWER project is also working with several watershed projects in the county to help them incorporate the results and findings into the land use planning goals for the future.

Hendricks County - Local leadership organized a Planning with POWER Advisory Committee that meets monthly and advised the Plan Commission on incorporating natural resource protection into the comprehensive planning process. This group is helping update and revise the subdivision control ordinances, as well as developing a conservation design subdivision ordinance for the Hendricks County Plan Commission.

Dearborn County - Planning with POWER has worked with both the City of Aurora and Dearborn County on incorporating natural resource protection into long range land use planning effort. The POWER program helped organize a Hillside Development Workshop for local officials and is presently working with the County Plan Director and the Steering Committee to incorporate natural resource protection into the recently updated county comprehensive land use plan.

Floyd County - Planning with POWER helped organize a Planning with POWER committee which meets to address natural protection and water quality concerns in future land use planning. Septics, hillside development, and sensitive natural areas were identified as critical issues for the county.

LaGrange County - Planning with POWER has initiated an ongoing project with LaGrange County Soil and Water Conservation District involving the Little Elkhart River Watershed project. POWER is working closely with Watershed Specialist David Arrington ton incorporate natural resources protection strategies into the long-term land use planning process. Several Planning with POWER programs have been presented to the public on these issues.

In cooperation with:

Johnson County - Planning with POWER has been working closely with the Johnson County Soil & Water District and the Young’s Creek Watershed Planning Coordinator on natural resource protection utilizing GIS modeling tools. Planning With POWER has also presented programs on smart growth and how it relates to improved water quality and natural resource protection.

Purdue Land Use Smart Growth

Module Team: Jeff Burbrink, Jon Cain,

Bernie Dahl, Jonathan Ferris,

Bill Hoover, Bob McCormick, Mark Spelbring

Introduction to Smart Growth

• Smart Growth is development that serves the economy, community, and the environment. It provides a framework for communities to make informed decisions about how and where they grow – The Smart Growth Network is comprised of a broad

range of interested organizations, for example:• USEPA, National Association of Realtors, Natural

Resource Defense Council, International City County Management Association, Urban Land Institute, National Association of Counties, NOAA (Sea Grant)... many others

What is Smart Growth?

Ten Principles of Smart Growth

1. Mixed Land Uses2. Compact Building Design3. Increase Housing Choice4. Encourage Walking5. Create a Sense of Place6. Protect Farms, Unique Natural Features, Open

Spaces, Environmentally Sensitive Areas7. Direct Development to Existing Communities8. Offer Transportation Variety9. Make Development Process Fair, Predictable,

Efficient10.Involve Community Stakeholders

• Allow mixed use options with zoning ordinances

• Zone areas by building type, not by building use only

• Convert abandoned malls to mixed use• Provide financial incentives for mixed

use projects• Helps protect water and natural

resources

Mix Land Uses

Compact Building Design

• Minimizes impervious surfaces• Protecting Water Quality and

Minimize runoff• Talk about Design not Density• Balance street type and building scale• Ensure ready access to open space• Visual preference surveys• Ensure privacy with yard designs

• Inventory special places and make plans to protect them

• Improves water qualityand minimizes runoff

• Establish zoning to encourage clustering

• Protect farmland and open lands with PDR/TDR

• Work with land trusts• Connect greenways

Protect Farms, Unique Natural Features, Open

Spaces

For more information on Planning with POWER, including publications,

activities and upcoming events, or to schedule a program contact:

Bob McCormick rmccormi@purdue.edu

(765) 494-3627

195 MarstellerForestry and Natural

ResourcesWest Lafayette, IN

47907Fax: 765-496-6026

http://planningwithpower.org

Contact Information