The permitting advantages and challenges of green infrastructure

Building better communities with you© 2016 Nitsch Engineering

Building better communities with you

The Permitting Advantages (and Challenges) of Green Infrastructure

SNEAPA 2016

October 20, 2016

Scott D. Turner, PE, AICP, LEED AP NDJennifer Johnson, PE, LEED AP BD+C, CPSWQ

@nitscheng

Nitsch Engineering Building better communities with you

2015 Workload Mix

Private Sector

Public Sector

• Professional Engineers registered in 17 states and the District

of Columbia, and with NCEES

• Offices in Boston, Worcester, Lawrence & Washington DC

• 37 LEED® Accredited Professionals/Green Associates

• 7 Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure ENVSPs

• 100+ LEED Registered or Certified Projects

• Award-winning Sustainable Design Green Infrastructure

Projects

• Leaders in Sustainable Stormwater and Green Infrastructure

• Projects in 18 states and 5 countries

40%60%

Nitsch Engineering Building better communities with you

Project Background

Construction and Site Operation

Project Permitting

Project Background

Owner/Developer

Facility Operator

ArchitectConstruction Administration

Engineer

Project Background

Owner/Developer

Facility Operator

ArchitectConstruction Administration

Local

Hingham, MA

Rockland, MA

State

Mass. EOEEA

MassDOT

Engineer

Project Background

Project Location

Hingham

Rockland

Boston

N

Project Background

Project Location

HINGHAM

ROCKLAND

ACCORDPOND

NORW

ELL

ROUTE 3

HANOVER

N

HANNIGAN(ROCKLAND) RESERVOIR

PROJECT SITE

Project Background

HINGHAM

ROCKLAND

ACCORDPOND

NORW

ELL

ROUTE 3

HANOVER

N


PROJECT SITE

Project Location

HINGHAM

ROCKLAND

NORW

ELL

ROUTE 3

HANOVER

WETLANDS

WETLANDS

ACCORDPOND

BEN MANN BROOK

N PROJECT SITE


Project Background

Project Location

Why Green Infrastructure

Environmentally-Responsible Approach• Forward thinking owner/developer• Wetland and water supply protection• Suitable site conditions (Great Soils!)

Regulatory Drivers• Challenging stormwater requirements • GI/LID consistent with new (draft) MS4 permit requirements• GreenDOT initiative supports remediating highway runoff

Project Benefits• Both towns assumed to support Green Infrastructure

implementation Benefits to project schedule• Cost savings

Project Background

AW Perry – Innovative Developer

Blue Cross Blue Shield

• First LEED Silver office building on south shore• Parking Deck - Limits amount of land disturbance

Two Pond Park Road • LEED Equivalent

Project Background

Original Project Site Plan

Project Background

Green Infrastructure Elements – Porous Asphalt• ‘Stackable Solution’• Suitable soil conditions• Reduce size + cost closed drainage system

35”

Project Background

Green Infrastructure Elements – Bioretention• Dynamic landscape system with subsurface filtration and storage• Effective removal of sediment, petroleum, and nutrients• Best used as a local stormwater control, relatively small drainage areas• Pretreatment needed – catch basins and/or sediment forebay

Project Background


Project Permitting

Project Permitting

Conservation Commission

Planning Board

Zoning Board of Appeals


Planning Board


Indirect Access Permit

Direct Access Permit

Certificate - Environmental Notification Form

Order of Conditions

Special Permit (Parking)

Special Permit (Signage)

Site Plan Review

Design Review

Order of Conditions

Site Plan Review

Variances

Massachusetts Executive Office of

Energy and Environmental Affairs

Special Permit (Property Use)

Project Permitting

Permitting Requirements - State

Certificate - Environmental

Notification Form



Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and

Environmental Affairs

Project Permitting

MEPA Certificate

Project Permitting

Local Permitting Considerations

Hingham• Full-time Planning staff

• Full-time Conservation Agent

• One peer reviewer for all boards (PB, CC, ZBA)

• Separate public hearings for all boards Rockland

• Volunteer Planning Board and Conservation Commission• Two separate (and extremely different) peer reviews• Relied heavily on the engineering peer reviews

• Joint public hearing for Planning Board and ZBA

Project Permitting

Permitting Requirements – Town of Hingham


Hingham

Order of Conditions

Planning Board

Site Plan Review

Special Permit (Parking)


Special Permit (Use)

Variances

Project Permitting

Hingham Review and Approval ProcessPlanning, Zoning, Conservation

• Requested additional offset from wetland line – 50 foot undisturbed Buffer

• Confirmed design met MassDEP Stormwater Management Standards and contacted UNH to confirm design assumptions

Requested the following:• Increased filter course

thickness from 8” to 12”

• Clarification on soil testing and infiltration rates

• Back-up distribution pipe in case of porous asphalt clogging

• Increased safety/treatment measures for the fueling area

Project Permitting

Rockland


Order of Conditions

Site Plan Review

Design Review


Special Permit (Signage)

Planning Board

Permitting Requirements – Town of Rockland

Project Permitting

Rockland Review and Approval ProcessPlanning and Zoning

Requested the following:• Confirmation that flow to

wetland will meet Rockland volume requirement

• Retrofits of existing developed area to increase treatment

• Increased cover over subsurface infiltration systems

• Increased safety/treatment measures for the fueling area

• General design clarifications on stormwater management system • No major design changes required or concerns with Green Infrastructure

• Confirmed design met MassDEP Stormwater Management Standards and Town of Rockland Stormwater Requirements

Project Permitting

Rockland Review and Approval ProcessConservation

Engineering Peer Review focused on the following:• Wetland impacts and required replication• Wetland buffer preservation and tree protection• Porous asphalt suitability for the project site

Project Permitting

Rockland Review and Approval ProcessConservation Peer Review - Wetland Impacts and Replication

Project Permitting

Rockland Review and Approval ProcessConservation Peer Review - Buffer Protection

Project Permitting

Rockland Review and Approval ProcessConservation Peer Review Water Department

Peer Review Engineer

Water Department

Project Permitting

Rockland Review and Approval ProcessConservation Peer Review – Porous Asphalt Suitability

Project Permitting

Project Changes Due to Permitting

• Redesign site layout

• Increase retaining wall height

• Convert to standard asphalt within the buffer zone

• Build underground stormwater infiltration system

• Additional cost of apx. $75,000

Project Permitting

Project Changes Due to Permitting

Project Permitting

Permitting Requirements - State

Certificate - Environmental

Notification Form



Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and

Environmental Affairs

Project Permitting

Public/Private Partnership - MassDOT

1) Increase visibility from highway 2) Mitigate existing highway run-off

Project Permitting

MassDOT – Trimming Policy

Project Permitting

MassDOT – GreenDOT Initiative

Project Permitting

ROW Landscaping and Stormwater Improvements

Project Permitting

Pre Construction – Right-Of-Way

Project Permitting

Post Construction – Right-Of-Way

Project Background


Project Permitting


During Construction – Porous Asphalt


Post Construction – Porous Asphalt


Pre Construction – Right-Of-Way


Post Construction - Right-Of-Way


During Construction - Bioretention


Post Construction - Bioretention


During Construction – Wetland Replication


Post Construction – Wetland Replication


Post Construction – Pavement Transition


Post Construction – Pavement Transition

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4lJagzSYTk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4lJagzSYTk


Post Construction – Overflow Outfall

Q+A on Green Infrastructure

Scott D. Turner, PE, AICP, LEED AP ND [email protected]

Jennifer Johnson, PE, LEED AP BD+C, CPSWQ [email protected]

• What can other Cities and Towns do to encourage the use of Green Infrastructure?

• What are Planners roles in educating their Town staff, boards and public on the benefits of Green Infrastructure?

• Small MS4s will be required to include LID strategies/Green Infrastructure into Town regulations

• What are the operations and site maintenance considerations for Green Infrastructure?

The permitting advantages and challenges of green infrastructure

Government & Nonprofit

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