lid and policy may 2010 (handouts)

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LID and Policy: LID and Policy:

Sustainable Sustainable

Development PracticesDevelopment Practices

What is Stopping Us?What is Stopping Us?

Jon Barsanti JrJon Barsanti Jr

Masters in City and Regional PlanningMasters in City and Regional Planning

BA Interdisciplinary Study in Biology and ChemistryBA Interdisciplinary Study in Biology and Chemistry

[email protected]@alumni.unc.edu919.943.1915.919.943.1915.

WhoWho

Developers

Policy Makers Designers

Decision Makers (Municipal/County)

WhyWhy

Competitive Advantage (Others are not Doing it)

It is good for the economy,

good for the community,

and good for the environment

Others are Doing It; Can do It Better

Others are doing it and if I/We don’t adopt/adapt I/We

will lose out to other communities/developers

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WhyWhy

NotNot

Don’t want to learn new way of doing business

Want to do it;

Have designer to do it;

Have planners on board;

Meeting resistance from elected

officials

Want to do it;

Don’t have a designer to show how

Want to do it; Have a designer who knows how to do it; Having a difficult time getting approved

All Development Occurs All Development Occurs

in a Watershedin a Watershed

Three Parts of a Watershed

Watershed Critical Areas

Watershed Protected Areas

Remainder of the Watershed

Barriers:

• “Highest and Best Use of the Land;”

• One person’s/community’s out-flow is another’s intake



Wetlands are nature’s filtration system

Wetlands manage volume and sediment load

Wetlands are key to wildlife habitat preservation

Barrier: Wetland is undevelopable; Can fill and replace, although manufactured is not as good as natural

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Stream Buffers protect encroachment on ecosystem by

development

Stream Buffers Protect development from

encroachment by ecosystem (e.g. floods.)

Barriers: Inconsistent setbacks between communities; Vertical versus Horizontal Setbacks

All Land Uses have a All Land Uses have a

Water ProfileWater Profile

From Kimberly Brewer’s Presentation to the TJCOG Smart Growth Committee

ftp://ftp.tjcog.org/pub/tjcog/regplan/smrtgrow/devwq.pdf

Volume of water flow

Nutrients (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Suspended Solids)

Temperature of water flowing off the land

Toxins (Oil, antifreeze, other chemicals)

Bacteria (Pet Waste, etc.)



Data from A Nutrient Credit Trading Framework for the Jordan Lake Watershed: Using Market-Based Mechanisms to Make Watershed Restoration More Cost-Effective

http://www.cfra-nc.org/documents/FinalReport-FullReport_000.pdf

16%7%6%Other

6%9%3%Commercial/ Industrial

15%19%56%Forest

51%36%20%Agriculture

1%Residential (MF)

12%29%14%Residential (SF)

Contribution

to P Load

Contribution

to N Load

Land-UseSources

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All BMPs have a All BMPs have a

Volume/Pollutant ProfileVolume/Pollutant Profile

STORMWATER FLOW AND QUALITY, AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF NON-PROPRIETARY STORMWATER TREATMENT MEASURES — A REVIEW AND GAP ANALYSIS (2004) Monash University (Australia) http://www.catchment.crc.org.au/pdfs/technical200408.pdf

Volume of water flow

Suspended Solids

Nitrogen

Phosphorus

http://www.cwp.org/Resource_Library/Center_Docs/PWP/ELC_PWP36.pdf2.652.65QuartziteQuartzite

2.22.2Concrete PavementConcrete Pavement

1.6 to 2.11.6 to 2.1ROW and Building Pads ROW and Building Pads

(95% Compaction)(95% Compaction)

1.5 to 1.81.5 to 1.8ROW and Building Pads ROW and Building Pads

(85% Compaction)(85% Compaction)

1.8 to 2.01.8 to 2.0Athletic FieldsAthletic Fields

1.8 to 2.01.8 to 2.0Urban Fill SoilsUrban Fill Soils

1.5 to 2.01.5 to 2.0Crushed Rock Parking LotCrushed Rock Parking Lot

1.5 to 1.91.5 to 1.9Urban LawnsUrban Lawns

1.6 to 2.01.6 to 2.0Glacial TillGlacial Till

1.0 to 1.21.0 to 1.2Organic Silts/ClaysOrganic Silts/Clays

1.2 to 1.51.2 to 1.5Silt LoamsSilt Loams

1.3 to 1.41.3 to 1.4SiltSilt

1.41.4SiltySilty sandssands

1.1 to 1.31.1 to 1.3Sandy SoilSandy Soil

1.01.0CompostCompost

0.2 to 0.30.2 to 0.3PeatPeat

Surface Bulk Surface Bulk

Density (g/cc)Density (g/cc)Undisturbed Soil Type or Urban Undisturbed Soil Type or Urban

ConditionCondition

Table 1: Comparison of Bulk Density for undisturbed Table 1: Comparison of Bulk Density for undisturbed

Soils and Common Urban Conditions (Compiled from Soils and Common Urban Conditions (Compiled from

various sources)various sources)

Reversing of Compacted Reversing of Compacted

SoilsSoils

• Soil Amendments

• Compost Amendments

• Reforestation

• Timehttp://www.cwp.org/Resource_Library/Center_Docs/PWP/ELC_PWP37.pdf

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Benefits and Consequences Benefits and Consequences

of Compost Amendmentsof Compost Amendments

Compost Amendments Can:

• Increase Porosity

• Reduce Peak Flows

• Produce Thicker lawns

• Reduce Fertilizer Applications and Watering Needs

• Create better lawns, faster

http://www.epa.gov/ednnrmrl/publications/reports/epa600r00016/epa600r00016.pdf EPA/600/R-00/016

Benefits and Consequences Benefits and Consequences

of Compost Amendmentsof Compost AmendmentsCompost Amendments May:• Increase Concentrations of N and P (Decrease Total Amounts)• May lose benefits over time

• Amendments can be tilled or applied directly and reseeded.• 2:1 ratio soil to compost tilled to at least 12 inches• Construction compaction can reach 24 inches

http://www.epa.gov/ednnrmrl/publications/reports/epa600r00016/epa600r00016.pdf EPA/600/R-00/016



Barriers: It takes time and money to measure predevelopment conditions and

post-development conditions

Cost to amend soil decreases, per lot, as area amended increases

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LID Can Improve Water LID Can Improve Water

Quality & Water QuantityQuality & Water Quantity

How we develop

Where we develop (and where we do not)

What we do with the Run-off (Pipe or Percolate)



http://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/water_resource.htm http://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/water_density.htm



http://www.jordancove.uconn.edu/jordan_cove/publications/final_report.pdf

• Impacts on Land Start At the Grading Stage

• Fertilizers can have an impact on water quality, even in LID Neighborhoods

• Volume and Peak Flows were kept at predevelopment levels.

• Need to Control Compaction, Minimize Soil Disturbance, and have on-site supervision.

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http://www.nahb.org/fileUpload_details.aspx?contentID=112936

Development Impacts Water Quality

• Alters Stormwater and Wastewater Flows

• Negatively Impacts water-related ecosystems

• Impacts water Quality through

• Creation of Impervious Surfaces

• Spatial Position of Development relative to natural features

• Introduction of Contaminants

• Impacts Wastewater through consumption of water and the Stormwater it generates



http://www.nahb.org/fileUpload_details.aspx?contentID=112936

National Association of Home-Builders has a large amount of information regarding costs and benefits of Low Impact Development

Perceived Barrier: It costs more and does not provide a benefit to the builder

Actual Barrier: Educating the entire community to the value versus costs of LID (Lower Stormwater Costs, more land can be developed; cost savings to the community, etc.)



http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/lid/costs07/documents/reducingstormwatercosts.pdf

… (In) the vast majority of cases,significant savings were realized due to:

• reduced costs for site grading and preparation,

• stormwater infrastructure, site paving, and landscaping.

• Total capital cost savings ranged from 15to 80 percent when LID methods were used...

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Managing stormwater in Pierce County: Kensington Estates case study sheds light on low impact development

http://www.djc.com/news/en/11135654.html

• Site Design was 103 Lots on 24 Acres

• Conventional Site Design required 270,000 Cu Ft of Stormwater Facilities

• LID Required 55,000 cu ft of stormwater facilities

• 62% of land was saved as open space

• Cost Savings of 20% to the Developer

• 10% More units were able to be built than conventional design would have allowed.

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Undevelopable Undevelopable

area excludedarea excludedMore than 50% More than 50% Less than 50%Less than 50%ConservationConservation

Open Space can Open Space can

be undevelopablebe undevelopable50% or More50% or More50% or less50% or lessOpen SpaceOpen Space

NoNoFragmentedFragmentedCould Be entire Could Be entire

sitesiteClusterCluster

NoNoYes Yes –– may be may be

yardyardCould be entire Could be entire

sitesiteLow Density Low Density

(e.g. 1 unit/2a)(e.g. 1 unit/2a)

Conserved SpaceConserved SpaceOpen SpaceOpen SpaceDisturbed Disturbed

SpaceSpaceType of Residential Type of Residential

DevelopmentDevelopment

Barrier(s): How each is defined varies by community/county

LIDLID

All Development Occurs in a Watershed

Need to change thinking from

Water as Waste to Water as Resource

All Land Uses Have a Water

Profile

Water Quality and Water Quantity will improve

Need to Change thinking from Need to Change thinking from

stormwater as waste to stormwater as waste to

stormwater as resource.stormwater as resource.

http://waterparadigm.org/indexen.php?web=./home/homeen.html http://www.onthecommons.org/media/pdf/original/OurWaterComonsOctober2008English.pdf

Barrier: Need to change the way we think about water

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http://www.clemson.edu/restoration/events/past_events/sc_water_resources/t4_proceedings_presentations/t4_zip/zimmer.pdf

http://www.coe.neu.edu/environment/DOCUMENTS/Wingspread%20Final%20Report.pdf

Barrier: We cannot solve our problems at the same level of thinking that created them

We need a new way of looking at our water quality and water quantity problems





“An urban area is an ecological system wherein humans, habitat, transportation and water infrastructure, and terrestrial and aquatic flora and fauna exist in symbiosis and interdependence. Urban fresh waters are the lifeline for ecological and economical sustainability, yet the fresh water resources are being impaired to a point that the integrity of urban waters has been damaged by excessive development and overuse….”





The concept of the Cities of the Future, the fifth paradigm of urbanization… is a paradigm of integration• Future, and existing, urban developments will accommodate landscape, drainage, transportation and habitat infrastructure systems • Cities will be resilient to extremehydrological events and pollution• There will be adequate amounts of clean water for sustaining healthy human, terrestrial and aquatic lives• There will be an optimal balance between recreation, navigation and other economic uses of water.

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SESSION LAW 2009-243HOUSE BILL 749

AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE STATE BUILDING CODE TO PERMIT THE USE OFCISTERNS TO PROVIDE WATER FOR FLUSHING TOILETS AND FOR OUTDOORIRRIGATION IN THE CONSTRUCTION OR RENOVATION OF RESIDENTIAL ORCOMMERCIAL BUILDINGS OR STRUCTURES AND TO PROHIBIT ANY STATE,COUNTY, OR LOCAL BUILDING CODE OR REGULATION FROM PROHIBITINGTHE USE OF CISTERNS FOR THESE USES, AND TO CLARIFY MINORITYBUSINESS PURPOSES FOR PUBLIC CONTRACTS.

• All Development Impacts Water Quality (Discharge, Consumption, Compaction of Soil) (Includes 10% Impervious Surface and above – as well as 10% Compacted Surfaces and above.

• Highest Use of the land versus the Best Use of the land

• Need to Change the way we think (Paradigm Shift)

• Water is Water

• Wetlands and streams are undervalued

• One Community’s Outflow is another Community’s Intake

Barriers to Implementing Barriers to Implementing

LID Across the RegionLID Across the Region


LEED Across the RegionLEED Across the Region•“Everybody knows….” it costs more.

http://www.usgbc.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=2908

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LEED Across the RegionLEED Across the Region•Sometimes, its is not about the costs (price,) rather it is really playing up the benefits



LEED Across the RegionLEED Across the Region

Cost premiums ranging from ZERO% to 6.27%

Energy Savings from 23% to 50%

Water Savings from Zero to 78%


Case Study: Residential Case Study: Residential

DevelopmentDevelopment

http://pdfserve.informaworld.com/316990__914017852.pdf

• 73 Projects

• Range Under 5 Acres to Over 100 Acres

• Utilization of LEED techniques depend on points awarded and cost to develop

•Gold and Platinum Certified Utilize Green Technologies and Green Construction

•Platinum tend to include affordable housing and Habitat/wetland restoration

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Photograph: Chuck Burton AP May 5, 2010 News and Observer

Halted construction fills N.C. waterways with silt

BY PAGE IVEY - The Associated Press

"When all the plants have grown up, you don't actually see any of the green plastic. It's just a lush green environment on top of the pond, so in theory there's a habitat for fish, frogs, wildlife as well." Ryan Winston

Our Floating Future?Our Floating Future?• Research by NC State University and Bill Hunt

• Being Tested in City of Durham – Hillendale Golf Course and Museum of Life and Science

• Originated in Montana (2000)

• Costs: $30/sq ft

• Benefit: “natural”removal of Phosphorus and Nitrogen using wetland/bog plants

News and Observer – 4/14/2010


LID Across the RegionLID Across the Region• Need to look at Decentralized solution for a decentralized problem

• Our ordinances hold us back (e.g. State law now requires communities to allow the use of cisterns and to not prohibit their use; Definitions of Conservation Subdivisions; Transfer of Development Rights)

• “Everybody knows….”

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Post Construction Post Construction

MaintenanceMaintenance

• Fertilizer

• Animal Waste

• Drought Tolerant Plants

• Native Plants

• Over-watering

ConclusionConclusionWe have a new resource

We can ‘sing from the same songbook.’

We can customize our solutions to meet the requirements of our communities and our region.

We can have a Win-Win-Win for the consumer, the developer, and the community.

If we ‘only’ apply to new construction, existing conditions will ‘only’ not get worse.

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Jon Barsanti Jr.Jon Barsanti Jr.

[email protected]@alumni.unc.edu

919.943.1915919.943.1915

Presentation available atPresentation available athttp://http://www.slideshare.net/JonBarsantiJrwww.slideshare.net/JonBarsantiJr