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Design with Nature

Low-Impact Development

Low-Impact Development uses nature-based tools like rain gardens and tree preservation to manage stormwater, reduce heat, and protect our region’s resilience—proving growth and green space can thrive together.

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OVERVIEW

With intentional planning, our communities can meet housing needs while protecting ecological systems that make this region special and livable.

Community growth and green space preservation are not mutually exclusive. Conventional ‘gray infrastructure’—pipes, culverts, and basins—cannot match the flood protection, filtration, and cooling power of natural systems. Clearing canopy increases runoff, heat, and infrastructure costs.

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Low-Impact Development (LID) offers a smarter way forward. By integrating tools like permeable paving, bioswales, bioretention areas, rain gardens, and tree preservation into site design, LID minimizes disturbance to natural hydrology and reduces dependence on costly engineered systems.

 

It’s a proven strategy for protecting irreplaceable landscapes such as wetlands, floodplains, and habitat corridors while building vibrant communities.

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Policy Priorities

DESIGN WITH NATURE

Community growth and environmental protection can—and must—go hand in hand. Low-Impact Development (LID) policies offer a proven path to meet housing needs while preserving natural systems that reduce flooding, lower costs, and protect the places that make our region livable.

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