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including Minneapolis, St. Louis, and Washing-
<br />ton, D.C., also charge stormwater fees based on
<br />how much a property contributes to stormwater
<br />runoff (typically through a measurement of
<br />impervious surface); the proceeds are generally
<br />used for water pollution control efforts.
<br />Communities that want to start slow and
<br />build support for LID or green infrastructure
<br />may want to first update local landscaping stan-
<br />dards. Regional and local sustainable landscap-
<br />ing standards are provided by many state uni-
<br />versities across the country and include ideas
<br />such as (1) establishing standards that incorpo-
<br />rate more native and drought -tolerant landscap-
<br />ing, including replacing all or part of turf grass
<br />lawns with groundcovers or low landscaping to
<br />reduce the need for fertilizer and pesticide ap-
<br />plications that can be washed into waterways;
<br />(2) encouraging or requiring the creation of natu-
<br />The Denver
<br />Housing Authority's
<br />Park Avenue
<br />development uses
<br />rain gardens and
<br />pervious pavement
<br />to decrease
<br />stormwater runoff.
<br />ral landscape buffers along lakes and streams
<br />(riparian buffers) to filter pollutants before they
<br />enter the water and help keep the banks stable;
<br />(3) designing driveways, sidewalks, and gutters
<br />to drain into well -vegetated areas rather than
<br />to pavement; and (q) using improved irrigation
<br />systems, such as drip and microspray, com-
<br />bined with regulations that prevent street and
<br />sidewalk overspray.
<br />TRANSPORTATION
<br />Moving homes closer to activities through com-
<br />pact, mixed use development, as described
<br />above, is one important method of minimizing
<br />the quantity of greenhouse gases created by
<br />automobile transportation. Another method
<br />is to expand nonautomotive transportation
<br />options. In some communities this option is
<br />provided through public transit such as com-
<br />muter rail, light rail, and trolley systems. Not
<br />all communities, though, have the funds or
<br />the ridership demand to provide a full range of
<br />public transit options. These communities still
<br />have viable options for multimodal transporta-
<br />tion; in many cities and towns, careful site and
<br />infrastructure design can be used to move peo-
<br />ple effectively on foot, on bicycle, and by bus,
<br />while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
<br />Research shows that most people will
<br />walk between one -quarter to one-half mile
<br />to reach a destination such as work, a park,
<br />or a transit stop (Donohue 2011). To encour-
<br />age people to make this walk or bike ride, it is
<br />important to provide a transportation venue
<br />that is safe and easily accessible. Many com-
<br />munities do this through the construction of
<br />complete streets —streets that are designed to
<br />provide safe access and use for pedestrians,
<br />bicyclists, motorists, and public transporta-
<br />tion users of all ages. Some communities have
<br />approached streets this way for years, while
<br />others are new to this design trend that is
<br />nationwide and growing. According to the Na-
<br />tional Complete Streets Coalition, "In total, 466
<br />regional and local jurisdictions, 27 states, the
<br />Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the District
<br />of Columbia have adopted [complete streets]
<br />policies or have made written commitment
<br />to do so" (2013). The zoning code can help
<br />implement a complete streets policy through
<br />infrastructure design standards for new de-
<br />velopment and redevelopment projects. For a
<br />more information about the role of the zoning
<br />code in promoting complete streets, see the
<br />February 2013 issue of Zoning Practice.
<br />Local zoning codes can also be updated
<br />to include development standards that require
<br />fully connected sidewalks, bike paths, and
<br />trails as well as frontage development stan-
<br />dards that require new development or rede-
<br />velopment to ensure bicycle and pedestrian
<br />connections to surrounding properties. In com-
<br />munities with a more suburban layout, zon-
<br />ing codes can require mid -block connections
<br />downtown or along corridors with high pedes-
<br />trian activity and pedestrian connectors from
<br />cul-de-sacs to external roads and sidewalks.
<br />NATURAL RESOURCES AND OPEN SPACE
<br />Many of the sustainable zoning tools described
<br />in this article are focused on creating sustain -
<br />ability in the built environment. Another impor-
<br />tant aspect of sustainable design is maintain-
<br />ing and enhancing the natural environment.
<br />Parks and open spaces have been shown to
<br />enhance surrounding property values, absorb
<br />and hold carbon emissions, and help anchor
<br />strong neighborhoods (Sherer 2006).
<br />Communities can revise their zoning
<br />codes to preserve natural places and encour-
<br />age the creation of open space in a variety of
<br />ways. The site plan review process provides
<br />an important avenue for identifying and pre-
<br />serving important local natural resources and
<br />environmentally sensitive areas. As part of the
<br />site design criteria, the community can identify
<br />local natural resource areas or sensitive lands
<br />to be protected and request or require that de-
<br />velopment be designed around that area to the
<br />extent possible. Incentives, such as increased
<br />density or reduced setbacks elsewhere on the
<br />property, can be provided to landowners to fur-
<br />ther encourage preservation. Many communi-
<br />ties use this approach to protect ridgelines and
<br />hillsides, along with geologic hazard areas,
<br />ecological restoration areas, deserts, streams,
<br />and other environmentally sensitive areas.
<br />Additionally, communities can establish
<br />standards for new development and redevelop-
<br />ment to provide open spaces, such as parks,
<br />trails, or recreation areas, either through private
<br />on -site set -asides or public dedication. Park and
<br />open space dedication requirements are typical-
<br />ly guided by locally created parks master plans
<br />or national park level -of -service standards, such
<br />ZONINGPRACTICE 7.13
<br />AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION I page 6
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