Green Infrastructure in the Chicago Southland Wednesday, March 31, 2011 Deanna Glosser, Ph.D. Environmental Planning Solutions, Inc , The Chicago Wilderness Sustainable Watershed Action Team

What is the Sustainable Watershed Action Team (SWAT)?  SWAT provides technical assistance to local governments.  The focus is on sustainability, the protection of natural resources, green infrastructure.  Provides assistance to strengthen planning infrastructure – comp plans & ordinances.  Provides design guidance.  How & why was SWAT created?

Chicago Wilderness

Key Elements of SWAT  Provides customized, hands-on expertise for a project at the request of a local government.  Engages a private consultant with the specific experience needed – successful economically & environmentally.  Provides peer-to-peer assistance.  All participants work partially pro- bono.  Engages community leaders & appropriate stakeholders.

Coordinates with Collaborators to select projects Identifies appropriate experts Assembles project materials Keeps abreast of potential projects – advises the Director Works to encourage participation & project success SWAT Collaborators SWAT Experts Advise on project selection & project execution Work partially pro-bono Peer-to-peer experts selected How SWAT Works

SWAT Experts Applied Ecological Services – Brodhead, Wisc. & West Dundee, IL JF New, Crete, IL Conservation Design Forum, Elmhurst JJR, Madison, Wisc. Cowhey Gudmundson Leder

SWAT Collaborators Campaign for Sensible Growth The Conservation Foundation IDNR’s C2000 program McHenry County Conservation District &Foundation Metropolitan Planning Commission NIPC/CMAP Openlands Project Soil & Water Conservation Districts (Kane, Lake, McHenry) USFWS

Comprehensive Plan–Village of Union Village of Union, McHenry County -- Population less than 1,000 -Has no planning staff -Was at the developing fringe -North Branch of the Kishwaukee River is a sensitive natural resource -Flooding & water quality problems Leveraged Village $ with SWAT assistance to develop a comp plan. SWAT focused on stormwater management, conservation design, restoration, and use of native landscaping. State-of-the-art objectives were included in the final plan. Union approved their plan and the companion SWAT document in November 2005.

Performance Standards–Aurora Aurora’s Countryside Vision Immediate need for annexation agreement language to ensure that final developments would fulfill the vision. SWAT developed language for stormwater management, use of native landscaping, and general review of the preliminary plats.

Successful Effort – Trim Creek Trim Creek, in Will & Kankakee Counties, is a tributary of the Kankakee River. SWAT assisted in developing the watershed plan by conducting the environmental assessments and making recommendations for restoration & protection.

Green Infrastructure Individual Building Lot Scale Neighborhood Scale Municipal or County Scale Regional or Watershed Scale

Regional Scale Chicago Wilderness Green Infrastructure Vision SWAT is working at this scale in McHenry Co.

Municipal Scale Village of Campton Hills Green Infrastructure Map Comprehensive Plan is now underway. Green Infrastructure is the focus of the plan. All other plan elements will be consistent with protecting GI. CMAP has selected Campton Hills for an LTA grant so are assisting – leveraging dollars.

Site Scale Applicable to both new projects and retrofits Crystal Lake is requiring infiltration BMPS in their most sensitive sub-watersheds. Bannockburn requires rain gardens.

Municipal Projects-Permeable Pavement Kane County Government Buildi ng

Bioswales Natural Landscaping- Crate & Barrel Corporate Campus, Northbrook, IL

For More Information CMAP website maintains information from SWAT workshops & project results: ainable-watershed-action-team If interested in a SWAT project, contact Deanna Glosser at