Tools for Green Infrastructure Planning & Implementation

Moving Green Infrastructure From “State of the Art” to “Standard Practice” New Jersey Planning Conference │ January, 2015

Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Neighborhood Green Infrastructure Strategy Urban Water Infrastructure Agenda for Change // Working Group Meeting convened by: New Jersey Future Johnson Foundation at Wingspread Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation

Credit: www.phillywatersheds.org

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Recommended Action Steps 1. Educate and Raise Awareness 2. Optimize Existing Systems and Implement Asset Management 3. Build Capacity and Foster Cross-Jurisdictional Collaboration 4. Leverage Early Successes to Generate Political Support 5. Diversify Funding Solutions

Work Plan / Project Areas 1. Support adoption of effective and innovative LTCPs 2. Optimize existing systems 3. Develop a green infrastructure focus 4. Employ resilient, state-of-the-art gray and green infrastructure 5. Identify and establish new funding tools 6. Raise awareness of CSO Problems and solutions

Integrated Water Infrastructure Solutions for Sustainable Cities Urban Water Solutions – Agenda for Change

Green Infrastructure Strategic Plan Committee

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Focus on LTCP Communities, Educate all Communities Why develop a Green Infrastructure Guide?

GOAL • Provide a concise, easy-to-follow and illustrative guide for

strategically implementing scalable green infrastructure BMPs, starting at the neighborhood level.

PURPOSE • Enable community organizations to undertake green infrastructure

strategic planning to maximize stormwater management and water quality benefits, positioning communities to obtain funding for green infrastructure implementation.

AUDIENCE • Community and non-profit organizations, municipal Green Teams

and Environmental Commissions. Target audience includes communities with separate storm sewer systems that will not be required to draft Long Term Control Plans.

Photo Credit: Center for Neighborhood Technology

5 Graphic Credit: Rutgers Water Resources Program, Green Infrastructure Feasibility Study, Little Falls

Scales of Green Infrastructure Scalable Planning Process

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Learn from your neighbors Review existing plans

New Jersey • NJ DEP • Rutgers Water Resources • Sustainable Jersey • NY-NJ Baykeeper • New Jersey Future National • U.S. EPA • NRDC Rooftops to Rivers • Low Impact Development

Center • Center for Neighborhood

Technology • Savetherain.us

Plans Credit: Rutgers Cooperative Extension Water Resources Program, City Of Lancaster

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STEP 1. Understand Green

Infrastructure BMPs

STEP 2. Understand your

Context

STEP 3. Identify

Opportunities and Constraints

STEP 6. Evaluate Potential Sites and Develop Recommendations

STEP 5. Identify Potential

Sites

STEP 4. Set Targets and

Metrics

STEP 7. Develop Action Steps toward

Implementation

Developing a Green Infrastructure Strategy

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Resources: • NJDEP Green

Infrastructure website • EPA Green Infrastructure

website • Rutgers Water Resources

Website • Rain Garden Manual of

New Jersey

STEP 1. Understand Green Infrastructure BMPs What are the types of GI BMPs? Where are they most appropriate? Where are they most cost effective?

1. Menu of Green Infrastructure BMPs

• Infiltration • Detention • Retention

2. General Siting Criteria 3. Cost Effectiveness

Graphic Credit: NJDEP, Rutgers Water Resources Program, US EPA

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Resources: • ArcGIS Online • Google Earth • New Jersey Flood Mapper • FEMA Flood Hazard Areas • USGS Web Soil Survey

STEP 2. Understand Flooding in your Community Where does stormwater flooding occur? How does stormwater flow there?

Review Available Data: 1. Impervious cover 2. Watersheds 3. Floodprone areas 4. Geology (bedrock,

groundwater table, soils) 5. Topography 6. Land use context 7. Sewer network

Map Credit: ESRI, FEMA, Rutgers

Example Community: Mountainview, Wayne, NJ

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Resources: • US EPA Green

Infrastructure website • Rutgers Water Resources

Program website • Rain Garden Manual of

New Jersey

STEP 3. Identify Opportunities and Constraints Where is shallow depth to the water table or bedrock? How can you slow or capture water upstream from flood prone areas?

Suitable areas for: Vegetative BMPs (Infiltration)

Rainwater harvesting BMPs (Detention)

Storage BMPs (Retention)

A

B

C

B C

A

Map Credit: ESRI, USGS

Example Community: Mountainview, Wayne, NJ

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Resources: • NRDC Rooftops to Rivers • NYC Green Infrastructure

Plan • Green Infrastructure in

New Jersey – The Current State of Implementation, NRDC

STEP 4. Set Targets and Metrics What do you want to achieve? What goals are feasible? Over what time frame?

1. Reduction in X% impervious cover

2. Manage runoff from X% of impervious cover using GI BMPs

3. Implementation of X GI Pilot Projects

4. Implementation of X SF or number of specific BMPs

Graphic Credit: NYC DEP, Hoboken Green Infrastructure Strategic Plan

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Resources: • Town Master Plan • NJ Parcel Map • NJ GIN Explorer • Open Street Map

STEP 5. Identify Potential Sites What sites are most feasible for GI implementation? What land use / property owners are the best target for GI implementation?

Opportunity sites:

Public or Community property, parks

Parking Areas

Nonprofit or Religious Institutions

Residential and Commercial Properties

1

3

2

4

1. Water Utility Right of Way / Morris Canal Greenway

4. Residential Properties north of Mountainview

2. Retail on Route 23

3. Churches along Alps Road

Map Credit: ESRI

Example Community: Mountainview, Wayne, NJ

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Resources: • EPA National Stormwater

Calculator • Technical Assistance: Rutgers Water Resources Town Planner and Engineer Pro bono / Professional

Organizations / Universities Sustainable Jersey

STEP 6. Evaluate Potential Sites and Develop Recommendations Which of the potential sites give you the most bang for the buck?

• Identify the best BMPs for those sites with the highest opportunity

• Which BMPs capture the most stormwater for the lowest cost?

• Evaluate the benefits

• Recognize the need for technical assistance

Graphic Credit: EPA National Stormwater Calculator

Example Site: Ambulance Corps, Mountainview, Wayne, NJ

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Policy & Regulatory

• Land Use Policy • Performance Zoning • Retention Standard • GI Requirement

• Incentives • Stormwater /

Development / Impact Fees

• Economic Incentives

Funding

• Capital Planning • Grant programs • Loan Programs • Innovative financing • Public private

partnerships

Education

• Pilot Projects • Workshops /

Training • Maintenance • Water Conservation

Resources: • NRDC Rooftops to Rivers • NJEIT • NJDEP website • US EPA website • Sustainable Jersey

website

STEP 7. Develop Action Steps toward Implementation How do you get there? Who are your partners? What are your highest priorities?

Case Study: Hoboken Green Infrastructure Strategic Plan

TOGETHER NORTH JERSEY Local Demonstration Project Project Partners: NJ TRANSIT , City of Hoboken, Hudson County, Hoboken Quality of Life Coalition, HOPES Community Action Network, North Hudson Sewerage Authority, Stevens Perkins Eastman │Louis Berger │Clarke Caton Hintze Team

Benefits of Green Infrastructure by Sewershed Impervious Area

outside of the ‘gray zone' (sq. ft)

Goal of Impervious Area Captured/Stored by Green

Infrastructure (15 %) Distribution of Impervious

Area per BMP (sq. ft.) Calculate Potential Stormwater

Captured/Stored by Green Infrastructure (cu. ft)

Sewershed Characteristics

Analysis of Hoboken’s stormwater management system Land Use Context Constraints Opportunities Impervious Coverage

Siting Considerations

Size: Drainage area, Physical Sq. Ft.

Vertical Constraints: Groundwater Table, Bedrock Depth

Topography: Slope, Contours

Soils: Permeability, Infiltration Rate Pros / Cons

Best Management Practices (BMPs)

Benefits: Flooding Mitigation, Ecological, Public Health, Open Space

Cost: Capital, Operations & Maintenance Useful life Storage Capacity

Identified the gray zone, modified distribution based on siting

Recommended specific BMPs for each sewershed based on siting and sewershed characteristics

Determined the most beneficial BMPs and ideal distribution

Detention Detain stormwater through above-ground BMPs. Detention BMPs: • Rainwater harvesting • Green/blue roofs • Subsurface storage Smaller-scale BMPs for long term incremental benefit: • Daylighting areas • Commercial Property

Retrofits • Public property

including parks and schools

Jersey City

Graphic Credit: Hoboken Green Infrastructure Strategic Plan

Infiltration Infiltrate stormwater using vegetated BMPs. Infiltration BMPs: • Rain gardens • Swales • Stormwater trees • Infiltration planters • Permeable pavements

Graphic Credit: Hoboken Green Infrastructure Strategic Plan

Retention Retain stormwater focusing on the Western Edge and Potential North End Rehabilitation Areas. Retention BMPs: • Basins or ponds • Constructed

wetlands • Subsurface storage

Large-Scale BMPs for more immediate Impact: • Subsurface Storage

under Park; • Constructed

wetlands or basin in Rehabilitation Areas

Jersey City Graphic Credit: Hoboken Green Infrastructure Strategic Plan

Graphic Credit: Hoboken Green Infrastructure Strategic Plan

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Policy and Regulatory Tools

• Incorporate Best Management Practices (BMPs) into ordinances, redevelopment/rehabilitation plans with City fabric in mind

• Work with Hudson County and North Hudson Sewerage Authority to develop compatible standards

• Create a guidance document for City/County public improvements

• Provide economic incentives (FAR, Height, Density), especially in areas with highest contribution to flooding

• Research alternative funding mechanisms for implementation of BMP's

Incentivize, Promote and Require Green Infrastructure

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Stormwater Trust Fund • District Wide Approach • Site constraints/cost limit BMP • Contribution of funds • Funds used for BMP in public

realm

Performance Zoning • Regulate: On-Site Rainfall Retained • Incentives: FAR, Height, Density

Standards • % of Pervious Coverage • % of Impervious Surface treated

by BMP

Applications of Policy and Regulatory Tools Recommendations for Hoboken

Regulation Rainfall Retained

1-25% 25-50% 51%+

FAR 1.0 3.2 4.0

Height 2 story 8 story 12 story

Density 28 DU/ Acre 55 DU/ Acre 90 DU/ Acre

Thank you!

Jennifer Gonzalez, AICP Senior Environmental Planner Louis Berger jgonzalez@louisberger.com

NJ Future Urban Water Infrastructure Working Group: http://www.njfuture.org/issues/environment-and-agriculture/water-sewer/urban-water-infrastructure/ Hoboken Green Infrastructure Strategic Plan: http://togethernorthjersey.com/?grid-portfolio=hoboken-green-infrastructure-strategic-plan