Discussion: View Thread

  • 1.  LID/GI Incentives

    Posted 10-05-2020 04:50 PM
    Hello all,

    I am curious if you could list communities that you have worked with that have incentives in place (not required) to promote permanent water quality measures, especially green infrastructure/low impact development. I'm looking to use these communities as case studies for a project I am working on.

    Examples of these would be an expedited development processes, fee reductions, increase in impervious cover % allowable, reduced site setbacks, etc.

    Thanks in advance for your expertise.


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    Kaylyn Hudson EIT, A.M.ASCE
    Engineer II
    Austin TX
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  • 2.  RE: LID/GI Incentives

    Posted 10-06-2020 07:53 AM
    Edited by Tirza Austin 10-06-2020 07:53 AM
    The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District has a voluntary program that allows rate payers to apply for a stormwater fee credit if you disconnect downspouts or perform other stormwater management, see link below.
    https://www.neorsd.org/stormwater-2/stormwater-management-program/managing-stormwater-property/

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    Daniel Rosenberg P.E., M.ASCE
    AECOM
    Cleveland OH
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  • 3.  RE: LID/GI Incentives

    Posted 10-06-2020 09:23 AM

    Philadelphia offers (or used to offer) a free rain barrel to citizens of the city, and there are some stormwater grants that non-residental property owners are sometimes eligible for. This site will be archived by the end of 2020, but you can find more information, and probably a point of contact for more examples, on it:

    https://www.phila.gov/water/wu/stormwater/Pages/default.aspx



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    Christopher Seigel P.E., M.ASCE
    Civil Engineer
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  • 4.  RE: LID/GI Incentives

    Posted 10-06-2020 12:57 PM
    Being from Austin, I assume you are aware of our stormwater fee discount incentive program for property owners providing additional volume above of the regulatory required stormwater management controls.  This includes all colors of volumetric stormwater management (green, grey, blue) and is based on the additional treated impervious cover above the permit requirements.  If not familiar, you may reach out to our finance department for more information. 

    https://www.austintexas.gov/page/stormwater-management-discount#:~:text=Amount%20of%20Discount,and%20percent%20of%20impervious%20cover.&text=55%20gallon%20tank%2C%20%240.20%20to%20%240.30%20per%20month

    Stormwater Management Discount

    Morgan Byars, PE, PMP
    City of Austin Watershed Protection Department

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    Morgan Byars P.E., M.ASCE
    Consulting Engineer
    Buda TX
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  • 5.  RE: LID/GI Incentives

    Posted 10-06-2020 12:57 PM
    Kaylyn,

    You might investigate some of the municipalities in Southern California.  The general stormwater permit from the Regional Boards to the munis supports some incentives as I understand it - talk to the planners at the City of San Diego, Encinitas, Chula Vista, National City etc.

    Also, give a call to the Coastkeeper organization in some different regions - they are nationwide. They start with legal action to encourage more of this - they may have a list of jurisdictions where their advocacy and or litigation has resulted in what you seek.
    Good Luck - and please come back to share your study with us. 


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    Lynne Baker A.M.ASCE
    Consultant
    HKA Global
    San Diego CA
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  • 6.  RE: LID/GI Incentives

    Posted 10-06-2020 06:04 PM

    Incorporated Cities within the County of San Diego (California) are part of a rebate program for rain barrels in partnership with another organization. Below is the link that illustrates how the program works:

    http://solanacenter.org/rain-barrels

     

    Below is the link to the County of San Diego webpage for the rain barrel program in the unincorporated areas of San Diego County:

    https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/dpw/watersheds/residential/RainBarrelInformation.html

     

    Hope this helps.

    Rene Vidales
    San Diego, CA



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    Rene Vidales Ing., P.E., M.ASCE
    Program Coordinator
    San Diego CA
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  • 7.  RE: LID/GI Incentives

    Posted 10-07-2020 08:36 AM

    Philly's green roof density bonus has been so successful that most new eligible developments take advantage of the program.

    It's good for the city's efforts, often faced backlash from residents as the added density is typically occurring in already dense neighborhoods (its a parking thing.)

    Mike
     



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    Michael Devuono P.E., M.ASCE
    Senior Water Engineer
    Arcadis U.S., Inc.
    Philadelphia PA
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  • 8.  RE: LID/GI Incentives

    Posted 10-08-2020 12:47 PM
    Thanks for sharing, Michael. The company I work for does a fair bit of work for PWD and I never knew about that.

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    Christopher Seigel P.E., M.ASCE
    Civil Engineer
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  • 9.  RE: LID/GI Incentives

    Posted 10-09-2020 11:51 AM
    Edited by Tirza Austin 10-09-2020 11:50 AM
    The City of Chattanooga has several programs/incentives.  https://chattanooga.gov/public-works/water-quality-program

    RainSmart is an incentive program for residential property owners that reimburses qualified Chattanooga residents for installing rain gardens & rain barrels that reduce the amount of stormwater that leaves their property. That means less water in our storm sewer systems, & less in our creeks & streams.

    The City's Water Quality Program (WQP) has created the Green Grants Program for property owners who seek to improve water quality and/or go beyond their Stay-on-Volume (SOV) requirement for a green infrastructure (GI) development or retrofit project.  The grant will provide businesses, institutions and other non-single family residential customers partial funding for the design and construction of green infrastructure projects on private properties.

    City of Chattanooga has a stormwater fee included on the property tax bill.  There is credit/discount program for this fee.

    TCA 68-221-1107 provides an exemption for users that do not discharge - directly or indirectly - into a municipally owned stormwater system. If a property is in the upstream drainage area of any City owned/maintained stormwater infrastructure (culvert, pipe, ditch, etc.), then that property is not eligible for an exemption.
    The City is partnering with United Way to provide assistance for seniors participating in the City's property tax freeze program. 

    Chattanooga City Code provides a discount for multi-family and non-residential users who can demonstrate a reduction in stormwater runoff through engineered controls that infiltrate, evapotranspirate, or capture and reuse stormwater to prevent it from leaving the site as surface runoff. The City refers to this as Stay-On-Volume (SOV) - also called Water Quality treatment volume. Upon submitting an application with supporting documents, users may qualify to receive up to a 70% reduction in their fee. Please see the City's Credit & Incentive Manual on the City's website for more information.  https://chattanooga.gov/public-works/water-quality-program/wq-fees-incentives

    During the development process:
    1)  There are credits offered for trees, soil amendments and restorative practices to reduce the required amount of SOV to be provided with the development. 
    2)  If a development provides more SOV than required, they are able to request credit coupons that would be given for the confirmed overage in the form of a coupon/certificate for the additional the volume.  These may be traded on the open market & used as mitigation for projects that may not be able to provide the required SOV.  While this program has been slow to catch on, it has been more utilized lately & is picking up interest.



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    Maria Price P.E., M.ASCE
    Engineering Manager
    City of Chattanooga
    Chattanooga TN
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