This document discusses barriers to implementing sustainable development practices and low impact development (LID). It identifies problems such as developers prioritizing highest and best use of land over environmental impacts. Solutions proposed include viewing wetlands, stream buffers, and stormwater as resources rather than liabilities. Compost and plant-based amendments can reverse soil compaction from development. LID can improve water quality/quantity while reducing costs. Changing perceptions of stormwater and density are also barriers addressed.
Greater Vancouver Realtors Statistics Package April 2024
LID LEED and Policy (24 Feb 2011)
1. LID and Policy: Sustainable
Development Practices
What is Stopping Us?
Jon Barsanti Jr
Masters in City and Regional Planning
BA Interdisciplinary Study in Biology and Chemistry
jbarsanti@alumni.unc.edu
919.943.1915
http://mithun.com/projects/project_detail/kitsap_seed/
February 24, 2011
4. Who is holding us back
Build Not Not
Almost In On
Nothing My My
Almost Back- Dime
Nowhere Yard
Anytime
5. Who Why Why
Not
Developers Others Aren’t “Cost”
Designers Right Thing Resistance
Departments Reduces Costs Ordinances
Decision Good All Fear of Loss
Makers Around
6. Law of Unintended Consequences:
As average house size increases
impervious surface area increases
7. All Development Occurs in a
Watershed
Wetlands are more than
Undevelopable Land
Stream Buffers Impact Development
and Developments Impact Stream
Buffers
All Land Uses have a
Pollutant/Volume Profile
8. Undeveloped Land can be valuable
LID & LEED can improve Water
Quality and Quantity; Cost Less
Need to view Run-off as a Resource
Net Density versus Gross Density
9. All Development Occurs
in a Watershed
Watershed
Critical
Areas
Watershed
Protected
Areas
Barriers:
Remainder • “Highest and Best Use of the Land”
of the • One person’s/community’s out-flow is
another’s intake
Watershed
10. Wetlands are more than
Undevelopable Land
Nutrient filtration
systems
Manage volume
and sediment load
Wildlife habitat
preservation
Barriers: Wetlands have been filled and built upon, leaving areas flood prone
Need to be seen from environmental, aesthetic, and water quality perspectives
11. Stream Buffers Impact Development
Developments Impact Stream
Buffers
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
13. All Land Uses have a
Pollutant/Volume Profile
Volume of water flow
Nutrients
Temperature of water flowing off the land
Toxins
Bacteria
From Kimberly Brewer’s Presentation to the TJCOG Smart Growth Committee
ftp://ftp.tjcog.org/pub/tjcog/regplan/smrtgrow/devwq.pdf
14. All Land Uses have a
Pollutant/Volume Profile
Sources Land-Use Contribution Contribution
to N Load to P Load
Residential (SF)
29% 12%
Residential (MF)
Agriculture 36% 51%
Forest 19% 15%
Commercial/ 9% 6%
Industrial
Other 7% 16%
Non – Point Source Pollution Only
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
15. All Land Uses have a
Pollutant/Volume Profile
Sources Land-Use Contribution Contribution
to N Load to P Load
Residential (SF) 14%
29% 12%
Residential (MF) 1%
Agriculture 20% 36% 51%
Forest 56% 19% 15%
Commercial/ 3% 9% 6%
Industrial
Other 6% 7% 16%
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. Nitrogen in the soil
Microbes are part of the answer
It is estimated that 40% of all chemical nitrogen fertilizer
additions are never used by plants.
Some bacteria convert nitrogen into ammonia by the
process called nitrogen fixation;
Other bacteria bring about transformations of ammonia to
nitrate, and of nitrate to nitrogen and other nitrogen gases;
Many bacteria and fungi degrade organic matter, releasing
nitrogen for reuse by other organisms.
http://www.greatbigplants.com/Nitrogen/
17. Nitrogen absorbing Plants
are part of the answer
In the warm season, water convolvulus showed more
activity than mint, jute or water hyacinth (a plant widely used
against eutrophication).
In the cold season, calla lily showed the highest level of
activity. Thus, the plant species need to be selected
depending on the season.
Both plants can be effectively used to improve water quality
and as useful resources after harvest. (author abst.)
Evaluation of Plants for Absorbing Nitrogen and Phosphorus to Purify Eutrophic Water
http://sciencelinks.jp/j-east/article/200319/000020031903A0621438.php
19. Table 1: Comparison of Bulk Density for undisturbed
Soils and Common Urban Conditions (Compiled from
various sources)
Undisturbed Soil Type or Urban Surface Bulk
Condition Density (g/cc)
Peat 0.2 to 0.3
Compost 1.0
Sandy Soil 1.1 to 1.3
Silty sands 1.4
Silt 1.3 to 1.4
Silt Loams 1.2 to 1.5
Organic Silts/Clays 1.0 to 1.2
Glacial Till 1.6 to 2.0
Urban Lawns 1.5 to 1.9
Crushed Rock Parking Lot 1.5 to 2.0
Urban Fill Soils 1.8 to 2.0
Athletic Fields 1.8 to 2.0
ROW and Building Pads 1.5 to 1.8
(85% Compaction)
ROW and Building Pads 1.6 to 2.1
(95% Compaction)
Concrete Pavement 2.2
Quartzite 2.65 http://www.cwp.org/Resource_Library/Center_Docs/PWP/ELC_PWP36.pdf
22. FAQ regarding
Compost Amendments
• Increase Concentrations of N and P
• Decreases Volume of Run-off
• Decrease Total N & P
• Can be tilled or applied directly
• 2:1 ratio soil to compost tilled to at
least 12 inches
EPA/600/R-00/016
http://www.epa.gov/ednnrmrl/publications/reports/ep
• Construction compaction can reach
a600r00016/epa600r00016.pdf
24 inches
23. Other perspectives on
Compost Amendments
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
24. LID Can Improve Water
Quality & Water Quantity
How we develop/redevelop
Where we develop
(and where we do not)
What we do with the Run-off
(Pipe or Percolate)
What is disturbed – What is
conserved?
http://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/water_resource.htm
25. LID Can Improve Water
Quality & Water Quantity
Increasing density increases run-off for the
watershed and decreases the run-off per household http://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/water_density.htm
26. LID Can Improve Water
Quality & Water Quantity
• 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.
http://www.jordancove.uconn.edu/jordan_cove/publications/final_report.pdf
27. LID Can Improve Water
Quality & Water Quantity
NAHB reports that conventional
development negatively impacts
water-related ecosystems through
Impervious Surfaces (Volume
and quality)
Introduction of Contaminants
Site Location of Development
relative to natural features
http://www.nahb.org/fileUpload_details.aspx?contentID=112936
28. LID Can Improve Water
Quality & Water Quantity
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
(Almost always costs less
http://www.nahb.org/fileUpload_details.aspx?contentID=112936 than conventional)
29. LID Can Improve Water
Quality & Water Quantity
… (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 15 to 80 percent when LID
methods were used...
http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/lid/costs07/documents/reducingstormwatercosts.pdf
30. LID Can Improve Water
Quality & Water Quantity
http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/lid/costs07/documents/reducingstormwatercosts.pdf
31. LID Can Improve Water
Quality & Water Quantity
• 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.
Managing stormwater in Pierce County: Kensington Estates case study sheds light on low impact development
http://www.djc.com/news/en/11135654.html
32. LID: How do we define
conservation/disturbed
Type of Residential Disturbed Open Space Conserved Space
Development Space
Low Density Could be entire Yes – may be yard No
(e.g. 1 unit/2a) site
Cluster Could Be entire Fragmented No
site
Open Space 50% or less 50% or More Open Space can
be undevelopable
Conservation Less than 50% More than 50% Undevelopable
area excluded
Barrier(s): How each is defined varies by community/county
33. What is being conserved?
http://www.stormwaterpa.org/assets/media/ http://www.swircd.org/pdf/conservation%20
resources/CnsrvDsgn-overview_NLT.pdf subdivision%20design%20handbook.pdf
34. What is being conserved?
Belvedere Subdivision – Charlottesville, VA
http://www.belvedereneighborhood.com
35. What is being conserved?
2008
Green
Project of
the Year
NAHB
Green
Building
Award
Hidden Lakes Preserve
Wake Forest, NC
http://www.hiddenlake-crescent.com
36. What is being conserved?
Area of
Future
Development
Hidden Lakes Preserve
Wake Forest, NC
http://www.hiddenlake-crescent.com
37. What is being conserved?
Pleasant Green Farms – Hillsborough, NC – Durham County
http://www.pleasantgreenfarms.com/PropertyMap.aspx
38. What is being conserved?
Bundoran Farm -- North Garden, VA
http://www.bundoranfarm.com/
39. What is being conserved?
Green/Dark
Blue –
Active
Forestry
Wildlife
Habitat
Pale Yellow –
Public
Viewshed
Pale Peach –
Productive
Farmland
Aqua Stream
Corridor &
Wetlands
Bundoran Farm -- North Garden, VA
http://www.bundoranfarm.com/
40. Need to change thinking from
stormwater as waste to
stormwater as resource.
Impervious surface
coverage impacts the
micro-climate at
water basin and larger
areas
Withdrawing just a
little more than
recharge rate impacts
everyone
http://waterparadigm.org/indexen.php?web=./ http://www.onthecommons.org/media/pdf/original/
home/homeen.html OurWaterComonsOctober2008English.pdf
41. Need to change thinking from
stormwater as waste to
stormwater as resource. 1) Utilization of
Opportunistic
Available Water
2) Storage and
Conveyance
3) Water Treatment
Technologies
4) Non-Point Source
Pollution Control
5)Closed Loop Water
Management of
Water Supply,
http://www.clemson.edu/restoration/events/pas
http://www.coe.neu.edu/environment/DOCUM Stormwater, and
t_events/sc_water_resources/t4_proceedings_p
resentations/t4_zip/zimmer.pdf
ENTS/Wingspread%20Final%20Report.pdf
Wastewater.
42. Need to change from
Environment or Economy to
Environment & Economy
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 extreme
hydrological events and pollution
• There will be an optimal balance
between recreation, navigation and
other economic uses of water.
http://www.coe.neu.edu/environment/DOCUM
ENTS/Wingspread%20Final%20Report.pdf
43. Water is Water
Paradigm Shift
All Development Impacts Water Quality
Highest use versus the best use of the land
Wetlands and stream buffers are undervalued
One community’s outflow is another
community’s intake
Reducing usage of drinking water for irrigation and
toilets
44. Barriers to Implementing
LEED Across the Region
Report questions weighting
of Indoor Air Quality
And how a project COULD be
LEED Platinum and get no
points for IAQ.
http://www.ehhi.org/reports/leed/LEED_report_0510.pdf
45. Barriers to Implementing
LEED Across the Region
• Formaldehyde
• Second Hand Tobacco Smoke
• Particulates
• Pesticides
• Flame Retardants PBDEs
• Drinking Water
• Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)
• Polycyclic Aromatic
Hydrocarbons (PAHs)
• Volatile Organic Compounds
(VOCs)
• Artificial Turf
http://www.ehhi.org/reports/leed/LEED_report_0510.pdf
46. Barriers to Implementing
LEED Across the Region
September 2010 – EPA
Draft Report: Opportunities
for Green Building (GB)
Rating Systems to Improve
Indoor Air Quality
Certain LEED options are
heat and humidity related
and cannot be used in all
regions of the country
http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pdfs/jelena_draft_paper_11-4-10.pdf
47. Barriers to Implementing
LEED Across the Region
“The main idea of LEED was to reduce
environmental impacts of buildings on
their surrounding environment.
Nevertheless, new research studies are
emerging, so it will be possible to
understand more detailed building
impacts on its environment as well as to
develop new strategies for addressing
intermittent environmental impacts on
the building itself due to extreme
weather conditions and increased
outdoor air pollution.”
http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pdfs/jelena_draft_paper_11-4-10.pdf
48. Barriers to Implementing
LEED Across the Region
Moderately high temperatures
and humidity in buildings have
been associated with:
• Increased occupant discomfort,
perceptions of poor indoor air
• Unsolicited occupant complaints
• Reduced productivity
• Adverse respiratory health
symptoms
http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pdfs/mudarri.pdf
51. Barriers to Implementing
LEED Across the Region
Similar to
Implementing
LID
“Everybody
knows….” it
costs more.
http://www.usgbc.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=2908
52. Barriers to Implementing
LEED Across the Region
Its is not
about the
costs/price
It is about
playing up
the benefits
Cost is a
Negative
Term
http://www.usgbc.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=2908
53. Barriers to Implementing
LEED Across the Region
Pricing premiums ranging from
ZERO to 6.27%
Energy Savings from
23% to 50%
Water Savings from
Zero to 78%
54. Case Study: Residential
Development
• 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
http://pdfserve.informaworld.com/316990__914017852.pdf
Habitat/wetland restoration
55. November 19, 2010
San Diego –
South Orange
County
Restrictions on
Lawn Irrigation
Run-off
Restrictions on
Car Wash
Run-off
http://www.danapointtimes.com/view/full_story/10385460/article-Keep-Your-Water--New-Regional-Water-Quality-Control-Board-Water-Quality-Regulations-?
56. Toxic, Carcinogenic Pollutant
in Common Surface sealer December 6, 2010
40 lakes in
residential and
commercial areas
PAH in the H20
• Coal-tar-based
sealants
contribute 50%
• Vehicles account
for 25%
• Coal combustion
20%
Science of The Total Environment Volume 409, Issue 2, 15 December 2010, Pages 334-344
http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/12/05/845591/pavement-sealant-identified-as.html#storylink=misearch
57. “Potential to Modify Clearing, Grading, and
Landscaping Practices Project (2001)
Value placed on landscapes
that are “Natural,” “Attract
Wildlife” “Provide Privacy and
screen noise,” Minimal Lawn
Dissatisfied group bought
homes over 250,000
without/preferred
landscaping
Dissatisfied group most likely
to have planted shrubs,
trees, native plants after
moving into new house.
http://www.greenbeltconsulting.com/ctp/pdf/Potential
ToModify.pdf
58. 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
"When all the plants have grown up, you
don't actually see any of the green plastic. • Benefit: “natural”
It's just a lush green environment on top of removal of Phosphorus and
the pond, so in theory there's a habitat for Nitrogen using
fish, frogs, wildlife as well." Ryan Winston wetland/bog plants
News and Observer – 4/14/2010
59. Barriers to Implementing
LID Across the Region
Need to look at Decentralized solution
for a Decentralized problem
Our ordinances hold us back
“Everybody knows….”
Maintaining it after it is built
60. Conclusion
We 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.