A look at what and who is holding back LID and LEED developments. Looks at the returns on investments and the benefits to the ecosystem by changing our thinking towards where and how we develop

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
Developers
Policy
Who Designers
Makers
Decision Makers
(Municipal/County)
Competitive Advantage
(Others are not Doing it)
It is good for the
economy, Others are
good for the
community,
and good for the
Why Doing It; Can
do It Better
environment
Others are doing it and if
I/We don’t adopt/adapt I/We
will lose out to other
communities/developers

2. New Way of Doing Business
Perceived Costs
Elected Why New Way to
Official Design
Resistance
Not
New Way of Developing Land/
Approving Plans
Land Use
Transportation Water Quantity/
Water Quality
All Development Occurs in
a Watershed
All Land Uses have a Water Profile
Undeveloped Land can be valuable
LID & LEED can improve Water
Quality and Quantity; Cost Less
Need to view Run-off as a Resource
Run-

3. All Development Occurs
in a Watershed
Three Parts:
Watershed Critical Areas
Watershed Protected Areas
Remainder of the Watershed
Barriers:
• “Highest and Best Use of the Land;”
• One person’s/community’s out-flow is another’s
intake
Wetlands are more than
Undevelopable Land
Wetlands are nature’s filtration
system
Wetlands manage volume and
sediment load
Wetlands are key to wildlife
habitat preservation
Barrier: Wetland is undevelopable; Can fill and replace,
although manufactured is not as good as natural
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

4. 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
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
Soil
Compaction
Occurs in
almost all
situations
How much is
reversible?
http://www.cwp.org/Resource_Library/Center_Docs/PWP/ELC_PWP36.pdf

5. 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
Reversing Compacted Soils
• Soil Amendments
• Compost Amendments
• Reforestation
http://www.cwp.org/Resource_Library/Center_Docs/PWP/ELC_PWP37.pdf
• Time
Benefits of Compost
Amendments
Compost Amendments Can:
• Increase Porosity
• Reduce Peak Flows
• Produce Thicker lawns
• Reduce Fertilizer Applications
and Watering Needs
• Create better lawns, faster
http://www.epa.gov/ednnrmrl/publications/reports/epa600r00016/epa600r00016.pdf EPA/600/R-00/016

6. Impacts of Compost
Amendments
Compost Amendments May:
• Increase Concentrations of N and
• Decrease Total N & P
• Amendments can be tilled or applied
directly and reseeded.
• 2:1 ratio soil to compost tilled to at
least 12 inches
• Construction compaction can reach
24 inches
http://www.epa.gov/ednnrmrl/publications/reports/epa600r00016/epa600r00016.pdf EPA/600/R-00/016
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
LID Can Improve Water
Quality & Water Quantity
How we develop
Where we develop
(and where we do not)
What we do with the Run-off
(Pipe or Percolate)

7. LID Can Improve Water
Quality & Water Quantity
http://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/water_resource.htm http://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/water_density.htm
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
LID Can Improve Water
Quality & Water Quantity
Negatively Impacts water-related
ecosystems
• Impacts water Quality through
• Impervious Surfaces
• Introduction of Contaminants
• Site Location of Development
relative to natural features
http://www.nahb.org/fileUpload_details.aspx?contentID=112936

8. LID Can Improve Water
Quality & Water Quantity
National Association of Home-Builders has
a large amount of information regarding
costs and benefits of Low Impact
Development
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 (Lower Stormwater Costs, more land
can be developed; cost savings to the
community, etc.)
http://www.nahb.org/fileUpload_details.aspx?contentID=112936
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
LID Can Improve Water
Quality & Water Quantity
http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/lid/costs07/documents/reducingstormwatercosts.pdf

9. 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
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 No
(e.g. 1 unit/2a) site yard
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
Need to change thinking from
stormwater as waste to
stormwater as resource.
Barrier: Need
to change the
way we think
about water
http://waterparadigm.org/indexen.php?web=./home/homeen.html http://www.onthecommons.org/media/pdf/original/OurWaterC
omonsOctober2008English.pdf

10. Need to change thinking from
stormwater as waste to
stormwater as resource.
Barrier: We cannot
solve our problems
at the same level of
thinking that
created them
We need a new
way of looking at
our water quality
and water quantity
problems
http://www.clemson.edu/restoration/events/past_events/sc_water_re http://www.coe.neu.edu/environment/DOCUM
sources/t4_proceedings_presentations/t4_zip/zimmer.pdf ENTS/Wingspread%20Final%20Report.pdf
Need to change from
Environment or Economy to
Environment & Economy
“An urban area is an ecological system
wherein humans, habitat,
transportation and water infrastructure,
and terrestrial and aquatic flora and
fauna exist in symbiosis and
interdependence.
Urban fresh waters are the lifeline for
ecological and economical
sustainability, yet the fresh water
resources are being impaired to a point
that the integrity of urban waters has
been damaged by excessive
development and overuse….”
http://www.coe.neu.edu/environment/DOCUM
ENTS/Wingspread%20Final%20Report.pdf
Need to Change thinking from
stormwater as waste to
stormwater as resource.
resource.
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

11. Need to make sure ordinances
do not prohibit LID AND that
they allow LID practices.
SESSION LAW 2009-243
HOUSE BILL 749
“…. No State, county, or local building
code or regulation shall prohibit the use
of cisterns to provide water for flushing
toilets and for outdoor irrigation. As
used in this subsection....”
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
Barriers to Implementing
LEED Across the Region
Similar to
Implementing
LID
“Everybody
knows….” it
costs more.
http://www.usgbc.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=2908

12. Barriers to Implementing
LEED Across the Region
•
Sometimes,
its is not
about the
costs (price,)
rather it is
really playing
up the
benefits
http://www.usgbc.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=2908
Barriers to Implementing
LEED Across the Region
Cost premiums
ranging from ZERO%
to 6.27%
Energy Savings from
23% to 50%
Water Savings from
Zero to 78%
http://www.usgbc.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=2908
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

13. Halted construction
fills N.C. waterways
with silt
BY PAGE IVEY - The Associated Press
Photograph: Chuck Burton AP May 5, 2010 News and Observer
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
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

14. 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.
Jon Barsanti Jr.
jbarsanti@alumni.unc.edu
919.943.1915
Presentation available at
http://www.slideshare.net/JonBarsantiJr