EPA 833R23002 | August 2023 | www.epa.gov

United States
Environmental Protection
Agency

*>EPA

Land Use and Green Infrastructure
Scorecard


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Acknowledgements

US Environmental Protection Agency

Abby Hall, Office of Policy

Abby Hanson, Office of Policy Virtual Student Federal Service Intern

Robert Goo, Office of Water

Robyn Deyoung, Office of Water

Clark Wilson, Office of Water

Aliyah Ingersoll, Office of Water ORISE Fellow

Horsley Witten Group

Lori Kennedy
Ellie Baker


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Table of Contents

Executive Summary		 1

Background					1

The Land Use and Green Infrastructure Scorecard	5

How to Use the Scorecard			5

A Note About the Point System	7

Getting Started			8

Overview		8

Section 1: Protect and Restore Natural Resources and Open Space...,.	9

Section 2. Promote Efficient, Compact Development Patterns	17

Section 3. Design Green Streets...									20

Section 4. Encourage Efficient Parking	23

Section 5. Adopt Green Infrastructure Stormwater Management Provisions	28

Scoring Summary							33

Resources												 34

General			M		34

Natural Resources and Open Space	34

Smart Growth	34

Green Streets	35

Parking	35

Green Infrastructure	35

Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation	35

Equity and Environmental Justice					36


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Executive Summary

The Land Use and Green infrastructure Scorecard guides municipalities
through a review of local plans, policies, and municipal practices to
illuminate opportunities to better protect water resources. The goal of the
scorecard is to help municipalities protect water resources while
maximizing the additional community benefits available through green
infrastructure, including flood mitigation, public health, and climate
resilience.

Natural resources and green infrastructure, such as natural or engineered
wetlands, living shorelines, and urban forests, provide many community
benefits, including clean drinking water, flood protection, food production,
and recreation. Healthy watersheds foster vibrant economies, support
healthy people and places, and buffer against the impacts of drought,
flooding, and extreme weather events. The value of these ecosystem
services is becoming more evident as communities face a range of climate
change impacts.

Local government staff can use the Scorecard to improve their
understanding of how local plans, policies, and practices impact water
resources and ecosystem services. The Scorecard cuts across multiple
departments and scales within a jurisdiction (municipal, neighborhood, and
site), to ensure that these plans, policies, and practices work together to
protect water resources.

This Scorecard is an update to the previously named Water Quality
Scorecard, which was developed in 2009 to help local governments remove
barriers and revise or create codes, ordinances, and incentives for better
water quality protection. This updated Scorecard builds on the original tool
by adding more information about community engagement and equity,
climate change, and the broad benefits of green infrastructure.

Land Use and Green Infrastructure Scorecard

Children learn about the importance of aquatic ecology during science class.

Background

Growth and development expand communities' opportunities by bringing
in new residents, businesses, and investments. Growth can give a
community the resources to revitalize a downtown, refurbish a main street,
build new schools, and develop vibrant places to live, work, shop, and play.
The environmental impacts of development can, however, make it more
difficult for communities to protect their natural resources, if those impacts
are not comprehensively studied and planned. The U.S. Census Bureau
projects that the U.S. population will reach 400 million people by about
2040, which will add continued development pressure on growing
communities and the surrounding environment. The IPCC (United Nations
intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) predicts that climate
migration will occur primarily within countries, rather than across borders,
intensifying growth pressures on more climatically stable regions of the
country. As socioeconomically advantaged areas are generally more
resilient to the effects of climate change, internal climate migrants are

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more likely to be former residents of areas subjected to historical
disinvestment, and to have departed those regions due to catastrophic
ioss. Many communities are questioning where and how they can
accommodate population growth while maintaining and improving their
water resources.

Land development directly affects watershed functions. When
development occurs in previously undeveloped areas, the resulting
alterations to the land can dramatically change how water is transported
and stored. Development creates impervious surfaces and compacted soils
that filter iess water, which increases surface runoff and decreases
groundwater infiltration. These changes can increase the transport of
pollutants, the volume and velocity of runoff, the frequency and severity of
flooding, and peak storm flows. In areas with combined sewers, higher
runoff rates and volumes can lead to an increase in the frequency and
severity of combined sewer overflows and associated water quality and
public health impacts.

Volunteers help plant dune grasses for a living shoreline restoration project.

Many communities are already struggling with degraded water bodies and
failing infrastructure. For example, EPA's National Water Quality Inventory:

2017 Report to Congress2 reported that in the U.S., 46% of total river and
stream miles were in poor biological condition, and EPA's 2022 National
Lakes Assessment found that nearly half of lakes were in poor condition.3

Climate Change Adaptation means taking action to prepare for and adjust to both
the current and projected impacts of climate change. Green infrastructure can
help communities to adapt and protect their water resources because it uses the
flexible mechanisms of nature to respond to anticipated climate changes such as
drought, intense precipitation, heat, and sea level rise.4

Meaningful community engagement from the early stages of plan and policy
development through implementation can make your community's water
resource protection efforts stronger, more effective, and longer lasting.
Partnerships across the community will prove vital to this effort. Best practices for
building partnerships include:

Embrace a collaborative and cooperative mindset
Start small
Take the long view
Be authentic

Make cross-cultural communication a critical tenet of community

partnerships

Budget for it!1

1	https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/regional-resilience-toolkit

2	U.S. EPA National Water Quality Inventory: 2017 Report to Congress, https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-12/documents/305brtc finalowow 08302017.pdf

3	U.S. EPA National Lakes Assessment: The Third Collaborative Survey of Lakes in the United States, 2022: https://nationallakesassessment.epa.gov/webreport

4	https://www.epa.gov/climate-adaptation/climate-adaptation-and-epas-role

Land Use and Green Infrastructure Scorecard

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These water quality impairments exist, in part, because stormwater
management historically focused on moving stormwater quickly away from
built up areas and into nearby waterways to prevent flooding. Pipes were
often the preferred solution. Now, many communities recognize
stormwater as a valuable resource and are focused on using green
infrastructure methods that mimic nature by slowing, storing, infiltrating,
and evapotranspiring stormwater flows.

This building—featuring a water-capture wetland—generates its own energy
and treats all stormwater and sanitary water captured on-site.

Municipalities are incorporating green infrastructure as a solution to
the many and increasing water-related challenges facing
communities, including flooding, combined sewer overflows,
stormwater pollution, Federal Clean Water Act and state regulatory

5	33 U.S.C. § 1362(27)

6	https://www.epa.gov/nps/urban-runoff-low-impact-development

7	https://www.fema.gov/emergencv-managers/risk-management/nature-based-solutions

Land Use and Green Infrastructure Scorecard

requirements, and basic asset management of publicly owned water,
wastewater, and stormwater treatment systems. In essence, green
infrastructure uses nature as a guide. As in natural systems, the ecosystem
services that green infrastructure provides work at multiple scales: regional,
municipal, neighborhood, and site.

What's in a name? Are they all the same?

The concept of using nature's systems in our land development patterns is often
described using different terms, sometimes even by different agencies within the
federal government.

Green infrastructure is the range of measures that use plant or soil systems,
permeable pavement or other permeable surfaces or substrates, stormwater
harvest and reuse, or landscaping to store, infiltrate, or evapotranspire
stormwater and reduce flows to sewer systems or to surface water.6

Green stormwater infrastructure is another term sometimes used for green
infrastructure by the stormwater management design community.

Low impact development is an approach to site design that strives to limit the
amount of impervious area, preserve and create connected natural spaces, and
use green infrastructure throughout to limit the overall functional impact to the
natural landscape.6

Nature-based solutions are sustainable planning, design, environmental
management and engineering practices that weave natural features or processes
into the built environment to promote adaptation and resilience. These solutions
use natural features and processes to combat climate change, reduce flood risk,
improve water quality, protect coastal property, restore and protect wetlands,
stabilize shorelines, reduce urban heat, add recreational space, and more.7

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Regional

Integrate trees
natural open space into
developed landscape.

Manage runoff with
green stormwater
infrastructure.

Protect and restore
natural resources.

Promote compact
development patterns.

8 https://www.epa.gov/heatislands/using-trees-and-vegetation-reduce-heat-islands

Land Use and Green Infrastructure Scorecard

Regional-scale green infrastructure practices focus on conservation and
restoration of forests, floodplains, wetlands, shorelines, and other natural
resources. Preserving and restoring natural landscape features (such as
forests, floodplains, and wetlands) are critical components of green
infrastructure. By choosing not to develop on and thereby protecting these
ecologically sensitive areas, communities can improve water quality while
providing wildlife habitat and opportunities for outdoor recreation.
Preserving large-scale watershed functionality maintains floodplain
capacity that can prevent untold flood damage to people and property.

At the municipal and neighborhood scales, green infrastructure
incorporates land-use planning and design approaches such as compact,
mixed-use development, right-sized streets, parking reductions strategies,
interconnected open space, and urban tree canopy. These approaches aim
to reduce impervious surfaces, better integrate the natural and built
environment, and create walkable, attractive communities. Adding green
infrastructure, especially trees8, in heat island areas can significantly lower
temperatures, reduce energy use, and improve air quality.

At the site scale, green infrastructure practices protect and restore a site's
natural features, hydrology, soil health, and native vegetation. Green
infrastructure practices that mimic natural processes include rain gardens,
porous pavements, green roofs, infiltration planters, trees and tree boxes,
and rainwater harvesting These practices can also help mitigate drought
impacts through water conservation.


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The Land Use and Green Infrastructure Scorecard

This scorecard is a self-assessment to guide municipalities toward
effectively implementing and maintaining green infrastructure practices at
the municipal, neighborhood, and site scales, on public and private
property. It is intended for local governments of various sizes in rural,
suburban, and urban settings, including those in both inland and coastal
communities. The scorecard guides local government staff through a
review of relevant local plans, ordinances, and regulations to identify
barriers to or opportunities for promoting and implementing green
infrastructure practices. The goal of the scorecard is to help municipalities
use green infrastructure to protect water resources while also maximizing
the additional community benefits available through green infrastructure,
including flood mitigation, public health, and climate resilience. A fillable
Excel version of the scorecard is available on EPA's Green Infrastructure
webpage: http://www.epa.gov/green-infrastructure.

How to Use the Scorecard

The scorecard is crafted as a set of questions about how the municipality
addresses various aspects of development review, municipal practices,
planning, public engagement, and enforcement, all related to the
protection of water resources and use of green infrastructure in the
community. The set of questions is also, effectively, a set of
recommendations or good practices to consider across the municipality
and across the municipal government. An initial step in using this tool is to
convene appropriate municipal staff who will review sections of the
scorecard. While one department or agency could feasibly complete the
tool on its own, it is more beneficial and effective if the scorecard responses
are informed by an interagency approach. The green infrastructure and
water resource protection approaches described in this scorecard fall under
the purview of a variety of different local government agencies, and input
from those agencies will be helpful. These include:

•	Arts and Culture	• Planning

•	Building	• Public Works

•	Environmental Protection	• Transportation

•	Natural Resources Management • Utilities

•	Parks and Recreation

Land Use and Green Infrastructure Scorecard

Completing the scorecard requires different documents, plans, codes, and
guidance manuals. While the planning and regulatory structure varies
among municipalities, the following list contains the most common and
relevant documents to complete this scorecard.

Comprehensive

Mitigation

Stormwater

Management

Plans

Ordinances
& Regulations

Plans:

•	Arts and culture plans sometimes include terminology such as "creative
placemaking," which describes projects in which culturally or regionally
specific art plays an intentional and integrated role in place-based
community planning and development and can include green
infrastructure.

•	Climate resilience plans and adaptation plans assess a community's
vulnerability to changing climate conditions and prioritize actions to
reduce vulnerability and strengthen a community's capacity to
withstand climate-related impacts.

•	Comprehensive plans or community master plans, which are often required
by state law, typically include elements addressing land use, open
space, natural resource protection, transportation, economic
development, and housing.

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*	Hazard mitigation plans identify natural disaster risks and vulnerabilities
and establish long-term strategies for protecting people and property.

*	Municipal integrated plans are the result of a process that identifies
efficiencies across wastewater and stormwater programs to best
prioritize capital investments to achieve human health and water
quality objectives.

•	Open space plans or natural resource plans detail land parcels that are
or will be set aside for recreation, habitat corridors, or preservation.
These plans help communities prioritize their conservation, parks, and
recreation goals.

•	Source water protection plans identify the protection and mitigation
measures to address water quality threats and increase water supply
resilience within the source water protection area of a public drinking
water supply.

•	Stormwater management plans establish goals and actions to manage
stormwater and meet regulatory requirements and community
objectives.

*	Transportation plans establish policies and priorities for traffic
management, roadway improvements, bike and pedestrian
accommodations, and other transportation modes to meet a
community's future mobility and access needs.

•	Urban forest master plans inventory existing street trees and forests
within a community and guide actions and investments to maintain and
expand tree canopy.

*	Watershed management plans establish goals and actions to protect and
restore water quality and overall watershed health for degraded and
threatened waterbodies.

Ordinances and Regulations:

•	Diversity, equity and inclusion ordinances and policies are being enacted by
many cities and cut across multiple functions of local government
including decisions on where and how green infrastructure is
implemented.

*	Stormwater management regulations and ordinances typically
establish sediment, erosion control, and pollution prevention
requirements for construction activities and performance standards
for post-construction (permanent) stormwater management.

Land Use and Green Infrastructure Scorecard

•	Street design standards or road guidelines dictate road width,
turning radius, street connectivity, and intersection design
requirements.

•	Subdivision regulations or ordinances specify development
elements, including housing footprint, frontage, road widths and
configuration, open space, and lot size.

•	Wetland protection regulations or ordinances establish local
standards and procedures for land disturbance and uses within
wetland and coastal resource areas and adjacent land areas
(floodplains, riparian and coastal buffers).

•	Zoning ordinances typically include parking requirements,
setbacks, height limitations, open space requirements, lot
coverage limitations, and natural resource protections.

A pocket park features permeable paths, vegetated swales, and cisterns
storing roof runoff from the adjacent parking garage.

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Overview

The scorecard provides guidance for implementing a range of regulatory
and non-regulatory approaches, including land use planning, land
acquisition, and capital investment policies that can help municipal
agencies integrate green infrastructure into their programs. Internal agency
policies and practices, such as maintenance protocols or plan review
processes, can provide incentives or pose as barriers. Each policy or
approach is described in the context of its potential for providing multiple
community benefits. This tool does not provide model ordinance language.
It emphasizes best practices and helps municipalities understand the
incremental steps for adopting and/or changing specific plans, policies, and
internal agency practices.

The scorecard divides the tools and policies into four categories:

1.	Plan and engage

2.	Remove barriers

3.	Adopt incentives

4.	Enact regulations

These categories may help municipal staff prioritize which tools to work on
based on local factors like resources, time, and political support. For
example, an appropriate first step in the process of updating local
regulations may be to remove a barrier rather than enacting a new
regulation. Most policy options avoid specific performance guidance so
that the tool is useful to a range of municipalities in different contexts.
However, information, guidance, and examples of locally appropriate
performance measures can be found in many of the resources provided.

To highlight the diversity of green infrastructure approaches, the
scorecard is organized in the following five sections:

Land Use and Green Infrastructure Scorecard

I. Protect Natural Resources

IA.	Upland Natural Resources

IB.	Water Resources & Riparian Buffers

IC.	Multi-Functional Open Space

ID.	Street Trees & Urban Forest Canopy


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The Scorecard describes alternative policy or ordinance information that,
when implemented, would support a comprehensive green infrastructure
approach, and will allow the municipality to determine where, in the broad
spectrum of policy implementation, their policies fall.

A Note About the Point System

The Scorecard includes a point system to make it easier to evaluate and
improve local programs. Answering "Yes" on a Scorecard question earns a
municipality the number of points indicated under the "Points Available"
column.

The municipality can decide whether or not to use the point system. If the
point system is used, municipalities can set locally appropriate thresholds
and goals. Governments could choose to use the point system in many
ways, including:

•	State governments could require municipalities to complete the Land
Use and Green Infrastructure Scorecard and establish measures for
improvement over different permit cycles. For example, a
municipality might have to improve its score by some number of
points before the next permit cycle.

•	Local governments could determine a score based on existing
programs and policies and then set goals from this baseline. Local
targets may include incremental yearly improvements or achieving
additional points in a particular section, such as "Encourage Efficient
Parking Supply" or "Protect Natural Resources and Open Space."

•	Stakeholders such as watershed groups or environmental
organizations could complete the scorecard and then provide
feedback, information, or assistance to the local government about
sections that might be areas for improvement and collaboration.

Land Use and Green Infrastructure Scorecard

•	The total score or scores in certain sections could educate elected
officials, decision makers, and others about the importance of these
issues and the role of local policies in addressing them.

•	A lack of points in one section may alert a municipality that a certain
area, such as parking, lacks local ordinances that support green
infrastructure and may be ripe for improvement.

•	Variation in the number of points achieved across the five sections
may help a municipality to better assess local sources of impervious
cover and potential for the introduction of green infrastructure.

Because the scorecard is intended for use by a range of community types and
sizes in locations across the country, including states, territories, and Tribal
communities, please note that no single community will be able to receive
every point. Some questions and points may only be available to urban
municipalities while others may only be available to those in a suburban or
rural setting.

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Getting Started

Below are suggested steps to help complete the Scorecard:



Review the scorecard
to identify which
agencies, departments,
or personnel will
complete each section.



Step 1.

Collect existing ordinances and
policies that will be necessary
references to complete the
Scorecard.

Step 3.

Identify sections of the Scorecard
and/or specific policy questions
that should be prioritized for
immediate revision or update.



Step 5.





Getting



Started...



L



Land Use and Green Infrastructure Scorecard



Convene appropriate staff to
review various sections of the

tool, and work together to
ensure that updates align well
with other agency changes.

Step 2.



Coordinate between
appropriate agencies or
departments to complete the
Scorecard.

Step 4.



Identify short-, medium-,
and long-term goals and
strategies for revising local
policies to better support
green infrastructure.

Step 6.


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Section 1: Protect and Restore Natural Resources and Open Space

l.A. UPLAND NATURAL RESOURCES

Goal: Protect upland natural resource areas (e.g., forests, hillsides, grasslands) and critical habitat (e.g., conservation corridors, wildlife preserves) from
future development and restore natural resources that have been degraded by past development.

Reason: Significant tracts of natural lands and wildlife habitat protect and improve water quality, reduce stormwater runoff and flooding, prevent
erosion, recharge groundwater systems, support wildlife, mitigate urban heat island effects, reduce risk to property and infrastructure, and provide
other community benefits.

Implementation Tools and Policies

Points
Avail.

Points
Earned

Notes and Local References

PLAN AND ENGAGE

Does the comprehensive plan contain a natural resource protection element with
goals calling for preservation and restoration of natural resource areas?

1





Do the comprehensive plan and/or neighborhood plans establish areas that are
preferred for development and areas that are a priority for agriculture and/or
conservation?

1





Do the following plans identify specific actions for conserving and restoring
priority natural resource areas?

Open space and recreation/parks plan

Drinking water or groundwater protection plan

Climate adaption/resilience plan

Hazard mitigation plan

Neighborhood and community master plans

1
1
1
1
1





Does your community assist landowners in identifying sensitive natural areas and
laying out developments to avoid impacting such areas?

1





Does your community provide an online GIS map viewer and printable maps that
identify natural resources and sensitive areas (e.g., steep slopes, forests,
waterbodies, wetlands, drinking water sources, aquifer recharge zones, riparian
buffers, flood-prone areas (current and projected future), coastal shoreline
features) within your community?

1





Does your community actively support volunteer natural-resource stewardship
activities, such as trash cleanup, tree planting, and invasive species removal,
equally across neighborhoods?

1





Section 1: Protect and Restore Natural Resources and Open Space

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Implementation Tools and Policies

Points
Avail.

Points
Earned

Notes and Local References

Did your community consider equity and environmental justice9,10 as part of
natural-resource protection and restoration planning?

2





REMOVE BARRIERS

Does the zoning ordinance allow for crediting of sensitive natural areas and
wildlife habitat, beyond those areas in which development is prohibited, toward
local open space dedication and set-aside requirements?

1





Does your community provide financial support to and/or collaborate with land
trusts and landowners on land acquisition and conservation easements?

1





Has your community established a dedicated source of funding for open space
acquisition and management (e.g., bond proceeds, sales tax), and a plan for
socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods less likely to raise sufficient
revenue?

2





ADOPT INCENTIVES

Has your community adopted a transfer-of-development-rights program to
provide an incentive for landowners to preserve sensitive natural lands and
wildlife habitat?

1





Do zoning ordinances or subdivision regulations allow or even require the
creation of cluster and conservation subdivisions to encourage preservation of
intact blocks of sensitive natural areas?

1





Does the zoning ordinance or other land use regulation provide a density bonus
for the protection of additional natural open space within a development?

1





ENACT REGULATIONS

Does the zoning ordinance require protection of steep slopes, hillsides, and other
sensitive natural lands (e.g., by limiting development on slopes > 15% or requiring
larger lot sizes in sensitive areas)?

2





Does the zoning ordinance include wildlife habitat protection provisions aimed at
preserving large contiguous blocks of habitat areas?

1





Does the zoning ordinance include natural resource zoning districts (e.g.,
minimum lot size of 80 acres and larger) to preserve large natural areas and
forests?

1





1.A. Upland Natural Resources - Subtotal

23





9	https://www.epa.gov/environmentaliustice/equitable-development-and-environmental-iustice

10	https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/smart-growth-and-equitable-development

Section 1: Protect and Restore Natural Resources and Open Space

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l.B. WATER RESOURCES AND RIPARIAN BUFFERS

Goal: Protect and restore aquifers, wetlands, floodplains, lakes, rivers, estuaries, and other water resources.

Reason: Water resources provide valuable community benefits, such as drinking and irrigation water supply, food production, natural habitat, and
outdoor recreation. Protecting adjacent lands, including riparian and coastal buffers and floodplains, helps to sustain the quality of these water
resources. Recharging groundwater, by infiltrating rain and snowmelt through soil, helps to maintain the quantity and quality of aquifers.

Implementation Tools and Policies

Points
Avail.

Points
Earned

Notes and Local References

PLAN AND ENGAGE

Does the comprehensive plan contain a water quality protection element with
goals calling for protection of aquifers, wetlands, waterbodies, and other water
resource areas?

1





Does your community collaborate with other communities, regional
governments, and other partner organizations on regional approaches to
watershed protection and stormwater management, such as development of a
watershed management plan?

2





Does your community install notices (e.g., "Drains to River" stencils) on storm
drains to raise public awareness?

1





Does your community communicate to citizens and businesses about water
resource protection in a variety of languages, as appropriate for your community,
and through a variety of methods (e.g., social media, signage, art, etc.)?

1





REMOVE BARRIERS

Has your community established a dedicated funding source to purchase and
protect existing and future drinking water source watersheds and aquifer
recharge areas?

2





ADOPT INCENTIVES

Does the zoning ordinance allow for crediting of riparian and coastal buffer areas,
beyond those areas for which development is prohibited, toward local open
space dedication/set-aside requirements?

1





Does the zoning ordinance allow for additional open space credit or density
bonus as an incentive for restoration of degraded riparian or wetland areas, such
as stream daylighting, bank stabilization, and invasive species management?

1





Does your community incentivize partnerships between agencies or outside
organizations to combine restoration or daylighting projects with cost
stabilization efforts in surrounding housing, to mitigate effects of speculation-
related displacement of residents as a result of beautification?

1





Section 1: Protect and Restore Natural Resources and Open Space


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Implementation Tools and Policies

Points
Avail.

Points
Earned

Notes and Local References

Has your community established mechanisms for the transfer of density from
protected riparian buffers to upland portions of development sites?

1





Does the zoning ordinance allow for additional open space credit or density
bonus as an incentive for protection of drinking water source areas?

1





ENACT REGULATIONS

Do local regulations require that riparian and coastal buffer areas be retained in
natural, undisturbed conditions, with buffer widths established as:

•	Buffer is at least 50 feet? = 1 point

•	Buffer is at least 100 feet? = 2 points

•	Buffer is greater than 100 feet? = 3 points

3





Does the zoning ordinance prohibit water resource areas from being counted in
calculating allowable density on a site (e.g., on a 200-acre site with 50 acres of
wetlands, only 150 acres can be used to calculate density under zoning district
regulations, and only those 150 acres may be developed)?

1





Do local regulations for development and activities within well-head protection
areas restrict activities that are incompatible with protecting groundwater
quality?

1





Do local regulations prohibit encroachment in floodplains or require applicants to
demonstrate no adverse impacts upstream and downstream?

2





Do local regulations require restoration of degraded riparian/wetland areas on a
development site?

1





Do local regulations require compensation for damage to riparian/wetland areas
on a minimum 2:1 basis on-site or within the same subwatershed?

1





1.B. Water Resources and Riparian Buffers - Subtotal

21





Section 1: Protect and Restore Natural Resources and Open Space

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I.e. MULTI-FUNCTIONAL OPEN SPACE

Goal: Create a network of open spaces that provides multiple functions, such as recreation, flood mitigation, cooling, habitat, and stormwater
management.

Reason: In addition to providing community amenities, an open space network can provide land areas that soak up rain and snowmelt, hold flood
waters, and cool ambient temperatures.

Implementation Tools and Policies

Points
Avail.

Points
Earned

Notes and Local References

PLAN AND ENGAGE

Has your community adopted a community-wide open space and recreation plan
to guide investments in public parks, trails, and greenways?

1





Does the comprehensive plan contain an open space/parks element that
recognizes the role of open space in providing community benefits beyond
recreation, such as stormwater management, climate resilience, public health,
ecological services, and environmental justice?

1





Does the comprehensive plan advance equitable green development by including
policies that link green development with housing justice and/or anti-
displacement policies?

1





Were local community groups actively involved with the planning process for site
location and amenities provided to local residents and businesses?

1





REMOVE BARRIERS

Does your community allow and encourage retrofits of abandoned or
underutilized public lands to serve as permanent or temporary open space and
green infrastructure sites, as prioritized in collaboration with neighborhood
stakeholders?

1





ADOPT INCENTIVES

Does the zoning ordinance allow for additional open space credits for green
stormwater management facilities that are designed for public recreational
purposes?

1





Does the zoning ordinance allow for density and/or building height bonuses for
projects that provide more open space area than the minimum required?

1





Has your community adopted an open space impact fee to create a funding
source dedicated to land acquisition and creation and management of open
space with nature-based recreation (e.g., walking trails)?

1





Section 1: Protect and Restore Natural Resources and Open Space

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Implementation Tools and Policies

Points
Avail.

Points
Earned

Notes and Local References

ENACT REGULATIONS

Does the zoning ordinance require open space dedication and/or set aside based
on the demand generated by the development? As a baseline, use the average
open space requirements adopted by the National Recreation and Park Assn.
(e.g., 10 acres of community and neighborhood parks for every 1,000 persons in
a development or fraction thereof).

1





Does the zoning ordinance require creation of large contiguous areas of open
space rather than small, isolated pockets of open space, where feasible?

1





Does the zoning ordinance require a portion of open space to be preserved in or
restored to a natural condition (e.g., forested rather than mowed lawn)?

1





Does the zoning ordinance require property owners to provide long-term
maintenance (e.g., trash pickup, trail maintenance, invasive species
management) of open space on private property?

1





Does the zoning ordinance require deed covenants or easements to restrict
future development and incompatible uses of dedicated open space?

1





1.C. Multi-Functional Open Space - Subtotal

13





l.D. STREET TREES AND URBAN FOREST CANOPY

Goal: Plant, protect, and maintain trees on public and private property.

Reason: Mature trees provide multiple environmental, economic, and community benefits, including improved water and air quality, reduced heat
island effects, lower energy costs, and improved community aesthetics.

Implementation Tools and Policies

Points
Avail.

Points
Earned

Notes and Local References

PLAN AND ENGAGE

Has your municipality completed an inventory of existing trees on public lands
and street rights-of-way to inform public tree planting, adoption, and
maintenance programs?

1





Has your municipality published a list of preferred tree species for street trees,
based on habitat value (e.g., native species), hardiness, resilience to a changing
climate, and known performance for managing stormwater runoff?

1





Section 1: Protect and Restore Natural Resources and Open Space

15


-------
Implementation Tools and Policies

Points
Avail.

Points
Earned

Notes and Local References

Does your municipality conduct education and outreach about tree protection,
proper maintenance, and replanting opportunities through printed and online
materials, workshops, events, and signage, all made available in languages
fluently spoken in the community?

1





Has your municipality adopted a policy to protect existing trees on developed
municipal sites (e.g., municipal parking lots, municipal buildings)?

1





Does your municipality have an active tree maintenance program for public trees,
including pest control, pruning, watering, and similar measures?

1





Has your municipality developed an urban forest resilience master plan to guide
public investments in maintaining and growing the community's tree canopy
coverage?

1





Does your municipality conduct educational sessions for builders and developers
regarding appropriate tree protection techniques and/or publish a technical tree
protection manual?

1





Do capital improvement plans include tree planting as part of project budgets?

1





Does your municipality provide support (financial, technical, communications,
etc.) to local non-profits that plant trees and provide educational services, and
incentivize these non-profits to distribute efforts and resources equitably across
the municipality?

1





REMOVE BARRIERS

Does your municipality coordinate with utility providers on locating public
utilities to provide enough space for mature tree canopy and root development?

1





Does your municipality provide free or reduced-price trees to homeowners, and
if so, publicize this information in accessible language and formats?

1





Has your municipality established a tree fund to receive in-lieu payments when
trees must be removed from a development site to accommodate permitted
projects?

1





ADOPT INCENTIVES

Do local stormwater management regulations allow trees of a specified minimum
size to count toward a percentage of stormwater management requirements
(e.g., partial credit given for each mature tree exceeding a specified height or
canopy size)?

1





Does the zoning ordinance allow trees over a specified minimum size (e.g., 3-inch
caliper) protected during development to be credited towards landscaping
requirements?

1





Section 1: Protect and Restore Natural Resources and Open Space


-------
Implementation Tools and Policies

Points
Avail.

Points
Earned

Notes and Local References

Does the zoning ordinance offer incentives, such as reduced setbacks or
increased building densities, in exchange for additional tree preservation beyond
ordinance requirements?

1





ENACT REGULATIONS

Do local regulations require developers to replace public trees removed or
damaged during construction with an equal or greater total diameter at breast
height, or to pay a fee sufficient for replacing the tree?

1





Do local regulations require construction protection for all public trees (e.g.,
fencing, no storage of hazardous materials, avoid cutting into root zones and
compacting soil within canopy perimeter)?

1





Do local regulations require permits before removing trees on proposed
development sites, and establish enforcement actions for permit violations?

1





Do local regulations set minimum tree preservation and planting standards for
development projects?

1





Do local regulations require site plans or stormwater plans to include tree
preservation?

1





Do local regulations require all planted trees to be selected from a list of
approved tree species or to meet certain criteria for habitat value (e.g., native
species), hardiness, resilience to a changing climate, and known performance for
managing stormwater runoff?

1





1.D. Street Trees and Urban Forest Canopy - Subtotal

21





Section 1: Protect and Restore Natural Resources and Open Space

17


-------
Section 2. Promote Efficient, Compact Development Patterns

2.A. INFILL AND REDEVELOPMENT

Goal: Minimize creation of impervious cover and impacts on natural resources by directing development to preferred infill and redevelopment areas.

Reason: Redeveloping and improving degraded developed sites, such as abandoned shopping centers and big box retail sites, underperforming town or
village centers, or unnecessary and underutilized parking lots, before developing greenfield (previously undeveloped) sites can dramatically reduce
total impervious area while allowing communities to experience the benefits and opportunities associated with growth.

Implementation Tools and Policies

Points
Avail.

Points
Earned

Notes and Local References

PLAN AND ENGAGE

Do the local comprehensive plan and/or neighborhood plans identify abandoned
or underutilized properties as preferred sites for which the municipality will
support redevelopment, in collaboration with neighborhood stakeholders?

1





Do capital improvement plans include infrastructure improvements (water,
sewer, road, sidewalk, etc.) for preferred redevelopment sites or areas?

1





Do local plans recommend or establish urban growth areas and boundaries,
within which development is encouraged?

1





Has your municipality analyzed and identified areas that are appropriate for
higher density development based on existing infrastructure capacity, cost of
providing new services, climate resilience, and access?

1





Do capital improvement plans for public infrastructure target funding inside the
urban growth boundary, with prioritization of underserved areas?

1





REMOVE BARRIERS

Has your municipality established a brownfields program to remove uncertainty
regarding site cleanup and liability issues?

1





Are local development standards addressing landscaping, buffers, parking, and
open space tailored for infill areas to avoid creating unnecessary hurdles?

1





Does the zoning ordinance allow accessory dwelling units within targeted infill
areas?

1





Do stormwater management regulations allow for off-site stormwater
management11 or payment-in-lieu for stormwater management requirements
that cannot be met on preferred infill and redevelopment sites?

1





11 https://www.epa.gov/npdes/alternative-site-stormwater-management

Section 2: Promote Efficient, Compact Development Patterns

18


-------
Implementation Tools and Policies

Has your municipality established tax increment financing (TIF) districts to
encourage redevelopment?

Has your municipality adopted funding mechanisms for
remediating/redeveloping contaminated sites?

ADOPT INCENTIVES

Does the zoning ordinance provide incentives such as increased density and
increased allowable height for preferred infill and redevelopment sites?

l





Does your municipality allow for accelerated/streamlined permitting procedures
to facilitate infill and brownfield redevelopment plan review?

l





Does your municipality reduce impact fees for infill development based on the
lower demand for new infrastructure?

l





ENACT REGULATIONS

In local codes, ordinances, and policies, does your municipality differentiate
between greenfield and infill development?

l





Do local zoning and land development regulations restrict development outside
the urban growth boundary?

l





Does the zoning ordinance include large-lot/agricultural zoning (e.g., 1 unit/160
acres) on the urbanized-area fringe to restrict greenfield development?

l





2.A. Infill and Redevelopment - Subtotal

17





2.B. MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT

Goal: Encourage mixed-use and transit-oriented development.

Reason: Mixed-use and transit-oriented development allow for the co-locating of different land uses and reduces reliance on personal vehicles, which
decreases impervious surfaces associated with roads and parking.

Implementation Tools and Policies

Points
Avail.

Points
Earned

Notes and Local References

PLAN AND ENGAGE

Are local capital improvement plans and funding targeted to areas appropriate
for mixed-use development and/or historically underinvested?

1





Points
Avail.

Notes and Local References

Section 2: Promote Efficient, Compact Development Patterns

19


-------
Implementation Tools and Policies

Points
Avail.

Points
Earned

Notes and Local References

Does the comprehensive plan identify appropriate areas for higher-density
mixed-use developments (e.g., at transit stops) and recommend policies to
encourage their development?

1





REMOVE BARRIERS

Does the zoning ordinance include mixed-use and transit-oriented development
districts or overlays?

1





ADOPT INCENTIVES

Does the zoning ordinance institute maximum parking requirements or, at a
minimum, allow for reduced minimum parking spaces within mixed-use and
transit-oriented districts to reflect decreased automobile use?

1





Does the zoning ordinance allow adjacent on-street parking to count toward local
parking requirements within mixed-use and transit-oriented districts?

1





Do local regulations encourage shared parking and alternative parking
arrangements within mixed-use and transit-oriented districts?

1





Does the zoning ordinance allow for increased densities and building height
within mixed-use and transit-oriented districts?

1





Does the zoning ordinance allow for accessory parking structures within mixed-
use and transit-oriented districts to be excluded from maximum floor area ratio
(FAR)?

1





Are there incentives for city departments or park agencies to partner directly
with a private or nonprofit developer to develop affordable housing integrated
with green infrastructure or open space?

1





ENACT REGULATIONS

Does the zoning ordinance require a minimum mix of uses and minimum density
in designated mixed-use and transit-oriented development areas?

1





Does the zoning ordinance restrict or prohibit auto-oriented uses and drive-
throughs in mixed- use and transit-oriented development areas?

1





2.B. Mixed-Use Developments - Subtotal

11





Section 2: Promote Efficient, Compact Development Patterns


-------
Section 3. Design Green Streets

3.A. STREET WIDTHS

Goal: Reduce impervious cover by limiting street width.

Reason: The width of travel lanes, parking lanes and sidewalks should be tailored to the existing and anticipated setting. Where appropriate, narrowing
travel lane width to 10-11 feet, rather than the standard 12-13 feet, can significantly reduce the total amount of impervious surfaces. Such streets can
also substantially improve conditions for walking, biking, and using transit, which reduces automobile use and overall demand for parking spaces.

Implementation Tools and Policies

Points
Avail.

Points
Earned

Notes and Local References

PLAN AND ENGAGE

Does the local transportation plan emphasize walking, biking, and transit to
reduce vehicle miles traveled and width and prominence of roads/streets?

1





Does the local transportation plan call for distributing traffic across several
parallel streets, reducing the need for high-capacity streets with wide rights-of-
way?

1





In the process of developing the transportation plan, did your municipality
engage with emergency response, other local government departments (e.g.,
public works, utilities), transit agencies, and community members representing a
majority of neighborhoods, to discuss street design?

1





Is your transportation plan equitable in considering streets in lower income areas
as candidates for narrowing?

1





REMOVE BARRIERS

Does the comprehensive plan endorse street design with narrower streets in
appropriate locations?

1





Does your municipality have agreements with state and county transportation
departments to allow different design standards for regional roads passing
through downtowns or other key areas?

1





ADOPT INCENTIVES

Does the zoning ordinance allow developments with approved comprehensive
mobility/transportation plans to build narrower, less costly streets and alleys?

1





ENACT REGULATIONS

Do local regulations allow or require street design with narrower travel lanes,
without curb and gutter, etc., in appropriate circumstances?

1





Section 3: Design Green Streets

21


-------
Implementation Tools and Policies

Points
Avail.

Points
Earned

Notes and Local References

Does your local development review process involve emergency response (e.g.,
fire chief) early on to reach consensus on appropriate project street design and
access?

1





3.A. Street Widths - Subtotal

9





3.B. GREEN STREETS STORMWATER MANAGEMENT

Goal: Integrate green infrastructure into standard roadway design, construction, reconstruction, and retrofit.

Reason: Green infrastructure is most effective when employed throughout a village, neighborhood, district, or community. Green infrastructure
understanding, maintenance, and benefits are all enhanced by consistent implementation.

Implementation Tools and Policies

Points
Avail.

Points
Earned

Notes and Local References

PLAN AND ENGAGE

Does the local transportation plan promote green infrastructure practices in
street design?

1





Has your municipality adopted a policy to evaluate opportunities for green
infrastructure retrofits on public roadway and streetscape improvement
projects?

1





Did your community consider equity and environmental justice9,10 as part of
green infrastructure planning?

1





REMOVE BARRIERS

Do municipal street design standards allow integration of green infrastructure
elements into street project construction?

1





Do municipal street design standards allow street-side swales to replace
conventional curb and gutter for managing stormwater and for separating
sidewalks from street traffic in appropriate circumstances?

1





Does your municipality pursue state and federal funds (e.g., transportation
enhancements) to pay for green infrastructure elements?

1





Do municipal street design standards allow pervious paving materials in
appropriate circumstances?

1





Section 3: Design Green Streets

22


-------
Implementation Tools and Policies

Points
Avail.

Points
Earned

Notes and Local References

Does your municipality own equipment and/or have long-term contracts for
maintenance of green infrastructure, such as vacuum sweepers for porous
asphalt?

1





Does your municipality participate in and/or support job training programs to
train and employ personnel for green infrastructure installation and
maintenance?

1





ADOPT INCENTIVES

Has your municipality established a formal program offering incentives (e.g., cost
sharing, reduction in street widths/parking requirements, assistance with
maintenance) to property owners who utilize pervious pavement elements?

1





ENACT REGULATIONS

Do municipal street design standards require a minimum surface area and
volume of soil for healthy tree development?

1





Do municipal street design standards encourage the choice of native or locally
adapted tree species that are long-lived, resilient to extreme weather, and
appropriately sized at maturity?

1





Do municipal street design standards require permeable paving for sidewalks and
other surfaces to reduce stormwater runoff and allow street trees to benefit
from the available water?

1





Has your municipality adopted green infrastructure retrofit standards for major
street projects?

1





Has your municipality adopted technical specifications and design templates for
green infrastructure in private and public rights-of-way?

1





3.B. Green Streets Stormwater Management - Subtotal

15





Section 3: Design Green Streets

23


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Section 4. Encourage Efficient Parking

4.A. PARKING SPACE REQUIREMENTS

Goal: Match parking requirements to the level of demand and allow flexible arrangements to meet parking standards.

Reason: Inflexible parking requirements that do not allow for alternative approaches, as well as standards that require too much parking for specific
uses, unnecessarily increase the amount of impervious surface in a development.

Implementation Tools and Policies

Points
Avail.

Points
Earned

Notes and Local References

PLAN AND ENGAGE

Does the comprehensive plan recognize the advantages to reduced parking
requirements generally and specifically for mixed-use and transit-oriented
developments?

1





Does the comprehensive plan recommend alternative, flexible approaches to
meeting parking demands (e.g., shared parking, counting on-street spaces
towards site parking requirements)?

1





Do the comprehensive/multi-modal transportation plans recommend provision
of bicycle parking spaces/storage lockers and concomitant reduction in vehicle
parking space requirements?

1





REMOVE BARRIERS

Does the zoning ordinance allow flexibility in meeting parking space
requirements through shared parking, off-site parking, and similar approaches?

1





Does the zoning ordinance allow businesses with different peak demand periods
to share their required parking spaces?

1





ADOPT INCENTIVES

Does the zoning ordinance allow reduction in vehicle parking spaces through the
provision of a minimum number of bicycle parking spaces?

1





Does the zoning ordinance allow developers to undertake parking studies to
establish that specific developments (e.g., senior housing, proximity to public
transit) require fewer parking spaces than typical projects?

1





Has your municipality established parking districts to finance/construct
centralized parking lots/ structures as shared parking facilities to reduce on-site
parking?

1





Section 4: Encourage Efficient Parking


-------
Implementation Tools and Policies

Points

Points

Notes and Local References

Avail.

Earned



ENACT REGULATIONS

Does the zoning ordinance specify a maximum number of allowed parking spaces
instead of a minimum?

l





If the zoning ordinance establishes minimum required parking spaces, are those
requirements based on analysis of local developments and actual parking
demand/experience?

l





Does your municipality impose an impact fee on developers for every space
beyond parking minimums to offset environmental impacts?

l





Does the zoning ordinance allow credit for adjacent on-street parking?

l





Does the zoning ordinance specify a lower number of parking spaces in mixed-
use, transit-oriented, and pedestrian-oriented districts?

l





Does the zoning ordinance specify parking space dimensions based on analysis of
average vehicle size within the jurisdiction?

l





Does the zoning ordinance specify reduced drive aisle widths for multi-family
developments (where drive aisles can be shared) and commercial developments
(where typical drive aisles can be reduced 5-10%)?

l





4.A. Parking Space Requirements - Subtotal

15





4.B. DRIVEWAYS

Goal: Encourage alternative forms and decreased dimensions of residential driveways and parking areas to reduce impervious cover.

Reason: Off-street parking and driveways contribute significantly to the impervious areas on a residential lot. Reducing such dimensions can minimize
the amount of stormwater runoff from a site.

Implementation Tools and Policies

Points
Avail.

Points
Earned

Notes and Local References

REMOVE BARRIERS

Does the zoning ordinance allow shared driveways and rear-loaded garages to
permit overnight parking in driveways and on-street?

1





Does the zoning ordinance prohibit homeowner covenants forbidding overnight
parking in driveways, on-street overnight parking, and shared driveways?

1






-------
Implementation Tools and Policies

Points
Avail.

Points
Earned

Notes and Local References

ADOPT INCENTIVES

Does the zoning ordinance allow developments with narrow driveways and rear-
loaded garages to reduce number of parking spaces for guests?

1





ENACT REGULATIONS

Does the zoning ordinance allow and/or require shared driveways for single-
family residential developments?

1





Do local regulations establish a 9-foot minimum width for single-family
driveways?

1





Do local regulations allow two-track driveways?

1





Does the zoning ordinance encourage or require single-family residential
developments to be designed with a minimum percentage of alley-accessible,
rear-loading garages?

1





4.B. Driveways - Subtotal

7

0



4.C. TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT ALTERNATIVES

GOAL: Allow developers to use alternative measures such as transportation demand management or in-lieu payments to reduce required parking.

REASON: Incentives such as transit passes, vanpool arrangements, flexible work schedules, market-priced facilities, and separate leasing for spaces in
apartments and condominiums have quantifiable impacts on parking demand. Incorporating them into parking requirements creates the opportunity
to meet demand with less impervious cover.

Implementation Tools and Policies

Points
Avail.

Points
Earned

Notes and Local References

PLAN AND ENGAGE

Does the local transportation plan recognize transportation demand
management as an approach to reducing vehicle miles traveled and parking
requirements?

1





REMOVE BARRIERS

Does the zoning ordinance allow parking spaces with apartment buildings to be
leased separately from the apartment lease?

1





ADOPT INCENTIVES

Does the zoning ordinance allow businesses that offer employee transit passes,
provide vans for employee commuting, allow flexible working arrangements, or
charge market rates for parking to 1) provide fewer parking spaces or 2) pay less
into a parking district fund for required parking spaces?

1






-------
Implementation Tools and Policies

Points
Avail.

Points
Earned

Notes and Local References

Does the zoning ordinance allow developers to make in-lieu fee payments for
parking, to be utilized by local government/parking authority to provide off-site
parking lots/structures?

1





Does your municipality provide mechanisms for car sharing in transit-oriented
development?

1





ENACT REGULATIONS

Does your municipality have a parking district and allow/require businesses to
support public garages rather than provide their own on-site parking?

l





Does your municipality require large developments to adopt transportation
demand management techniques to lower personal vehicle use and parking
demand?

l





4.C. Transportation Demand Management Alternatives - Subtotal

7





4.D. PARKING LOT LANDSCAPING

Goal: Require landscaping in parking lots to help reduce runoff and thermal water pollution.

Reason: Landscaping reduces the environmental impact of parking and can provide additional community benefits by providing shade and, if
appropriately placed, creating natural barriers between pedestrians and cars.

Implementation Tools and Policies

Points
Avail.

Points
Earned

Notes and Local References

REMOVE BARRIERS

Does the zoning ordinance allow landscaping that provides stormwater
management functions (e.g., water quality swales, tree box infiltration systems)
to count toward landscaping requirements?

1





ADOPT INCENTIVES

Does the zoning ordinance give additional landscaping credit for preservation of
large, mature trees within parking lots?

1





ENACT REGULATIONS

Does the zoning ordinance require provision of trees, minimum percent of
parking lot interior area to be landscaped (e.g., 10%), and minimum sized
landscaping areas (e.g., minimum of 25 square feet for island planting areas)?

1






-------
Implementation Tools and Policies

Points
Avail.

Points
Earned

Notes and Local References

Does the zoning ordinance specify the types and sizes of shrubs and trees most
appropriate for controlling/reducing stormwater runoff?

1





Does the zoning ordinance require a minimum area of the parking lot to drain
into landscaped areas (i.e., impervious area disconnection)?

1





4.D. Parking Lot Landscaping - Subtotal

5






-------
Section 5. Adopt Green Infrastructure Stormwater Management Provisions

5.A. GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE PRACTICES

Goal: Allow a wide variety of green infrastructure practices and approaches and remove impediments to using green infrastructure.

Reason: Green infrastructure approaches are more effective, cost efficient, and resilient/adaptable than conventional stormwater management
practices (e.g., centralized detention basins) in many instances, and provide a wealth of additional community benefits not provided by conventional
approaches.

Implementation Tools and Policies

Points
Avail.

Points
Earned

Notes and Local References

PLAN AND ENGAGE

Does your municipality share information with the public, such as through social
media, billing inserts, or online and printed fact sheets, about ways to implement
green infrastructure on their property?

1





Does your municipality provide information available in languages fluently
spoken in the community?

1





Does your municipality provide and/or support volunteer stewardship
opportunities to install and maintain green infrastructure, such as through rain
garden workshops?

1





Does your municipality target green infrastructure workforce development and
job training programs toward residents of historically disinvested
neighborhoods?

1





Do your local stormwater management regulations and site plan review
regulations encourage/require a pre-application meeting with developers to
discuss stormwater management and green infrastructure approaches?

1





REMOVE BARRIERS

Do the zoning ordinance and stormwater management regulations encourage
and allow property owners to implement green infrastructure practices, such as
rain gardens, rain barrels, and permeable pavements?

1





Has your municipality established a program to provide technical and/or financial
assistance to property owners to assist with green infrastructure retrofits on
private property?

1





Does your municipality have mechanisms in place to incentivize landlords and
rental agencies to install green infrastructure on rental properties?

1





Section 5: Adopt Green Infrastructure Stormwater Management Provisions

29


-------
Implementation Tools and Policies

Points
Avail.

Points
Earned

Notes and Local References

Does your municipality provide on-line and printable maps illustrating
environmental conditions (e.g., hydrologic soil group, wetlands, topography, soil
contamination) to assist property owners in identifying appropriate green
infrastructure retrofits for their site conditions?

1





Do local development, building, and plumbing codes allow reuse of stormwater
for non-potable purposes inside the building?

1





ADOPT INCENTIVES

Does your municipality provide incentives for green roofs (e.g., increased floor
area ratio bonus, additional building height) to reduce roof runoff?

1





If your municipality has established a stormwater utility, does the utility provide
fee credits to property owners who implement and maintain green infrastructure
retrofits on their properties (e.g., installing a rain garden to infiltrate roof
runoff)?

1





ENACT REGULATIONS

Do the zoning ordinance and subdivision regulations explicitly allow the following
green infrastructure facilities?

Green roofs

Infiltration approaches, such as rain gardens, curb extensions, planter gardens,
and other designs where the intent is to capture and manage stormwater using
soils and plants

Permeable and porous pavements

Water harvesting devices, such as rain barrels and cisterns
Downspout disconnection

1

1

1
1
1





Do local regulations require new development and redevelopment projects to
meet a performance standard for managing post-construction stormwater?

1





Do stormwater management regulations require developers to use green
infrastructure practices where site conditions allow, and require developers to
provide documentation of site conditions that preclude green infrastructure, if
applicable?

1





Does your municipality protect against potential contamination of groundwater
when installing green infrastructure by requiring modifications (e.g.,
impermeable liners) or avoiding sites that are downstream of areas with high
concentrations of stormwater pollutants or on a brownfield site?

1





5.A. Green Infrastructure Practices - Subtotal

20





Section 5: Adopt Green Infrastructure Stormwater Management Provisions

30


-------
5.B. OFF-SITE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT AND FEE-IN-LIEU PROGRAMS

Goal: Where stormwater management on site is infeasible, allow developers to meet stormwater management requirements through off-site
management11 within the same subwatershed or payment of a fee in lieu.

Reason: In some cases, it is impracticable or infeasible to manage and treat stormwater runoff on site. In such instances, alternative means should be
provided through financial or implementation contributions to off-site stormwater management facilities (preferably green infrastructure facilities).

Implementation Tools and Policies

Points
Avail.

Points
Earned

Notes and Local References

PLAN AND ENGAGE

Has your municipality created a priority list of municipal stormwater and green
infrastructure projects that could be implemented and/or funded through an off-
site management and fee-in-lieu program?

1





Has your municipality created publicly available GIS mapping of sewershed and
subwatersheds, to assist developers in identifying potential locations for off-site
projects?

1





Is your municipality prioritizing neighborhoods and areas that have historically
not seen investments in green infrastructure as potential locations for off-site
management?

1





ENACT REGULATIONS

Do the stormwater management regulations and development codes allow off-site
stormwater management within the same subwatershed, and specify the
conditions under which projects are eligible to implement off-site management
(e.g., preference to use on-site stormwater management as much as possible,
documentation of site conditions that preclude on-site stormwater management)?

1





Has your municipality established a system that allows/requires payment-in-lieu
fees for the design, permitting, construction, and maintenance of off-site
stormwater management facilities, with fees set sufficiently high as to cover the
true cost of implementation and long-term maintenance?

1





5.B. Off-Site Stormwater Management and Fee-ln-Lieu Programs - Subtotal

5





Section 5: Adopt Green Infrastructure Stormwater Management Provisions

31


-------
5.C. LONG-TERM OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

Goal: Incorporate monitoring, tracking, and maintenance requirements for stormwater management practices into your municipal stormwater
ordinance.

Reason: These measures will help ensure that green infrastructure practices remain in proper working condition to provide the performance required
by the stormwater ordinance and to assist the municipality in meeting any applicable state and federal water stormwater management and quality
regulatory reporting requirements.

Implementation Tools and Policies

Points
Avail.

Points
Earned

Notes and Local References

PLAN AND ENGAGE

Has your municipality developed a system, such as GIS mapping and permit
database, to monitor and track stormwater management practices deployed at
public and private development sites?

1





Does your municipality provide guidance to property owners on maintenance
protocols, such as maintenance checklist and schedule templates?

1





Has your municipality developed GIS mapping of municipal stormwater
infrastructure, including treatment facilities, drainage structures, open
conveyances (swales, ditches), pipes, and outfalls?

1





Has your municipality established an asset management program for municipal
stormwater infrastructure?

1





REMOVE BARRIERS

Do municipal departments responsible for enforcement of stormwater
management regulations have adequate staffing and resources for enforcement of
long-term inspection and maintenance requirements?

1





Have municipal departments responsible for enforcement of stormwater
management regulations established workforce development or job training plans
targeted toward the local community?

1





Has your municipality established a self-certification program that allows property
owners to attest that they have completed inspection and maintenance of their
stormwater management practices?

1





Has your municipality established a stormwater utility to fund ongoing non-point
source pollution control activities and maintenance of municipal stormwater
infrastructure?

1





Section 5: Adopt Green Infrastructure Stormwater Management Provisions

32


-------
Implementation Tools and Policies

Points
Avail.

Points
Earned

Notes and Local References

ENACT REGULATIONS

Do the stormwater management ordinance/regulations require long-term
maintenance of stormwater management practices and transfer of maintenance
responsibility in lease and/or deed transfers.

1





Does the municipality conduct inspections of private permitted stormwater
facilities on a rotating 3- to 5-year schedule, inspecting at least 30% of approved
facilities annually and prioritizing those properties that pose the highest risk to
water quality?

1





Do the stormwater management ordinance/regulations establish enforcement
authority, procedures, and adequate penalties to ensure on-going compliance with
stormwater management requirements, including post-construction verification
(as-built plans) and long-term operation and maintenance?

1





5.C. Long-Term Operation and Maintenance - Subtotal

11





Section 5: Adopt Green Infrastructure Stormwater Management Provisions

33


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Scoring Summary

Section

Points Available

Points Earned

Section 1: Protect and Resource Natural Resources and Open Space

l.A. Upland Natural Resources

23



l.B. Water Resources and Riparian Buffers

21



l.C. Multi-Functional Open Space

13



l.D. Street Trees and Urban Forest Canopy

21



Subtotal

78



Section 2: Promote Efficient, Compact Development Patterns

2.A. Infill and Redevelopment

17



2.B. Mixed-Use Developments

11



Subtotal

28



Section 3: Design Green Streets

3.A. Street Widths

9



3.B. Green Streets Stormwater Management

15



Subtotal

24



Section 4: Encourage Efficient Parking

4.A. Parking Space Requirements

15



4.B. Driveways

7



4.C. Transportation Demand Management Alternatives

7



4.D. Parking Lot Landscaping

5



Subtotal

34



Section 5: Adopt Green Infrastructure Stormwater Management Provisions

5.A. Green Infrastructure Practices

20



5.B. Off-Site Stormwater Management and Fee-ln-Lieu Programs

5



5.C. Long-Term Operation and Maintenance

11



Subtotal

36



Total Score

200



Scoring Summary


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Resources

General

•	EPA Green Infrastructure: https://www.epa.gov/green-infrastructure

•	EPA Soak Up the Rain: https://www.epa.gov/soakuptherain

•	The Code and Ordinance Worksheet 2017 Update, Center for Watershed Protection: https://www.cwp.org/updated-code-ordinance-worksheet-
improving-local-development-regulations/

•	Tools, Strategies, and Lessons Learned from EPA's Green Infrastructure Technical Assistance: https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2016-
01/documents/gi tech asst summary 508final010515 3.pdf

•	USACE Engineering with Nature: https://ewn.erdc.dren.mil/

Natural Resources and Open Space

•	Advancing Watershed Protection Through Land Conservation: A Guide for Land Trusts, EPA: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2022-
07/Advancing Watershed Protection Through Land Conservation EPA July 2022.pdf

•	Riparian Buffer Protection via Local Government Regulation, We Conserve PA: https://conservationtools.org/guides/119-riparian-buffer-
protection-via-local-government-regulation

•	Urban Forest Systems and Green infrastructure, USDA: https://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/FS/fs 1146.pdf

•	Regional Green Infrastructure at the Landscape Scale, American Planning Association: https://planning-org-uploaded-
media.s3.amazonaws.com/document/Regional-Green-lnfrastructure-Landscape-Scale.pdf

•	Resource Guide for Planning, Designing and Implementing Green Infrastructure in Parks, National Recreation and Park Association:
https://www.nrpa.org/siteassets/gupc-resource-guide.pdf

•	Urban Watershed Forestry Manual. Part 3: Urban Tree Planting Guide. Center for Watershed Protection: https://owl.cwp.org/mdocs-posts/urban-
watershed-forestry-manual-part-3/

•	USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program: https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/urban-forests/ucf

•	USDA Forest Service Urban Forests: https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/urban-forests

Smart Growth

•	EPA Smart Growth: https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth

•	Smart Growth America research library: https://smartgrowthamerica.org/resources/

•	Smart Growth Fixes for Climate Adaptation and Resilience, EPA: https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-
01/documents/smart growth fixes climate adaptation resilience.pdf

Resources

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Green Streets

•	Urban Street Stormwater Guide, National Association of City Transportation Officials: https://nacto.org/publication/urban-street-stormwater-
guide/

•	Green Streets Handbook, EPA: https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-
04/documents/green streets design manual feb 2021 web res small 508.pdf

•	Complete Streets, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA): https://highways.dot.gov/complete-streets

•	University of California, Davis Road Ecology Center: https://roadecology.ucdavis.edu/

•	Project for Public Spaces transportation research: https://www.pps.org/categorv/streets-transportation

Parking

•	Shared Parking, Third Edition, Urban Land Institute: https://uli.bookstore.ipgbook.com/shared-parking-products-9780874204278.php

•	Parking Generation Manual, 5th Edition, Institute of Transportation Engineers (2019) https://www.ite.org/technical-resources/topics/trip-and-
parking-generation/

Green Infrastructure

•	Enhancing Sustainable Communities With Green Infrastructure: A Guide to Help Communities Better Manage Stormwater While Achieving Other
Environmental, Public Health, Social, and Economic Benefits, EPA: https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/enhancing-sustainable-communities-green-
infrastructure

•	EPA's Compendium of MS4 Green Infrastructure Approaches: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2022-
06/Green%20lnfrastructure%20MS4%20Compendium%202022.pdf

•	EPA's National Menu of Best Management Practices for Stormwater-Post-Construction:
https://www.epa.gov/npdes/national-menu-best-management-practices-bmps-stormwater-post-construction

•	EPA's Off-site Stormwater Management: https://www.epa.gov/npdes/alternative-site-stormwater-management

•	Overcoming Barriers to Green Infrastructure, EPA: https://www.epa.gov/green-infrastructure/overcoming-barriers-green-infrastructure

•	Operation and Maintenance of Green Infrastructure Receiving Runoff from Roads and Parking Lots, EPA:
https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-ll/documents/final gi maintenance 508.pdf

Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation

•	Manage Flood Risks with Green Infrastructure, EPA: https://www.epa.gov/green-infrastructure/manage-flood-risk

•	Heat Island Compendium, EPA: https://www.epa.gov/heatislands/heat-island-compendium

•	Building Community Resilience with Nature-Based Solutions: A Guide for Local Communities, FEMA:
https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema riskmap-nature-based-solutions-guide 2021.pdf

•	Using Nature to Address Flooding, Naturally Resilient Communities: https://nrcsolutions.org/

•	Storm Smart Cities: Integrating Green Infrastructure into Local Hazard Mitigation Plans, EPA: https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2018-
04/documents/storm smart cities 508 final document 3 26 18.pdf

Resources

36


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•	Get Flood Insurance Discounts with Low Impact Development, Open Space Protection Plans, and Stormwater Management Regulations, EPA:
https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2016-04/documents/epa-lid-gi and crs final.pdf

•	Promoting Nature-Based Hazard Mitigation through FEMA Mitigation Grants, The Nature Conservancy:
https://www.nature.org/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/documents/Promoting-Nature-Based-Hazard-Mitigation-Through-FEMA-Mitigation-Grants-
05-10-2021-LR.pdf

•	Risk Factor Tool, First Street Foundation: https://riskfactor.com/

•	Climate Change Adaptation Resource Center, ARC-X, EPA: https://www.epa.gov/arc-x

•	Tree Equity Score, American Forests: https://treeequityscore.org/

Equity and Environmental Justice

•	EPA Environmental Justice: https://www.epa.gov/environmentaliustice

•	EPA EJScreen: https://www.epa.gov/ejscreen

•	EPA Smart Growth and Equitable Development: https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/smart-growth-and-equitable-development

•	Equitable Development and Anti-Displacement Collaborative, Urban Waters Learning Network:
https://urbanwaterslearningnetwork.org/equitable-development-and-anti-displacement-collaborative/

•	Greening in Place: Protecting Communities from Displacement: https://www.greeninginplace.com/

•	State of Equity Practice in Public Sector GSI: https://giexchange.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/State-of-Equity-in-Public-Sector-GSI-Baseline-
Report-FINAL.pdf

•	Green Infrastructure Asset Management Resources Toolkit: https://giexchange.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/GSI-AM-Resources-Toolkit-
Final-Dec-17.pdf

•	Greening without Gentrification: Learning from Parks-Related Anti-Displacement Strategies Nationwide: https://www.ioes.ucla.edu/wp-
content/uploads/Parks-Related-Anti-Displacement-Strategies-report-with-appendix.pdf

Resources

37


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*>E

United States
Environmental Protection
Agency

Office of Water (OW)

Office of Policy (OP)

EPA 833R23002
July 2023


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