The TMACOG Environmental Planning department has been
awarded a grant to plan for green infrastructure in urban parts of our region.
The grant, awarded by the Ohio Lake Erie Commission, funds a project that will
assist the Lucas County Land Reutilization Corporation (the Land Bank). The
Land Bank works to return foreclosed and vacant properties to productive use in
the community. TMACOG will use GIS analysis to identify and prioritize those
properties where green stormwater infrastructure best management practices
would be most effective.
In tightly built urban areas, adding new stormwater
management infrastructure can be a challenge. But where structures are being
demolished in an older neighborhood, there is potential to introduce modern stormwater
management while also increasing green space and recreational areas for
residents. TMACOG will develop a GIS inventory of suitable vacant land sites
for green infrastructure and build a decision model for prioritizing vacant
land reuse. Site selection involves ranking vacant sites based on an analysis
of soil, floodplain, flooding frequency, existing infrastructure, land use, lot
size, previous lot use, and water quality impairment data. Other data points
that rank possible projects include the availability of neighborhood groups to
maintain best management practices, and infrastructure that may be already
planned for the area. TMACOG will be working with the Green Infrastructure Task
Force, a committee of the Lucas County Sustainability Commission. Examples of
small-scale green infrastructure include rain gardens and bioswales.
“The grant integrates well with work already underway in the
Land Bank and with the Sustainability Commission,” said TMACOG planner Kari
Gerwin. “By identifying green infrastructure sites before demolition, the
project team will ensure that the site is graded properly at the earliest
stage, saving money and increasing the likelihood of a successful
installation.” Opportunities will be on both public and private land. As part
of the grant, TMACOG and its partners will create a demonstration site that
will be a proof of concept example. Gerwin said, “When neighbors, funding
agencies, and builders can see the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of
small-scale green infrastructure, they can appreciate how vacant land can be
re-purposed to reduce flooding, manage stormwater, and provide attractive space
for residents.”
The project began in April and will be complete in the
spring of 2015.
Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments | www.tmacog.org
