1. Building Green Infrastructure to Attract Quality Investments Shannon Kettering, ASLA, AICP, Vice President Ecos Environmental Design, Inc. MEAG Economic Development Forum April 2009

2. What Makes a Community? Three Levels of Community Infrastructure: Gray Infrastructure

3. Three Levels of Community Infrastructure: Social Infrastructure What Makes a Community?

4. Three Levels of Community Infrastructure: Green Infrastructure What Makes a Community?

5. Social Infrastructure Green Infrastructure Gray Infrastructure What Makes a Community? Parks/ Open Spaces Natural Systems Habitat Preservation Trails Environment Diversity Sense of Place Civic Presence Equity Built Environment Structures Streets Economics

6. Necessity just like Gray, Social, Soft Infrastructure Integrates land protection, development practices, and infrastructure planning Strategically planned and locally managed networks of trails and protected greenspace with multiple purposes. Interconnected network of land and water that contributes to the health and quality of life of its residents. What Is Green Infrastructure?

7. Economic Development Recreation, Health and Fitness Alternative Transportation Floodplain and Watershed Management Water and Air Quality Improvement Stewardship and Restoration Historic and Cultural Preservation Plant and Wildlife Habitat Educational Curriculum Social Opportunities Why Green Infrastructure?

8. Provides potential economic generator for local government through increased value to properties. Parks, open spaces and trails have shown to bolster property values Homebuyers are willing to pay more for land adjacent to protected greenspace- as much as 33 percent; Consider the following examples: Boulder, Colorado: Value homes increased 32% if located adjacent to greenway trail Portland, Oregon: Homes within ¼ mile walking distance of open space on average accounted for 16% of sale price Austin, Texas: Homes adjacent to greenway trail sold at 20% premium. Why Green Infrastructure?

9. Provides less expensive tax burden to local government. For every $1.00 generated by residential land use tax revenues, $1.24-$2.26 is required in community services (i.e. government expenses, such as garbage collection, schools, libraries, etc.) To the contrary, for every $1.00 generated by farms, forest lands, and greenspaces in tax revenues, only $.20-$.36 is required in community services Why Green Infrastructure? ResidentialCommercialAg Land/ Open Space

10. For the State: Georgia Land Conservation Act Legislation that established funding available to local governments and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for the purchase of conservation lands. Seeks to protect 20% of the state’s greenspace. Why Green Infrastructure?

11. For the Region: Atlanta Regional Commission’s Envision 6 Regional Development Plan Outlines open space and preservation policies for environmentally sensitive areas, landscapes and historic sites throughout the 20-county metropolitan area that are threatened by development. Why Green Infrastructure?

12. Places a more balanced focus on BOTH growth areas and conservation areas Focuses on sustaining rural landscapes for many different uses that can benefit the entire community Encourages resource-based economies Credit: Yaro, 1988 Why Green Infrastructure?

13. More growth based and competitive among localities Often loses Sense of Place Struggle between ‘expanding and serving’ beyond natural borders Looks spatially at how the community can accommodate more growth, yet does so in the very areas that it should be protecting & highlighting Why Green Infrastructure?

14. What does it look like? How do I know that I have? And, what do I do with it? Credit: Farr Associates, 2008

15. Building Green Infrastructure Regional Initiative: Tourism, Resource Protection and Mobility

16. ATLANTA ARABIA MOUNTAIN HERITAGE AREA PANOLA MOUNTAIN STATE PARK SOUTH RIVER INTERSTATE- 20 CITY OF LITHONIA ST. MT. PARK

17. ‘A Heritage Area is a region in which residents, businesses, and governments join together to preserve, promote, and celebrate their heritage, culture, and natural resources for the benefit of current and future generations.’ Building Green Infrastructure

18. –Themed Routes –Focus Areas –Gateways –Central Visitor Center – Other venues outside the focus areas – Significant interpretive venues (I.e. churches, cemeteries, structures, waterways) * The Mall at Stonecrest Building Green Infrastructure

19. DeKalb County Schools MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. HIGH FUTURE ELEMENTARY (UNDER CONSTRUCTION) FUTURE ENVIRONMENTAL HIGH MURPHEY CANDLER ELEMENTARY Rockdale County Schools LORRAINE SCHOOL CAMPUS Henry County Schools AUSTIN ROAD HIGH & MIDDLE SCHOOL A B C D E F A B C D E F Schools Proposed & Existing PATH Multi-use Trails Building Green Infrastructure

21. The Atlanta BeltLine and The BeltLine Arboretum: A Unique Opportunity for Atlanta Building Green Infrastructure Images courtesy of Trees Atlanta Metropolitan Initiative: Transit, Trails and Trees

22. Green Infrastructure becomes the unifying theme for all aspects of the Beltline : – transit – trail – economic development – community Building Green Infrastructure Images courtesy of Trees Atlanta

23. Building Green Infrastructure Images courtesy of Trees Atlanta

24. Provides many volunteer and educational opportunities for elementary, high school, and university students, as well as residents and visitors. Building Green Infrastructure Images courtesy of Trees Atlanta

25. Educational signage Building Green Infrastructure Images courtesy of Trees Atlanta Metropolitan Scale: Transportation Planning

26. Tree identification Building Green Infrastructure Images courtesy of Trees Atlanta Metropolitan Scale: Transportation Planning

27. Opportunity to incorporate art into environmental education & demonstrations Building Green Infrastructure Images courtesy of Trees Atlanta Metropolitan Scale: Transportation Planning

28. Building Green Infrastructure Metropolitan Scale: Transportation Planning

29. The BeltLine Arboretum Vision- The Arboretum will be a success when every one in Atlanta can identify their neighborhoods by the trees that surround them and therefore understand the value of trees in the urban environment. Building Green Infrastructure

30. Local Initiative: Comprehensive Planning Identifying Conservation BEFORE Growth

31. Building Green Infrastructure Emphasis is placed on the marketability & improved livability of greenspace and the opportunity of rural landscapes & economies, i.e. Tourism Development patterns are clustered and surrounded by green infrastructure

32. Resource Based Economic Development Seize sustainable opportunities Connect to the community values Revenue/ Services ratio Growth is possible by controlling the scale, form and location of desirable development types Building Green Infrastructure

33. City of Woodstock Greenprints Project Located 50 Miles north of Atlanta Encompasses 7,170 acres Adjacent to Lake Allatoona Building Green Infrastructure City Initiative: Parks, Open Spaces and Trails

34. Current Population: 19,949 Has nearly doubled since 2000 Projected to increase by 2.5 to 3 times by 2032 19602006 Building Green Infrastructure

35. Community & Resource Based Process Determine Benefits & Trends Inventory & Analyze Resources Establish Vision, Goals & Criteria Determine Community Priorities Develop a range/ variety of strategies/tools Recommend model design standards Identify implementation & maintenance prioritization, strategies & financing PHASE I: CollectionPHASE II: Goals PHASE III: Implementation Building Green Infrastructure

36. For the County: Cherokee County Greenspace Protection Program Outlines a strategy for promoting the permanent protection of greenspace amounting to at least 20% of county land over the next 10 years; County Recreation & Parks Authority Master Plan identifies potential open space and trails, to create a network throughout the county. Building Green Infrastructure

37. For the City: Draft Community Agenda for the 2008 Comprehensive Development Plan Update Identifies the need for balance between the built and natural environment; Advocates the integration of green infrastructure and green architecture into the fabric of development Recommends future development to provide appropriate private and public open spaces at different scales and purposes. Building Green Infrastructure

38. Cultural ResourcesUtilities LandformsHydrology Building Green Infrastructure

41. VISION: A Sustainable Greenspace and Trail Network that defines and enhances the City of Woodstock’s community, natural and economic resources for all generations. GOAL: Improve Air and Water Quality GOAL: Provide Connectivity for People and Wildlife GOAL: Create Diverse Places for Improved Health GOAL: Protect Natural and Cultural Resources CRITERIA: riparian corridors trees/ forested land slope landforms CRITERIA: soils slope undeveloped, future preserve land water bodies riparian corridors water accessfloodplains park gap analysis undeveloped land & Public owned land CRITERIA: slope floodplains wetlands utility, riparian, & roadway corridors undeveloped land CRITERIA: wetlands riparian corridors floodplains historic/ archeological sites trees/ forested land landforms committee feedback committee feedback wetlands floodplains soils Building Green Infrastructure

42. Greenspace and Connectivity Deficiencies: Unit Need: Locational Need: Neighborhood Greenspaces106 acresWest, SW, SE Community Greenspaces162 acresWest, SW, SE Corridor Greenspaces25 milesSouth Multi Use Trails+18 milesAll Specialized Trails5 milesWithin key spaces Building Green Infrastructure

43. Community Survey- Respondents Support: More greenways & passive parks Preserve natural resources More biking & walking trails Connectivity to residences, parks & other regional trails Restrictions on use/ development where conservation & recreation needs are high priority Collaborations with developers on implementation Options for funding, such as SPLOST-special purpose local option sales tax, general obligation bond / bond referendum & user fees Building Green Infrastructure

45. Alternative Concept 1Alternative Concept 2 Steering Committee Design Workshop Using the composite priorities map as a foundation, the group creates alternative open space and trail systems Building Green Infrastructure

48. Downtown Depot Greenway Approx. length: 2.9 mi. Approx. cost: $1.8 mil. Towne Lake Pass Approx. length: 3.2 mi. Approx. cost: $1.5 mil. Old Rope Mill Trail Approx. length: 2.5 mi. Approx. cost: $1.2 mil. Building Green Infrastructure

50. The protection of land is an expression of faith in the future: it is a pact between generations” - The Conservation Fund Building Green Infrastructure Conclusion: You Have it, Now go out and use it!

51. Shannon Kettering, ASLA, AICP, Vice President Ecos Environmental Design, Inc. MEAG Economic Development Forum April 2009 www.ecosdesign.com