4. GREAT RIVER GREENING
Great River Greening is a nonprofit conservation organization that leads
and promotes community-based restoration of natural areas and open
spaces. Our team of experienced ecologists and landscape ecologists
brings over 50 years combined experience managing and restoring native
habitats, designing and installing designs that improve the ecosystem
services of a site, conducting natural resource inventories, fundraising
for restoration projects on public lands, and engaging over 21,000
volunteers..
The staff at Great River Greening hopes you find the
information in this guidebook helpful and that it will inspire
you to incorporate sustainable landscape practices in
your developments or properties. We plan to update the
information in this booklet and welcome your comments and
suggestions.
You may contact us at:
www.greatrivergreening.org
Great River Greening
35 West Water street, Suite 201
Saint Paul, MN 55107
Phone at 651.665.9500
Fax at 651.665.9409
5. Table of Contents
Executive Summary 1
Introduction 1
Definition of Terms 2
Connection between the Landscape and Affordable Housing 2
Sustainable Landscape Practices 3
Lessons Learned 7
Conclusion 7
Case Studies
Park Avenue 9
Emerson Avenue 13
Orleans Homes 17
College Drive Townhouses 21
Other Publications 25
Other Resources
Publications and Websites 26
Soil and Water Conservation Districts 27
Watershed Districts 27
Twin City Watershed Management Organizations 28
6. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This guide is funded as part of the 2006-2008 Sustainable
Landscape for Affordable Housing program, which was made
possible through funding by the Home Depot Foundation.
About The Home Depot Foundation
The Home Depot Foundation was created in 2002 to
further the community building goals of The Home Depot.
The Home Depot Foundation is dedicated to building
homes for working families that are healthy to live in and
affordable to own. To make homes healthy and affordable,
the Foundation encourages developers to incorporate
responsible design and use durable and quality materials to
ensure that homes are more energy and water efficient, have
good indoor air quality, and provide a safe and healthy space
to live. Since its formation, The Home Depot Foundation
has granted $70 million to nonprofit organizations and
supported the development of more than 50,000 affordable,
healthy homes. For more information, visit www.
homedepotfoundation.org.
7. S U S TA I N A B L E
LANDSCAPE FOR
AFFORDABLE
HOUSING
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
OUR MISSION As part of our educational goals at Great River Greening, we have
developed this document for designers, developers, property managers,
Great River landscapers, and the general public to demonstrate how sustainable
landscape planning can be effectively combined with affordable housing.
This document provides information on sustainable practices as well
Greening as examples of how they have been incorporated in several case study
examples.
leads and
There tends to be a disconnect with the landscape planning as it is
related to affordable housing units and complexes. The landscape
inspires becomes an afterthought and is usually just composed of a grass lawn
and some foundation shrubs. Through case studies, alternatives to this
community- form of landscaping were explored and installed. These sustainable
landscape practices tend to cost less in the long run as compared to
the maintenance associated with turf grass maintenance. Sustainable
based landscape practices are a cost-efficient way to benefit air and water
quality because they eliminate the need for fertilizer, pesticides, watering,
restoration and extensive lawn maintenance.
of natural areas INTRODUCTION
All housing projects, no matter how small, have a responsibility beyond
and simply meeting the needs of their users. They have a public responsibility
to add to and enhance the neighborhoods and larger landscape in which
open spaces they are built. This is why urban forests and sustainable landscape
design are so critical. Tree canopy, bird and butterfly habitat, proper
stormwater management, utility buffering, and aesthetic impact are all
issues that go beyond a single site.
In affordable housing specifically, positive ecological and aesthetic
impacts are critical to a project’s long term success. An affordable
housing project can be resisted by the community every step of the way,
or welcomed. It can be a problem that gets progressively worse, or an
asset for its neighborhood for decades. It can be a constant source of
discomfort and resentment for everyone who lives in and around it. Or it
can provide the people who live there with everything we all expect from
our home: comfort, health, efficiency, security, beauty, and grace.
1
8. Ecological landscape design and urban forestry also can make a world of difference for the people
who will live in the affordable housing, and for the neighborhood surrounding it. It is part of the
solution to deteriorating water quality. And yet within affordable housing circles, landscape design
is rarely mentioned beyond the provision of play space for children. Good architectural design is
itself barely making inroads in affordable housing projects, but there are at least advocates for that
issue.
PROGRAM UNIQUENESS
preventing that much runoff from entering storm
Since we started this initiative, we have seen sewers and saving an estimated $35 million
added programs related to affordable housing annually in stormwater management costs
and sustainability, but none of them replicate alone. Urban trees in the Chicago area filter an
our objectives. The Conservation Fund has estimated 6,000 tons of air pollutants annually,
completed several profiles of affordable housing providing $9.2 million in benefits. Similarly,
and conservation developments on the east the Street Edge Alternatives (SEA Streets)
coast. However, all of those developments project in Seattle, designed to replicate natural
incorporate major conservations easements or landscapes, retains 98 percent of stormwater
land trusts—clearly a distinct tool with separate runoff during the wet season (4.7 times more
land management protocols and financing. than a conventional street) (The Sustainable
None of the examples feature sustainable site Sites Initiative, American Society of Landscape
design. State Green programs, like Minnesota Architects.)
Green Communities, have also increased.
However, the Minnesota Green Communities Studies also show that healthy and attractive
projects feature primarily architectural environments contribute to human well-being,
innovations. Those examples that do have such as better mental and emotional health,
landscape features simply incorporate small reduced stress response, higher mental
rain gardens. function and productivity, community cohesion
and resilience, and increased safety and
In none of these instances, are the sustainable security.
sites modeled after healthy systems, thereby
increasing the ecosystem services provided The U.S. Green Building Council, author
by these landscapes. Water on the site can of the LEED® (Leadership in Energy and
be managed to imitate natural water cycling, Environmental Design) Green Building
vegetation can be used strategically to cool Rating Systems, also demonstrates how
the area and filter water, and soils can be slow the industry has been to adopt
restored to support healthy vegetation and filter sustainable landscaping. First developed
pollutants. in 1998, the Council is now agreeing to
consider new standards and guidelines
Research has attempted to determine the value for sustainable landscapes (a draft report
of these ecosystem services in dollars. For just released), produced by the American
instance, New York City trees intercept almost Society of Landscape Architects, the Lady
890 million gallons of rainwater each year, Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, the United
Great River Greening
35 W. Water Street # 201 restoring the land,
Saint Paul, MN 55107
www.greatrivergreening.org
651.665.9500 2
renewing communities
9. States Botanic Garden, and a diverse group Many VOCs are human-made chemicals
of national stakeholder organizations. These that are used and produced in the
draft guidelines will be incorporated into the manufacture of paints, pharmaceuticals, and
documentation of the case studies proposed refrigerants. (www.epa.gov)
here.
DEFINITION OF TERMS CONNECTION BETWEEN THE
Nonpoint Source Pollution
LANDSCAPE AND AFFORDABLE
Water pollution affecting a water body from HOUSING
multiple sources.
Ecological landscape design and urban forestry
Sustainable Design are partial solutions to both deteriorating water
The process of analyzing site conditions resources and environmental deficiencies in
and matching appropriate environmental affordable housing.
solutions while putting the site in context of
the global landscape and creating the least In terms of water resources, sustainable or
impact on the environment. native landscaping is becoming ever more
critical as our water resources deteriorate.
Sustainable Design utilizes principles such According to the U.S. Environmental Protection
as sustainable/renewable materials, low Agency, the leading cause of source water
energy solutions, alternative stormwater degradation is nonpoint source pollution,
treatment, native plant communities, and and urban runoff is the fastest growing
wildlife considerations. threat nationwide. Even the government has
encouraged the use of native plantings in
Urban Forestry landscaping on Federal land and in Federally
The care and management of tree funded projects. The U.S. Environmental
populations in an urban setting for Protection Agency in Chicago has formed a
the purpose of improving the urban Natural Landscaping Workgroup dedicated to
environment. promoting the use of native landscaping as a
way to improve water and air quality.
Urban Heat Island Effect
When a metropolitan area is significantly In terms of aesthetics, ecological design
warmer than the surrounding rural that sustains its beauty also adds assets
landscape. The temperature gradient is to a community and helps to overcome
more noticeable at night when surfaces resistance to affordable housing. Certainly
begin to cool off and radiate heat back providers of affordable housing are beginning
into the atmosphere. The main cause is to make architectural advances in building
by modifications to the landscape through
urban development.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)
VOC’s are compounds that have a high
vapor pressure and low water solubility.
Great River Greening
35 W. Water Street # 201 restoring the land,
Saint Paul, MN 55107
www.greatrivergreening.org
651.665.9500 3
renewing communities
10. design. However their use of unsustainable, SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPE
mundane landscaping does little to overcome
a community’s perception that such PRACTICES
developments are unattractive or barren.
Great River Greening is one of the first to Native Plantings
bring these two issues together (aesthetics
of affordable housing and water resources
conservation) as part of its Greening for Clean
Air and Water program, in which we create
demonstrations or case studies in various
sectors of development. We chose these case
studies based on need and potential to make a
difference.
We use case studies to raise the standards,
promote awareness, and nurture educated
decision makers for the industry at large.
The specific outcomes for our proposed case
studies are to: a) demonstrate the economic
feasibility of using native landscaping
successfully in the region, b) create
sustainable, healthy, and culturally responsive
models of landscape design for affordable
housing; c) monitor the cost-reducing potential
of these practices; and d) be a education Native Plantings
demonstration for others. The use of plant species that are indigenous
to a specific geographic region. Native plants
We should also add that a secondary benefit have evolved to the local climate, water, and
of ecological design is improved air quality. soil conditions of a region.
Ozone reduction initiatives in other parts of the
Midwest have established that every thousand Benefits:
acres of lawn converted to native landscaping • Lower maintenance cost after
reduces VOC emissions by approximately establishment
50 tons per year. This case also shows • Requires little or no irrigation after plants
that, among the full menu of possible ozone are established
reduction measures, native landscaping has • Requires little or no fertilizer, herbicides or
one of the highest benefit-cost returns. pesticides
• Deep-rooted
• Provides habitat for birds, butterflies, and
other wildlife species
Great River Greening
35 W. Water Street # 201 restoring the land,
Saint Paul, MN 55107
www.greatrivergreening.org
651.665.9500 4
renewing communities
11. Low-mow Lawn Soil Amendments
Low-mow lawn Soil Amendments
An alternative to standard turf lawn grass Urban soils are typically compacted with
using alternative grass species which require minimal water and nutrient-holding capacity.
less maintenance. Good for low-use areas Mixing in soil amendments such as compost
in the landscape where a lawn-like look is adds nutrients back into and loosens up
desired. compacted soils. Soil amendments should be
mixed into the top two - four inches of soil.
Benefits:
• Requires mowing only 2-3 times per year Benefits:
• Mow to only 4” • Greater water holding capacity (sand soils)
• Minimal watering (only during dry periods) • Improved aeration and drainage
• Fertilizer not recommended or needed • Healthier plants and root systems
• Less fertilizer and pesticide use
Tree Placement
Tree Sighting Proper shade tree location helps shade
buildings in the summer, which helps in
passive heating and cooling. Typically the
south and southwest sides of a building
experience the most intense heat from the
sun.
Benefits:
• Possible reduction in heating and cooling
costs if sited appropriately
• Possible reduction in urban heat island
effect
• Provides habitat for birds and other wildlife
• Improves air quality
Great River Greening
35 W. Water Street # 201 restoring the land,
Saint Paul, MN 55107
www.greatrivergreening.org
651.665.9500 5
renewing communities
12. Permeable Pavements Rain Barrels/Cisterns
Porous and Permeable Pavements Rain Barrels/Cisterns
A pavement system that allows stormwater A container placed at the end of a downspout
runoff to penetrate the surface and filter system to collect and store stormwater runoff
through an aggregate base material and for future use in the landscape.
infiltrate into the soil.
Benefits:
Benefits: • Reduces the reliance on the municipal
• Reduces the rate and quantity of runoff water supply for watering
• Recharges groundwater • Does not contain any added chemicals
• Filters pollutants, debris, and silt from mechanical filtering and treatment
• Reduces urban heat island effect by • Can be linked in chain to provide more
allowing air to flow through void space of capacity
surface and base material
Rain Gardens (Bioretention)
A depression in the landscape typically
located near the source of runoff, rain gardens
intercept runoff from smaller rain events and
Rain Gardens filter and infiltrate the water.
Benefits:
• Infiltrates and filters stormwater
• Reduces the rate and quantity of runoff
• Provides habitat for birds, butterflies and
other wildlife species
Great River Greening
35 W. Water Street # 201 restoring the land,
Saint Paul, MN 55107
www.greatrivergreening.org
651.665.9500 6
renewing communities
13. Vegetated Swales Green Roofs
Vegetated Swales Roof-Top Gardens/Green Roofs
Shallow trench with plants used to slow the A green roof is a roof that is covered or
speed of runoff and allow stormwater to partially covered with vegetation. Care should
infiltrate into the ground instead of flowing be taken that the structure is able to hold the
directly to storm sewers. extra weight load of the soils.
Benefits: Benefits:
• Filters silt, pollutants and debris • Reduces the rate and quantity of runoff
• Reduces rate and quantity of stormwater • Reduction on urban heat island effect
entering sewer system • Increased insulation for heating and
• Recharges groundwater cooling
• Reduces storm sewer piping and • Provides habitat for birds, butterflies and
structures other wildlife species
• Can reduce detention pond requirements
• Provides habitat for birds, butterflies and
other wildlife species
Roof Leader Disconnection
This is appropriate in buildings where
Roof Leader Disconnection stormwater is collected on the roof and
directed to a down spout and directly into the
storm sewer.
Benefits:
• Reduces rate and quantity of stormwater
entering sewer system
• Recharges groundwater
• Can reduce detention pond requirements
Great River Greening
35 W. Water Street # 201 restoring the land,
Saint Paul, MN 55107
www.greatrivergreening.org
651.665.9500 7
renewing communities
14. LESSONS LEARNED CONCLUSION
Build partnerships. Working in partnership Sustainable landscapes can be integrated into
on a project with other organizations, the affordable housing fabric. No longer do we
municipalities, and firms helps gain a stronger have to rely on worn-out turf lawns that get little
acceptance of the project in the community, as to no attention to maintenance. By looking at
well as of the goals of the project. This can go the landscape from a sustainability aspect it
a long way towards educating others involved in becomes connected to the onsite building(s)
the process and the community to the benefits as well as the larger surrounding region. The
of the improvements being proposed and whole site does not need to undergo a complete
installed. transformation, just the implementation one
or two practices can go a long way to helping
Be flexible and creative. No matter how good improve the quality of the local environment.
the intentions of the design are they may not
meet the needs of the site or municipal codes.
This can require working directly with property
owners or the local municipality to come up with
a creative solution that meets the original needs
as well as that of the site and zoning codes.
A better product will result, one that is more
functional and accepted.
Choose the project carefully. A lot of time can
be expended chasing after projects that don’t
come to fruition. This comes down to knowing
the area and the players involved so projects
are not proposed where they are not going to
be accepted or don’t have funding in place to
support the end product.
Involve volunteers. Engaging the local
community in the installation process will
help educate the community on what is being
done as well as gain support for the project.
Volunteers--especially any local master
gardeners--can also be a good way to help
keep an eye on maintenance issues on the
site. Also engage the residents, who by being
involved, gain a new appreciation for the place
they live and can also help with watering and
spot weeding as the landscape matures.
Great River Greening
35 W. Water Street # 201 restoring the land,
Saint Paul, MN 55107
www.greatrivergreening.org
651.665.9500 8
renewing communities
15. MINNEAPOLIS, MN
S U S TA I N A B L E
LANDSCAPE FOR
AFFORDABLE
HOUSING
Park Avenue Apartments
PROJECT TEAM:
• Great River Greening SITE
• Urban Homeworks DESCRIPTION
FUNDING The building consists
PARTNERS: of 4 three-bedroom
• The Home Depot low-income units
Foundation on two floors. The
• Hennepin lot is a moderately
Conservation District
• Minnehaha Creek
sized 1/4-acre urban
Watershed District site. Approximately
• Urban Homeworks 1/3 of the site was
impermeable surface
SITE AREA: and 2/3 turf grass.
• 1/4-acre urban lot 100% of the paved and Front yard after planting event June 2008
building surface drained directly to
PROJECT SCOPE: the street with no treatment through a down-spout outlet to the driveway.
• 4 three-bedroom low- The site is located on a busy northbound thoroughfare with several bus
income unit building
lines within walking distance.
on an urban lot.
SUSTAINABLE OBJECTIVES
PRACTICES: • Create usable outdoor spaces for the residents.
• Native Planting
• Create outdoor spaces that residents can occupy and that bring
• Turf Conversion
• Rain Garden residents together as neighbors in an environment that feels and is
• Permeable Patio safe.
• Tree Placement • Use a simple palette of native plants that is easily maintained and
provides a clear design intent.
COST: • Use a native plant palette that integrates into the urban fabric.
• Installation • Use native plant materials to reduce energy by: (a) Locating trees to
$22,500
• Yearly Maintenance
reduce summer cooling costs and improve indoor outdoor comfort;
After Establishment (b) Locating trees so that winter heating costs are not increased.
$1,000 (approx) • Use native plant material to reduce stormwater impacts to urban
watershed to include: (a) Installation of a rain garden to capture and
treat runoff from building; (b) Infiltration techniques to capture water
flowing from turf areas prior to leaving site.
• Onsite infiltration techniques.
• Reduce stormwater utility fees from City of Minneapolis.
• Ensure that this site is not contributing to larger stormwater problems
(erosion, flooding, etc.).
• Engage volunteers and youth.
9
16. DESIGN The plan also proposed the installation of a
The guiding idea behind the design is to permeable unit paver patio using “off the shelf”
capture and treat as much stormwater on site pavers, demonstrating stormwater treatment
while creating a working model of a sustainable and residential amenities using affordable
landscape in the city. In addition to treating materials available to any homeowner. The
stormwater on site, other goals are to reduce pavers used were a combination of standard
pollution, energy use, and water use required to 4”x8” and 43/4”x6” sizes. The pavers were laid
maintain turf grass. in two different patterns to create openings
to let water percolate down into the soil. The
Great River Greening proposed a stormwater spaces were filled with a small angular granite
system that relies on the current building outlet (a material that will let water reach the soil.)
being captured in a basin and routed through
drain tile into a rain garden as part of the With all the multiple practices being installed
redesigned backyard. The rain garden area it was also important to keep some areas
was sized to capture and treat a minimum of turf for active use by the residents. This was
the first 1.5” of stormwater. Due to the sandy accomplished in both the front and backyard.
soils on site, this was not a problem. The rain
garden was planted with a variety of native
plants and grasses that would give year-round
interest to the area.
Permeable paver patio installation
Rain garden planting with volunteers
Trees were planted in rows across the front
and back of the properties to help shade the
building during the summer. In areas where
turf was hard to manage, native plantings were
installed. This includes a native grass planting
on the south and west slopes of the property, as
well as along the north property line. Volunteers planting native grass planting
Great River Greening
35 W. Water Street # 201 restoring the land,
Saint Paul, MN 55107
www.greatrivergreening.org
651.665.9500 10
renewing communities
17. PROJECT SITE PLAN North
Native Planting
Rain
Garden
Permeable
Patio
Native Grass Planting Stone Infiltration Trench
CHALLENGES
• Current Zoning Codes.
By installing a full-scale landscape retrofit • Storing Installation Materials.
the plan had to go through the City of All material had to be stored onsite while
Minneapolis Planning and Zoning. This the installation was progressing. Because
triggered having to update the site to of the limited amount of on-street parking,
comply with current zoning codes. The all material if placed in the street had to
main issue was the non-conforming single be moved by the end of the day. This
car driveway on the north side of the required working closely with suppliers
building. Compliance required either one and letting them know the constraints of
stall per unit or that all parking needed to the site. Deliveries were made early in the
be on the street. To lessen the need for morning so volunteers and staff had the
additional impervious surface, the solution day to move material into place.
was to remove the driveway, grade out
the land, and plant the area with native
vegetation.
Great River Greening
35 W. Water Street # 201 restoring the land,
Saint Paul, MN 55107
www.greatrivergreening.org
651.665.9500 11
renewing communities
18. • Youth Vandalism. CONTACT INFORMATION
Over the course of a weekend several
trees were snapped off. Staff and Great River Greening
supervisors continued to engage and Wayne Ostlie - Conservation Director
educate the youth over the last couple 35 West Water Street, Suite 201
days of the installation, despite the tree Saint Paul, MN 55107
damage, so they would have a better 651.665.9500
understanding of the project as well as be wostlie@greatrivergreening.org
invested in the property. www.greatrivergreening.org
• Post-Planting Follow-up.
Additional funding and volunteers were
needed to replant the slope on the south
and west of the property due to a crab
grass infestation. After the replanting
a local master gardener volunteered
to check in on the site once a week to
weed and water, as well as keep Urban
Homeworks informed of any problems with
plants.
LESSONS LEARNED
• It is vital to educate the property managers
on watering newly established plants and
the need for ongoing maintenance until
plants establish.
• Planning review process by the city can
be costly and timely without any prior
knowledge of the process or acceptable
conditions. The city planning and zoning
department was helpful in giving advice on
what needed to be changed and how to go
about it.
• Plans may need to be altered to
accomodate youth. This might mean
installing the project in phases so the
whole landscape is not transformed
immediately.
Great River Greening
35 W. Water Street # 201 restoring the land,
Saint Paul, MN 55107
www.greatrivergreening.org
651.665.9500 12
renewing communities
19. MINNEAPOLIS, MN
S U S TA I N A B L E
LANDSCAPE FOR
AFFORDABLE
HOUSING
Emerson Avenue Apartments
PROJECT TEAM:
• Great River Greening
SITE
• Urban Homeworks DESCRIPTION
FUNDING The property dates to
PARTNERS: the early half of the
• The HomeDepot century, when like
Foundation all developments of
• Hennepin County the time, stormwater
• Christ Presbyterian
flowed directly into
Church
the storm sewer and
the Mississippi River,
SITE AREA:
• Small Urban Lot approximately one
1/5 acre mile away to the East.
For this reason the
PROJECT SCOPE: site still caused the
• 12 unit low-income rapid movement of stormwater with very limited to no pretreatment or
building on an urban infiltration. The site contained almost 100% impervious surface with a
lot. 1 efficiency unit, few limited areas of sloped turf grass on clay soils.
5 one-bedroom units,
and 6 two-bedroom
units.
OBJECTIVES
SUSTAINABLE • Reduce impact of stormwater run off on the local municipality.
PRACTICES: - Create spaces for stormwater to infiltrate.
• Native Planting - Reduce amount of impervious surface on site.
• Rain Garden - Reduce stormwater utility fees from the city of Minneapolis.
• Permeable Parking
• Use native plant materials to reduce energy.
• Tree Placement
- Locate trees to reduce summer cooling costs and improve indoor/
COSTS: outdoor comfort.
• Installation - Locate trees so that winter heating costs are not increased.
$50,000 • Create a usable outdoor space for residents.
• Yearly Maintenance - Spaces that residents can occupy and that bring residents together
After Establishment
$1,000 (approx..)
as neighbors in an environment that feels and is safe.
• Use a native plant palette that integrates into the urban fabric
• Engage volunteers and youth.
13
20. DESIGN
With a site that is completely built out and Additionally all turf areas as well as a portion
located on compacted urban clay soils, the of the existing parking lot (broken up) were
approach to the design was to reduce as planted with native plants. By adding deep-
much of the impervious surface as possible, rooted native vegetation to the site the root
promoting infiltration or filtration of stormwater structures will begin to break up the soils
wherever possible. Inevitably filtration still overtime with root channels, thus improving the
allows stormwater to flow to the storm sewer; infiltration rate on the site.
yet for this particular site it is a viable option
as the infiltration rate into the soil is quite low. The final design utilized various sustainable
Filtration on this site allows the water to be landscape practices to aid in stormwater
filtered and cleansed, as well as postponing the mitigation, reduction in pollution and water use
flow to the storm sewer. associated with lawn maintenance, and provide
for energy reduction. The plan called for a
permeable parking area, rain garden adjacent
to the parking lot, and an elevated planting
terrace containing native vegetation.
Rear paver patio
Site just after initial excavation Rain garden adjacent to Permeable parking area
Great River Greening
35 W. Water Street # 201 restoring the land,
Saint Paul, MN 55107
www.greatrivergreening.org
651.665.9500 14
renewing communities
21. PROJECT SITE PLAN
North
21st Ave N
Rain Garden Native Planting
Residence
Emerson Avenue N
Permeable Paver Paver Native Native
Parking Area Patio Planting Planting
CHALLENGES
• Clay Soils • Current Zoning Codes
A percolation test on the existing sites By installing a full-scale landscape
soils suggested that some modifications retrofit the plan had to go through the
to the original concept and site goals were City of Minneapolis Planning and Zoning.
required. The percolation test resulted in Working closely with the city’s planning
less than a 1/8 of an inch of percolation and zoning staff ensured that the finished
per hour. This can be attributed to the site plan met with the city’s current
site’s compacted clay soils. The low stormwater plan. The city engineer was
percolation number meant the site was not open to discussing possible solutions to
able to infiltrate as much water, and the areas that needed to be addressed. The
design had to compensate with a system main issues had to do with site run-off
of both infiltration and filtration. The area from stormwater, capturing some while
where the rain garden was to be located slowing down the rest before it enters the
required a full excavation, with amended city storm sewer system.
soil brought in. For the permeable paver
parking area, a deeper excavation for • Storing Equipment and Supplies
base material allows for longer holding With the amount of excavation required to
time matching up with the rain garden transform the site, storage onsite became
excavation. an issue. A rental storage unit was kept in
the street. This allowed for secure storage
for the duration of the project.
Great River Greening
35 W. Water Street # 201 restoring the land,
Saint Paul, MN 55107
www.greatrivergreening.org
651.665.9500 15
renewing communities
22. LESSONS LEARNED CONTACT INFORMATION
• After the project was completed, the Great River Greening
property manager noticed the retaining Wayne Ostlie - Conservation Director
wall had started to attract a large amount 35 West Water Street, Suite 201
of people loitering on the wall. The Saint Paul, MN 55107
property owner decided to install a low 651.665.9500
18” black wrought-iron ornamental fence wostlie@greatrivergreening.org
attached to the top of the wall to deter www.greatrivergreening.org
loitering.
• Learning from previous projects about
the challenge of initial watering, the team
discussed up-front how to deal with this
need. A soaker hose was installed in the
mulch, turned on by the property manager
at the hose bib to help with watering
through the first year of establishment.
Once the plants were established the hose
was pulled out of the mulch and used on
future projects.
Great River Greening
35 W. Water Street # 201 restoring the land,
Saint Paul, MN 55107
www.greatrivergreening.org
651.665.9500 16
renewing communities
23. STILLWATER, MN
S U S TA I N A B L E
LANDSCAPE FOR
AFFORDABLE
HOUSING
Orleans Homes
PROJECT TEAM:
• Great River Greening
• MN Brokerage Group
FUNDING
PARTNERS:
• The HomeDepot
Foundation
• MN Brokerage Group
• Bush Foundation
• MN Pollution Control
Agency
• Brown’s Creek
Watershed District
SITE AREA:
• 10 acre site
PROJECT SCOPE:
• 124 units, combination
of 1, 2, & 3 bedroom
units. 75% of the units Rain garden planting
are below 60% of the SITE DESCRIPTION
Twin Cities median Since being developed in 1987 the 10-acre site had received few
income.
updates since construction. All sidewalks, parking stalls and drive
SUSTAINABLE lanes were constructed in a manner so all stormwater flowed off site to
PRACTICES: the adjacent collector streets and municipal storm sewer. The current
• Native Planting owner is committed to performing updates on the site in order to improve
• Permeable Pavers the quality of life for residents, as well as providing ecological and
• Rain Gardens
stormwater benefits to the site.
• Tree Placement
• Prairie Restoration
COSTS: OBJECTIVES
• Installation • Retrofit on-site infiltration practices. Attempt to capture as much
$81,000
as possible from 1 1/2 inch storm events from building surfaces and
• Yearly Maintenance
After Establishment paved surfaces in a cost-effective and sustainable manner.
$1,500 (approx.) • Provide parking lot alternatives. Owner plans to add 20 parking
spaces while also providing additional stormwater infiltration.
Additional spaces should be designed so that stormwater is kept
within new infiltration areas.
• Focus on the use of native plant materials as a means to provide
ecological and hydrological benefit. Create positive outdoor spaces,
and provide a relationship between the site and its context.
• Create shared community spaces.
17
24. • Create usable outdoor spaces for daily living.
• Use trees and plants materials to create
space, provide shade, capture and treat
stormwater, and define community focal
points.
• Provide aesthetically pleasing places for
residents.
• Commit to low-maintenance landscapes after
establishment.
• Relate design to ecological context.
• Work as project partners with residents,
owners, and agencies to design, maintain,
and fund a model project.
• Engage volunteers and youth with the Volunteers planting a rain garden
installation of the project to provide education permeable sandy soils on site the rain gardens
of sustainable design and practices. were sized to receive a 2.25 inch storm event.
A simple plant palette for all the rain gardens
DESIGN was created to aid in plant identification when
doing maintenance for the gardens.
For Orleans Homes, an overall concept design
was created for the site denoting specific areas
where stormwater Best Management Practices
could be implemented as well as restoration
planting areas. Individual site-specific designs
were then drawn up for those areas that the
property owner wished to move forward with
at this time. The main design calls out areas
where there is the possibility of infiltrating water
through rain gardens, shrub and tree trenches,
or permeable pavement.
For the rain gardens, watershed areas were
delineated to calculate the amount of water
flowing to the rain garden area. With the highly
Permeable paver patio
Bottle Gentian Blue Flag Iris Prairie Smoke Blue Grama
Great River Greening
35 W. Water Street # 201 restoring the land,
Saint Paul, MN 55107
www.greatrivergreening.org
651.665.9500 18
renewing communities
25. At the two southern most entrances, examples
of permeable paver systems were installed
Woodland Planting adjacent to rain gardens. One of the
installations was a patio area and the other
replaced the parking stalls in the parking lot.
The patio utilized conventional pavers laid in a
pattern to create a permeable surface, while the
Rain Garden parking stalls utilized permeable unit pavers.
Trees were also planted on site as part of the
installation, sited along edges of parking lots
and around the structures. When mature, the
trees will help shade buildings and parking
areas. This in turn will help cool some of the
parking lots and residences.
Prairie
Restoration CHALLENGES
• Watering of newly installed plants and
seed
• Transition of Site Maintenance
Prairie After seeding the prairie and installing
Rain Gardens
Restoration plants, shrubs, and trees in rain garden
areas, their watering became the
responsibility of property managers.
Without guidance, the plants were over-
watered and the prairie was erroneously
watered. Subsequently Greening learned
to work with and educate the property
managers as to the needs of the plantings.
• Transition of Site Maintenance
During the first year of establishment of
Rain Gardens &
rain gardens a system was in place to use
Permeable
volunteers to help weed all planted areas.
Paver Patio
The transition to property maintenance
to continue with weeding and remulching
faltered as the property managers
assumed that the planting areas required
no further maintenance. This required
educating property staff that even low-
Rain Gardens maintenance landscaping does require
Permeable Paver Parking stalls some periodic maintenance.
Great River Greening
35 W. Water Street # 201 restoring the land,
Saint Paul, MN 55107
www.greatrivergreening.org
651.665.9500 19
renewing communities
26. LESSONS LEARNED CONTACT INFORMATION
• The goal for the prairie restoration was Great River Greening
for the property managers to work with Wayne Ostlie - Conservation Director
the lawn maintenance company to 35 West Water Street, Suite 201
take care of the maintenance through Saint Paul, MN 55107
establishment. A time line was created 651.665.9500
for this purpose. Lacking knowledge wostlie@greatrivergreening.org
about prairie establishment, the managers www.greatrivergreening.org
and maintenance company unknowingly
allowed the prairie to be over- taken with
weedy species.
Thus, the prairie needed to be started
again. When establishing a naturalized
area, a professional with experience in
the maintenance needs of restored areas
should be retained to properly train staff on
what is needed for establishment success.
• It became apparent through working on
the site that resident’s did not know of nor
understand what was being implemented.
As a response to this signs and
informational flyers were designed and
produced to help educate residents of the
process. The flyers also help as handouts
to potential residents.
Great River Greening
35 W. Water Street # 201 restoring the land,
Saint Paul, MN 55107
www.greatrivergreening.org
651.665.9500 20
renewing communities
27. BRAINERD, MN
S U S TA I N A B L E
LANDSCAPE FOR
AFFORDABLE
HOUSING
College Drive Townhouses
PROJECT TEAM: SITE DESCRIPTION
• Great River Greening
• The College Drive The property was
Limited Partnership constructed in 1983 on
• Crow Wing County
the western slope of
Extension Service
• Crow Wing County the Mississippi River
Soil and Water Valley in Brainerd, MN.
Conservation District Its location within the
river valley meant that
FUNDING stormwater running off
PARTNERS: the site was picking
• The College Drive
up pollutants that
Limited Partnership
• The HomeDepot flowed directly into
Foundation the river without any
pretreatment.
SITE AREA:
• three-acre site The College Drive Limited Partnership acquired the property with the
intention of renovating the site to create a sustainable living environment
PROJECT SCOPE: for the residents. This included retrofitting all existing structures with
• 24 low-income units, energy-efficient lighting and mechanical systems, as well as addressing
4 of which are
designated for long-
the site’s stormwater needs. The units were connected to geothermal
term homelessness. heating and cooling system as well as remodeled with sustainable
products.
SUSTAINABLE
PRACTICES: OBJECTIVES
• Turf Reduction
• Bioretention • Reduce impacts of stormwater run-off on the local municipality and
• Native Plantings the Mississippi River.
- Create spaces for stormwater to slow down and infiltrate
COSTS: - Create vegetated overflow areas that continue to filter water
• Installation before entering the municipal stormwater system
$19,000
• Plant native vegetation and limit the amount of turf grass to active use
• Yearly Maintenance
After Establishment areas to enhance infiltration and reduce long-term maintenance.
$1,500 (approx.) • Use a native plant palette suitable to the site’s demands and location
within an urban area.
• Remove invasive plant species and replace where appropriate with a
comparable alternative.
21
28. DESIGN CHALLENGES
Project partners walked the site and discussed • Sandy Soils
goals, expectations, and concerns. A The existing sandy soils on the site made
preliminary concept plan was drawn up it difficult to maintain a healthy turf grass
and distributed via email for comments and cover. This same soil created a challenge
feedback. A final design set was based on to establishing the rain gardens since the
feedback. The treatment of stormwater and turf soil drains too efficiently and dries out.
conversion was combined to create a unified Adding compost to the soil was required
landscape providing both water treatment to hold moisture in the soil for a longer
and habitat. The finished design serves as duration for the plants to uptake.
a working example in the Brainerd area of
a sustainable landscape for larger property • Site Drainage
owners. All stormwater from the three parking lots
was concentrated through a single outlet
The design looks at treating stormwater runoff in each parking lot area. This caused
onsite through the use of raingarden networks channelized flow to leave the parking lots.
and infiltration swales. Due to the sandy site To address this the inlets were armored
soils and their high infiltration rate, the objective with rip-rap and several check dams were
was to treat a minimum of a 2.25”, 24 hour installed to slow the water down and allow
rainfall event. it to infiltrate.
The sandy nature of the soil also posed a • Design budget
problem to establishing and maintaining turf The budget for the landscape design was
grass. Areas of low use were looked at to be tight so the design was kept simple and
converted to prairie. Initial analysis of the site adhered very closely to what The College
suggested converting 1/3 of the 3 acre site to Drive Limited Partnership envisioned. The
a natural planting. This will cut down on the plant species list was kept simple and for
amount of lawn maintenance needed to keep the seeded area it was kept to standarized
turf alive in those areas where it is struggling, lists available from native seed vendors.
thus reducing carbon emissions, watering, and
fertilizing. Currently on the adjacent property
uphill there are prairie species growing and
thriving.
Blue Lobelia Prairie Blazing Star Cardinal Flower Prairie Smoke
Great River Greening
35 W. Water Street # 201 restoring the land,
Saint Paul, MN 55107
www.greatrivergreening.org
651.665.9500 22
renewing communities
29. PROJECT SITE PLAN
North
Rain Gardens
Restored
Native Plants
Rain
Gardens
Prairie
Restoration
Prairie
Restoration
Prairie
Restoration
Rain Garden
r
eD
Bri
g
lle
an
Co
L
W
n
Black Eyed Susan Purple Cone Flower Ferns Butterflyweed
Great River Greening
35 W. Water Street # 201 restoring the land,
Saint Paul, MN 55107
www.greatrivergreening.org
651.665.9500 23
renewing communities
30. • Landscape Contractors
When collecting bids for the installation
CONTACT INFORMATION
of the landscape improvements from Great River Greening
traditional landscape contractors, bids Wayne Ostlie - Conservation Director
came in with extras not needed for 35 West Water Street, Suite 201
native plant establishment. These extras Saint Paul, MN 55107
included the application of fertilzer to all 651.665.9500
installed plants and seeded areas. Also wostlie@greatrivergreening.org
included in bids was the addition of two www.greatrivergreening.org
inches of topsoil to all seeded areas.
These nonessential items and services
required educating the contractors of what
was needed with a native plant installation
and having bids resubmitted.
LESSONS LEARNED
• Include in the design all standard
procedures for proper installation and
maintenace as would be completed by a
native restoration company.
Great River Greening
35 W. Water Street # 201 restoring the land,
Saint Paul, MN 55107
www.greatrivergreening.org
651.665.9500 24
renewing communities
31. OTHER PUBLICATIONS
Shaw, Dan, and Rusty Schmidt. Plants for Stormwater Shaw, Dan. Designing with Minnesota Native Plants:
Design: Species Selection for the Upper Midwest. Strategies for Project Success. Great River Greening, St.
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, St. Paul, MN. 2003. Paul, MN. 2005.
Shaw, Dan, and Rusty Schmidt. Plants for Stormwater
Design Volume II: Species Selection for the Upper
Midwest. Great River Greening, St. Paul, MN. 2007.
Great River Greening
35 W. Water Street # 201 restoring the land,
Saint Paul, MN 55107
www.greatrivergreening.org
651.665.9500 25
renewing communities
32. OTHER RESOURCES
Publications and Websites
American Society of Landscape Architects. Managing Stormwater: Best Management
The Sustainable Sites Initative: Guidelines and Practices
Performance Benchmarks: Draft 2008. www.greenworks.tv/stormwater/videotopics.htm
Attarian, Janet L. The Chicago Green Alley Minnesota Shoreland Management Resource
Handbook. Chicago Dept of Transportation. Guide
www.shorelandmanagement.org
Blue Thumb – Planting for Clean Water Minnesota Water Let’s Keep It Clean
www.bluethumb.org
http://www.cleanwatermn.org/
Center for Watershed Protection NRDC. Stormwater Strategies chapter 12: Low Impact
www.cwp.org
Development. August 2001.
www.nrdc.org/water/pollution/storm/chap12.asp
City of Burnsville Rainwater Gardens
www.co.monroe.in.us/stormwaterquality/Documents/
BurnsvilleMN_raingardencase.pdf Saint Paul Riverfront Corporation. Water Quality Manual:
Improving the Water Quality of the Mississippi River in
www.ci.burnsville.mn.us/index.asp?NID=594 Saint Paul. 2007
www.lid-stormwater.net
www.ci.burnsville.mn.us/DocumentView.asp?DID=448
Schmidt, Rusty, Dan Shaw, and David Dods. The Blue
City of Maplewood Rainwater Gardens Thumb Guide to Raingardens. WaterDrop Innovations,
www.ci.maplewood.mn.us/index.asp?Type=B_ LLC. 2007.
BASIC&SEC={F2C03470-D6B5-4572-98F0-
F79819643C2A}
State of Minnesota Stormwater Manual
www.pca.state.mn.us/water/stormwater/stormwater-manual.html
EPA Watershed Home Page
www.epa.gov/owow/watershed
Stormwater Practices for Cold Climates
www.cwp.org/cold-climates.htm
Green Values – Stormwater Calculator
http://greenvalues.cnt.org/calculator Thompson, J. William and Kim Sorvig. Sustainable
Landscape Construction. Island Press, Wahsington DC,
Green Values – Stormwater Toolbox 2000.
http://greenvalues.cnt.org/
University of Minnesota Extension
Low Impact Development Practices for
Service
Stormwater Management. www.extension.umn.edu
www.toolbase.org/technology-inventory/sitework/low-
impact-development
Urban Small Sites Best Management Practices Manual
www.metrocouncil.org/environment/Watershed/BMP/manual.htm
Great River Greening
35 W. Water Street # 201 restoring the land,
Saint Paul, MN 55107
www.greatrivergreening.org
651.665.9500 26
renewing communities
33. Water from Trouble to Treasure Watershed Districts
http://www.cnt.org/repository/Water_booklet_final.pdf
Twin City 7 County Metro Watershed Districts
Wild Ones
www.for-wild.org
Browns Creek Watershed District
Phone: 651 275-1136 ext. 26
www.bcwd.org
Soil and Water Conservation Districts
Capitol Region Watershed District
www.capitolregionwd.org
Twin City 7 County Metro Conservation Districts
Anoka Conservation District Carnelian-Marine St. Croix Watershed District
www.anokanaturalresources.com/acd
Phone: 651 275-1136
Carver County Soil & Water District
www.co.carver.mn.us/departments/LWS/swcd.asp Coon Creek Watershed District
www.anokanaturalresources.com/ccwd
Dakota County Soil & Water Conservation District
www.dakotacountyswcd.org Comfort Lake Forest Lake Watershed District
Phone: 651 209-9753
www.clflwd.org
Hennepin Conservation District
www.hcd.hennepin.mn.us
Lower Minnesota River Watershed District
Ramsey Conservation District www.watersheddistrict.org
www.co.ramsey.mn.us/cd/index.htm
Minnehaha Creek Watershed District
Scott County Soil & Water Conservation District www.minnehahacreek.org
www.scottswcd.org
Nine Mile Creek Watershed District
Washington Conservation District www.ninemilecreek.org
651-275-1136
www.mnwcd.org Prior Lake-Spring Lake Watershed District
www.plslwd.org
For Outstate Minnesota Soil and Water Conservation
Districts Ramsey Washington Metro Watershed District
www.rwmwd.org
Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation
Districts Rice Creek Watershed District
www.maswcd.org
www.ricecreek.org
Riley Purgatory Bluff Creek Watershed District
www.rileypurgatorybluffcreek.org
Great River Greening
35 W. Water Street # 201 restoring the land,
Saint Paul, MN 55107
www.greatrivergreening.org
651.665.9500 27
renewing communities
34. South Washington Watershed District Lower Rum Watershed Management Organization
www.swwdmn.org www.anokanaturalresources.com/lrrwmo/index.htm
Valley Branch Watershed District Middle St. Croix Watershed Management Organization
www.vbwd.org 651 275-1136 ext. 22
www.mscwmo.org
For Outstate Minnesota Watershed Districts
Minnesota Association of Watershed Districts Mississippi Watershed Management Organization
www.mnwatershed.org www.mwmo.org
North Cannon River Watershed Management
Organization
Twin City Watershed Management www.dakotacountyswcd.org/watersheds/water-quality/northcannon.
Organizations htm
Bassett Creek Water Management Organization Pioneer-Sarah Creek Watershed Management
www.bassettcreekwmo.org Organization
www.pioneersarahcreek.org
Black Dog Lake Watershed Management Organization
www.dakotacountyswcd.org/watersheds/blackdogwmo/index.htm Richfield-Bloomington Watershed Management
Organization
Elk River Watershed Management Organization -----
---
Shingle Creek Watershed Management Organization and
Grass Lake Watershed Management Organization West Mississippi Watershed management Organization
www.ci.shoreview.mn.us/glwmo
www.shinglecreek.org
Gun Club Lake Watershed Management Organization Six Cities Watershed Management Organization
www.dakotacountyswcd.org/watersheds/gunclubwmo/index.htm www.anokanaturalresources.com/scwmo/index.htm
Lower Mississippi Watershed Management Organization Sunrise River Watershed Management Organization
--- www.anokanaturalresources.com/srwmo/index.htm
Lower St. Croix Water Management Organization Upper Rum River Watershed Management Organization
Phone: 651 770-8448 www.anokanaturalresources.com/urrwmo/board.htm
www.denmarktownship.org/index.asp?Type=B_
BASIC&SEC=%7B560811FD-CEDE-4F99-8AD6- Vadnais Lake Area Watershed Management Organization
D002EAB65339%7D www.vlawmo.org
Great River Greening
35 W. Water Street # 201 restoring the land,
Saint Paul, MN 55107
www.greatrivergreening.org
651.665.9500 28
renewing communities