Encouraging Green Stormwater Infrastructure for New Private Development

City of Houston report recommends permeable pavement, green roofs, vegetated strips, rain gardens, rainwater harvesting, and urban forest

Aug. 20, 2019

The City of Houston’s Chief Recovery Office has released a report recommending incentives to private developers to incorporate nature-based engineering, otherwise known as Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI), in their projects.

The types of green infrastructure identified by the year-long study, funded by the Houston Endowment, include bioretention (raingardens), permeable pavement, green roofs, rainwater harvesting, soil amendments, urban forests, and vegetated filter strips to slow and absorb runoff from parking lots and other areas.

Recommended incentives to developers include property tax abatements, a program of awards and recognition, a streamlined permitting process, and offering alternative development rules, such as reduced parking requirements, if incorporating green stormwater infrastructure.

R. G. Miller Engineers, Inc. in association with Asakura Robinson, Corona Environmental Consulting, and Neptune Street Advisors conducted the study, which began in May 2018 and ended in May 2019.

Read the report here.

Image from the report “Houston Incentives for Green Development.”

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