2. About ASLF
New York based not-for-profit, headquartered in the
Near Westside area of Syracuse
Established in 1982 to provide legal, technical, and
organizational services to individuals and
organizations dealing with environmental issues
Has taken a lead role in the protection and restoration
of Syracuse waterways and the CSO problem
3.
4. The Impacts
Economically draining for city
Lower property value
Aesthetical degradation
High rates of crime and arson
Public health issues Property Value Degradation around A Vacant Property
Source: Temple University Center for Public Policy and Eastern
Pennsylvania Organizing Project. “Blight Free Philadelphia: A
Public-Private Strategy to Create and Enhance Neighborhood
Value.” Philadelphia, 2001.
5. The Opportunities
Stormwater retention
Public amenities
Urban infill development
Urban forestry
Urban agriculture
Habitat creation and conservation
8. The Issue (cont.)
Municipal Source of Pollution: Combined Sewer
Overflow (CSO)
Diagram of a
Combined Sewer
Overflow System.
Adapted from
“CSOs Explained”
Official City of
Bremerton Site.
9. The Process: ACJ
ASLF and the NYS-DEC 1988 lawsuit against
Onondaga County under the Clean Water Act
METRO Consent Judgment
Amended Consent Judgment (ACJ, January 1998)
The key legal document
Outlined two dozen projects for the County
Extensive monitoring program
10. The Process:
The 4th Stip to ACJ 2009
The court order requires Onondaga County to use
GRAY and GREEN infrastructure addressing CSOs
Gray Infrastructure: Commitment to 88.7% annual
volume capture in by 2013
Green Infrastructure: Commitment to an additional
6.3% annual volume capture in Green Infrastructure
commencing immediately in 2009, resulting in 95%
total annual volume capture by 2018
11. The Solution: Save the Rain (STR)
A GI program created by the County
Encompasses the storm water and GI initiatives
Educates the public about issues and how they can use
and benefit from GI
Initiatives
GI on public land
Green Improvement Fund: GI on private land
Rain Barrel Program
Urban Forestry Program
STR-Vacant Lot Program (VLP)
12.
13. VLP Program Goals
Reduce minimum of 9 million gallons of CSO by 2018
with GI on publicly owned vacant lots
Provide different forms of GREEN infrastructure
projects for Save The Rain
Simultaneously reclaim greenspace in a useful way and
improve value of vacant lots to community
Engage public in GI maintenance for Save The Rain
14. Syracuse Vacant Lot Inventory
3,668 vacant parcels in the City of
Syracuse (2012 data)
1,786 vacant parcels (392 ac.) in
combined sewer service area
where GI projects are required for
managing stormwater and CSO’s
828 publicly owned vacant parcels
which could be potentially used
Vacant Lots in the City of Syracuse.
15. Syracuse Vacant Lot Inventory
814 of 828 public vacant parcels are under City ownership
City of Syracuse
Ownership NYS County City City Seizable Total
City TD
Owned Agencies Parcels
Parcels 6 8 78 120 37 579 828
Inventory Acreage
2.26 7.39 36.72 28.33 6.09 107.27 188.06
Parcels 0 0 24 60 25 332 441
Candidates
Acreage 0 0 6.92 12 5.06 80.14 104.12
16. VLP: A Joint Venture
Between Onondaga County and City of
Syracuse
Initiated in 2011 by Onondaga County
Funded by Onondaga County to built GI
projects on City owned vacant lots
Developed collaboratively to fit under both
governments’ immediate planning goals
Based on the agreement that defines the
County’s and the City’s responsibilities in
O&M of the VLP projects
Developed and coordinated by ASLF The City of Syracuse Ordinance that depicts the
City-County Agreement on installing GI on the City
properties
17. VLP’s Reclamation Typologies
Urban Orchard
Community Garden (Ornamental or Vegetable)
Urban Forest/Tree Planting
Combined with other GI practices such as rain garden, cistern, bioswale,
stormwater planter, etc.
VLP Pilot Project Rendering: Urban Orchard at 701
Oswego Street, Syracuse, New York
18. Community Involvement in VLP
Outreach to general public and communities near project sites
Coordination with community in planning & design process
(community meetings, design workshops)
Community participation in maintenance (organized to
ensure the quality of performance)
Green job training and job creation
19. VLP Projects: 2011
Urban Orchard at 701 Oswego Street
Before Under Construction
Design Rendering
20. VLP Projects: 2012
Concept Field Work 50% Design
Project Status Bid Phase Total
Phase Phase Phase
Number of
7 3 3 3 16
Projects
21.
22. Benefits of VLP
Environmental Benefits
Biodiversity
Increase of tree canopy
Carbon sequestration
Reduction in pollution, heat island effects and CSO events
Economic Benefits
Increased property value and land desirability
Lowers City’s maintenance costs
Creation of new job and local business
23. Benefits of VLP
Social & Public Health Benefits
Revitalization of community
Reduced crime rates
Improved access to healthy foods from urban
agricultural typologies
Increased opportunities for outdoor physical exercise
Facilitation of healthy behaviors is a factor in chronic
disease incidence
24. Further Needs and Challenges
Long-term ownership and O&M mechanism
Alternatives
Under public ownership
Under private ownership and operation
Land Trust model
O&M
Produce
Taxes
Utilities
25. Further Needs and Challenges
Public acceptance and involvement in projects
Safety issues related to urban farming on abandoned
land
Lawn VS Native Garden
Tree(s) VS Forest
Long-term monitoring and compliance with legal
requirements
26. For More Information
Atlantic States Legal Foundation, Inc.
658 West Onondaga Street, Syracuse, New York 13204
315-475-1170. atlantic.states@aslf.org
http://www.aslf.org/
Onondaga County Save The Rain Program
http://savetherain.us/