1 Water-Protective Land Use: Barriers, Benefits and Opportunities Cynthia Peterson April 7, 2009 Water-Protective Land Use: Barriers, Benefits and Opportunities Cynthia Peterson April 7, 2009

ABOUT AWARE League of Women Voters of Colorado Education Fund Funded by: Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment through a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Charter member of the National NEMO Network AWARE advisory committee and project partners

 AKA: low impact development, green infrastructure, better site design  Integrated site design – planners, engineers, landscape architects and others  Reduce, capture and treat stormwater runoff at its source  Minimize directly connected impervious area  Mimic pre-development hydrology WATER-PROTECTIVE LAND USE

 Natural resource inventory  Riparian buffers  Reduce imperviousness  Cluster development  Transportation infrastructure  Parking lots  Landscaping  Green Roofs  Rainwater Harvesting COMMON TECHNIQUES

developed land the hydrologic function of undeveloped land = DEVELOPMENT GOALS

Multiple Benefits Reduced and Delayed Stormwater Runoff Volumes Reduced and Delayed Stormwater Runoff Volumes Enhanced Groundwater Recharge Enhanced Groundwater Recharge Stormwater Pollutant Reductions Stormwater Pollutant Reductions Reduced Combined Sewer Overflow Events Reduced Combined Sewer Overflow Events Additional Wildlife Habitat and Recreational Space Additional Wildlife Habitat and Recreational Space Increased Land Values Increased Land Values

SO WHY ISN’T IT USED? What are the barriers? Keep It Clean Partnership Survey Keep It Clean Partnership Survey AWARE Colorado Focus Group/Interview Research AWARE Colorado Focus Group/Interview Research

FOCUS GROUP/INTERVIEW RESEARCH Four focus groups, 21 interviews Four focus groups, 21 interviews Diverse communities in South Platte River Basin Diverse communities in South Platte River Basin

FOCUS GROUP/INTERVIEW RESEARCH Parking lot planning and structural BMPs Parking lot planning and structural BMPs Effectiveness/likelihood of implementation research Effectiveness/likelihood of implementation research Visible to community and stakeholders Visible to community and stakeholders Transferability Transferability Impact Impact

KEY STAKEHOLDERS Planning Staff Planning Staff Elected/Appointed Officials Elected/Appointed Officials Developers Developers Engineers Engineers Landscape Architects Landscape Architects Stormwater Managers Stormwater Managers Landscape Maintenance Landscape Maintenance

STRATEGIES? Using porous/pervious paving materials Using porous/pervious paving materials Planting trees Planting trees Using landscaping designed to promote infiltration Using landscaping designed to promote infiltration Using landscaping that reduces need for irrigation, fertilizer & pesticides Using landscaping that reduces need for irrigation, fertilizer & pesticides Reduction of parking lots size, developing multi-use parking sites and shared parking Reduction of parking lots size, developing multi-use parking sites and shared parking

WHAT DID WE LEARN? Stakeholders: Are aware of the importance of stormwater management in their communitiesAre aware of the importance of stormwater management in their communities Recognize benefits of parking lot strategies Understand barriers and benefits of LID parking lot strategies Are motivated but vary in their ability to promote changes Identified needs: education, collaboration, advocacy, innovation, marketing and regulation

BARRIERS? Climate and Geology Climate and Geology Costs Costs Lack of Technical Information Lack of Technical Information Good examples for this climate Good examples for this climate Costs of initial development and maintenance Costs of initial development and maintenance Return-on-investment Return-on-investment Balance aesthetics with engineering Balance aesthetics with engineering Inertia and Reluctance to Change Inertia and Reluctance to Change

WHAT CAN BE DONE? Knowledge Knowledge Colorado specific education Colorado specific education Citizens as an important stakeholder group Citizens as an important stakeholder group Collaboration Collaboration Advocacy Advocacy Local, state, federal and nonprofits Local, state, federal and nonprofits Design and Innovation Design and Innovation Pilot projects to “prove” effectiveness Pilot projects to “prove” effectiveness Incentives Incentives Regulation Regulation

COMMUNITY-BASED SOCIAL MARKETING Alternative to information intensive campaignsAlternative to information intensive campaigns Draws on research in social psychologyDraws on research in social psychology Community level and involves direct contact with stakeholdersCommunity level and involves direct contact with stakeholders Goal -- behavior changeGoal -- behavior change Move from telling communities about LID/Green Infrastructure to achieving actionMove from telling communities about LID/Green Infrastructure to achieving action Alternative to information intensive campaignsAlternative to information intensive campaigns Draws on research in social psychologyDraws on research in social psychology Community level and involves direct contact with stakeholdersCommunity level and involves direct contact with stakeholders Goal -- behavior changeGoal -- behavior change Move from telling communities about LID/Green Infrastructure to achieving actionMove from telling communities about LID/Green Infrastructure to achieving action

CBSM: What are the tools? IndividualsIndividuals –Commitment –Prompts –Norms CommunitiesCommunities –Incentives –Removing external barriers –Regulation

AWARE Colorado’s Approach Literature reviewLiterature review SurveysSurveys Identify issuesIdentify issues Focus groupsFocus groups Pilot projectsPilot projects EvaluationEvaluation ImplementationImplementation

NEXT STEPS Share with stakeholders and othersShare with stakeholders and others Community-based social marketingCommunity-based social marketing Specific community outreach strategies addressing barriers and benefitsSpecific community outreach strategies addressing barriers and benefits Consider stakeholders’ motivation, ability and opportunity.Consider stakeholders’ motivation, ability and opportunity. Pilot projectPilot project

Cynthia Peterson Research Report – awarecolorado.org/resources/report.pdf LID Map – awarecolorado.org/mapco.html Questions?