Southeast Michigan Council of Governments...The people of Southeast Michigan benefit from a...
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Southeast Michigan Council of Governments Developing Regional Solutions
Transcript of Southeast Michigan Council of Governments...The people of Southeast Michigan benefit from a...
Southeast Michigan Council of Governments
Developing Regional Solutions
GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING FOR SOUTHEAST
MICHIGAN Katie Grantham
SEMCOG
1. An Overview of SEMCOG’s Work 2. Green Infrastructure and Southeast
Michigan 3. SEMCOG’s Green Infrastructure Planning4. SEMCOG’s Green Infrastructure Work
Agenda
Association of over 170 local governments
– Transportation – Infrastructure– Environment– Economic Development– Bicycle and Pedestrian– Parks and Recreation– Regional Forecasting
What is SEMCOG?
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Before I get into our environmental work, I wanted to provide a quick introduction to SEMCOG for those of you that might be less familiar with SEMCOG and everything the agency does. The Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) supports coordinated, local planning with technical, data, and intergovernmental resources to over 170 units of local government, community colleges, and intermediate school districts in Southeast Michigan. While SEMCOG is the designated water quality management agency for Southeast Michigan and has been actively involved with water resource planning since the 1970s – SEMCOG also provides technical assistance on transportation, infrastructure, economic development, bicycle and pedestrian planning, parks and recreation, and regional population and demographic forecasting; and is the region’s designated MPO. Ultimately, SEMCOG’s plans function to improve the quality of the region’s environmental resources, make the transportation system safer and more efficient, revitalize communities, and encourage economic development. Over the few years SEMCOG has made an effort to develop cross-cutting policies and integrated urban planning solutions that generate multiple benefits and maximize outcomes for the region.
The people of Southeast Michigan benefit from
a connected, thriving region of small towns,
dynamic urban centers, active waterfronts,
diverse neighborhoods, premier educational
institutions, and abundant agricultural,
recreational and natural areas.
SEMCOG Vision
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As the lifeblood to the region, water resources are a core driver to achieving SEMCOG’s regional vision, which is The people of Southeast Michigan benefit from a connected, thriving region of small towns, dynamic urban centers, active waterfronts, diverse neighborhoods, premier educational institutions, and abundant agricultural, recreational and natural areas.
Green Infrastructure and Southeast Michigan
Green Infrastructure in Southeast MI
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In SEMCOG’s region, there are two broad categories of green infrastructure. The first encompasses the natural, undisturbed environment such as wetlands, trees, prairies, lakes, rivers, and streams. The second category includes constructed or built green infrastructure such as rain gardens, bioswales, community gardens, and agricultural lands.
• 7 counties
• 4,700 square miles
• 4.7 Million population
• 44% Residential
• 26% Agricultural
• 15% Impervious
• 30% Tree Canopy
• 50% Open Space
Detroit
Southeast Michigan has…
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Green infrastructure is an important asset in Southeast Michigan. From our wetlands, parks, riparian corridors, agricultural lands, and constructed green infrastructure, southeast Michigan is rich in green space, and our goal is to continue and expand green infrastructure. Today, the SEMCOG region includes 4,700 square miles of diverse land uses and landscapes, with a population of about 4.7 million – which is about half of Michigan’s residents. We have about 30% tree canopy across the region, with tree canopy within each county ranging from a low 20% to a high 44%. It’s important to remember that the regions green infrastructure network connects greatly with our water resources. As you can see on this map, the region also has abundant waterways that define the rural and urban landscapes in Southeast Michigan. With over 4,000 miles of rivers and stream, over 340,000 acres of wetlands, 400 miles of Great Lakes shoreline, and over 800 inland lakes greater than 10 acres, – holistically integrating water resources into land use planning, decision making, and development has become more important in Southeast Michigan to ensure a high standard of living is maintained for Southeast Michigan’s residents, and that water resources are available to support long-term economic development and local government operations.
SEMCOG Green Infrastructure Planning
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At SEMCOG, we realize the value of green infrastructure. We also understand that incorporating green infrastructure properly into the planning process can be challenging. To help support local governments actions, in adapting and developing green infrastructure in their regions, we developed multiple plans that support green infrastructure planning and adaptation throughout our region. These plans are developed through a collaborative process with local stakeholders and experts. Using a task force, we identify challenges that our region faces, and we identify steps that can be taken to tackle these barriers and implement this important infrastructure for a greener future. These plans benchmark green infrastructure, set policies for green infrastructure throughout our region, and serve as a supportive planning tool for local governments in our region. I’m going to highlight a lot of our plans as I continue to work through my talk today. I’ve brought a few of our plans with me, if anyone is interested in obtaining one, but all of our plans, data, and tools are available online at our website. Please check out our website or contact me if you have further questions.
Green Infrastructure Plans
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SEMCOG has a lot of plans and manuals to guide local governments through the green infrastructure planning process. These plans include our Green Infrastructure vision for Southeast Michigan, our Low Impact Development Manual for Michigan, and our Great Lakes Green Streets Guidebooks. The LID Manual pictured above is a highly useful planning tool, discussing the benefits of low impact development and highlighting effective techniques and when they should be used. This guide largely provide communities, agencies, builders, developers, and the public with guidance on how to apply LID to new, existing, and redevelopment sites. This guide provides community level to site level support, and can be helpful for a variety of stakeholder groups. The Great Lakes Green Streets Guidebook is another highly useful plan, that captures several road improvement projects within the Great Lakes Watershed, and highlights how they incorporated green infrastructure techniques to manage stormwater runoff. What I’d really like to dive deeper into today is the Green Infrastructure Vision for Southeast Michigan. This vision was developed in 2014, and serves as a baseline planning tool for all local governments and agencies in Southeast Michigan.
• Quality • Connectivity • Water Quality • Air Quality• Transportation • Economy
Green Infrastructure Vision
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The Green Infrastructure Vision for Southeast Michigan has played an important role, in shaping the direction for green infrastructure development in Southeast Michigan. To develop this vision took a great amount of work and collaboration. This vision benchmarks where green infrastructure currently stands in SE MI. GIS data allowed for us to understand where green infrastructure is located throughout the region, as well as what types of green infrastructure exist here. This can be seen above, with maps that show the percent of tree canopy within the region, and the types of vegetation. Benchmarking green infrastructure did not just include identifying green infrastructure; it included identifying the benefits green infrastructure provides to our region, and it’s ties with other environmental and transportation aspects. This plan identified the quality of green infrastructure in our region, as well as how connected our green spaces are. The vision also look at access to public green space, and places where green infrastructure can be placed in the future, to ensure all residents have equal access to green infrastructure. The plan discusses green infrastructures connection with water, air, and transportation, all important aspects of our region. The plan discusses how GI benefits our regions economy, such as increasing property values, providing $4 billion dollars annually for tourism, energy efficiency benefits, and the health benefits of green infrastructure.
Regional Policies: • Southeast Michigan’s infrastructure is a network that needs to be managed
as a system. • Green infrastructure should focus on connecting the public network
together, focusing on riparian corridors and trails. • Public accessibility is fundamental to the green infrastructure network. • Increasing tree canopy is a priority. • The transportation network is a key component of the regional green
infrastructure system. • Education and promotion of green infrastructure is necessary.
Green Infrastructure Vision
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From the vision, we developed regional policies for local governments and the region to adopt. These policies focus on the implementation of green infrastructure throughout the region, and define places where change and progress is needed. Just a few of the regional policies are listed here. Regional Policies: Southeast Michigan’s infrastructure is a network that needs to be managed as a system. Green infrastructure should focus on connecting the public network together, focusing on riparian corridors and trails. Public accessibility is fundamental to the green infrastructure network. Increasing tree canopy is a priority. The transportation network is a key component of the regional green infrastructure system. Education and promotion of green infrastructure is necessary.
Local Governments Role:• Adopting GI policies • Educate • Update zoning ordinances
and land use plans • Evaluate vacant parcels for
greening potential • Identify GI potential in road,
water, and sewer infrastructure projects
• Consider native plant use
Green Infrastructure Vision
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While we identify regional policies and actions that need to be taken within our region, we also identify where we need to go and how local governments can get involved. In developing the green infrastructure vision, we envisioned where we want the future of green infrastructure to lie. Through this guide, we identified where increased green infrastructure is needed, and potential areas where green infrastructure could be highly beneficial. This map allows local governments to see where their region stands, and where projects are needed. Here, we identify local governments roles in green infrastructure implementation: Local Governments Role: Adopting GI policies Educate Update zoning ordinances and land use plans Evaluate vacant parcels for greening potential Identify GI potential in road, water, and sewer infrastructure projects Consider native plant use These are important considerations for any community or individual to consider when implementing green infrastructure.
• Preserve and restore natural areas• Protect and restore aquatic
habitats • Coordinated asset management • Flexible jurisdictions for stormwater
management
Water Resource Plan
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In addition to the green infrastructure vision, we have many other plans that support environmental regulations and green space. In 2018, we released the Water Resource Plan for Southeast Michigan. In addition to it’s focus on water, and the benefits of water resources, the plan identifies the benefits of green infrastructure, including it’s tourism and blue economy draws, it’s ability to improve water quality and connectivity, and it’s beneficial stormwater management. Policies in this plan focus on preserving and restoring natural areas, coordinating infrastructure asset management, and creating flexible regulations and policies to implement green infrastructure for water quality benefits. Southeast Michigan’s water resources are dependent on the quality and quantity of wetlands woodlands, riparian corridors, built green infrastructure, and agricultural lands. This green infrastructure network reduces stormwater runoff, flooding, erosion, lending support to the recreational and economic opportunities in the region. It’s important to manage these network cohesively, by coordinating asset management, and incorporating green infrastructure into transportation and redevelopment planning. Barriers, however, do exist for communities when implementing green infrastructure. Policies within this plan identify how to increase flexible jurisdictions for stormwater management and green infrastructure implementation.
Regional Policies: • Integrate community health• Ensure Equitable Access • Promote the economic value • Support Conservation and
Stewardship • Raise awareness• Foster Collaboration
Parks and Recreation Plan
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Two weeks ago, in May of 2019, SEMCOG released it’s Parks and Recreation Plan for Southeast Michigan. Our region has more than 2,300 parks, covering 214,00 acres. These parks are connected by trails and greenways, and help to makeup the larger green infrastructure network throughout Southeast Michigan. This plan identifies green infrastructure in a different light, focusing on the value of green infrastructure from a parks and recreation standpoint. This plan focuses on enhancing the region’s recreation system, and builds on recommendations from the Green Infrastructure Vision and the Water Resource Plan for Southeast Michigan. It’s regional policies include the following: Regional Policies: Southeast Michigan’s infrastructure is a network that needs to be managed as a system. Green infrastructure should focus on connecting the public network together, focusing on riparian corridors and trails. Public accessibility is fundamental to the green infrastructure network. Increasing tree canopy is a priority. The transportation network is a key component of the regional green infrastructure system. Education and promotion of green infrastructure is necessary.
• 2045 RTP– 20-year horizon– $35 billion; 174 projects
through 2045• Transportation Improvement
Program– 4-year horizon– 2017-2020– $4.4 billion
2045 Regional Transportation Plan
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The Regional Transportation Plan (or RTP) is a long-term blueprint of a region’s transportation system. Usually RTPs are conducted every four years and maintain a 20-year horizon into the future. SEMCOG recently adopted the 2045 RTP for Southeast Michigan in March. The plan identifies and analyzes transportation needs of the region and creates a framework for project priorities. It also describes how more than $35 billion in revenues will be invested in 174 projects to support the region’s transportation system through 2045 A transportation improvement program (TIP), also known as a short-range plan, lists all transportation projects in the region that seek federal transportation funding within at least a four-year horizon. The TIP implements the policies of the RTP. The current 2017-2020 TIP represents about 4.4 billion in transportation investments.
Environmental & Infrastructure Priorities
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Within the RTP, we have an entire section focused on the environment. Some of the main priorities are listed here. Note that a big focus for SEMCOG is to strengthen coordination across road agencies and watershed groups to ensure that we are integrating stormwater management and green infrastructure into transportation projects. Also, we are currently developing a flooding risk tool that will identify road assets at risk for flooding. This data will lead to future projects that can prioritize green infrastructure implementation to reduce runoff to these transportation corridors.
RTP Policies and Actions
Integrate Environmental Protection into the transportation system, enhancing community health and increasing the overall resiliency of infrastructure• Integrate environmental elements into the early transportation planning
process. • Utilize the environmental sensitivity analysis to inform transportation
agencies of potential impacts. • Support and facilitate collaboration between road agencies and local
jurisdictions regarding stormwater management opportunities. • Complete a climate resiliency analysis for regional transportation assets. • Reduce stormwater water runoff entering combined sewer systems using
green infrastructure or other stormwater management techniques.
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The RTP has policies and actions related to stormwater management, green infrastructure and other water infrastructure. Our biggest focus is to consider stormwater management early in the transportation planning process so that budgets and timing are established. Federal Highway Administration requires the regions to conduct an environmental sensitivity analysis for all federal aid road projects. We are currently updating that process to include a number of elements, one of which will be identifying stormwater management needs for any road project. Also – and this might interest you – we have contracted with the State of Michigan to update the entire National Wetland Inventory for our 7-county region. This updated data will be available in about a year, but will also include a functional wetland assessment so that there is an indication of wetland values. This data can also be useful to know which wetlands have stormwater management value.
• Local planners and local governments• Multiple Watershed Groups • Lake St. Clair CISMA• Green Infrastructure Task Force • Huron-Clinton Metroparks• EGLE• Water Resources Task Force• Parks and Recreation Task Force • GLWA Committees (One Water Partnership; Master
Plan; Best Practices; Public Education)
Partnerships & Stakeholder Groups
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The development of these plans would be incomplete without the acknowledgement of our regional stakeholders and partnerships. Development of these plans takes working with local experts in all fields, collaborating with the public, and developing relationships with watershed and green infrastructure groups, who can truly identify challenges and areas for improvements.
SEMCOG’s Green Infrastructure Work
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Since the development of these plans, SEMCOG and local governments across the region have been working to increase green space within the region, and support the green infrastructure network through collaboration and connectivity. SEMCOG has multiple grant program available, to help local communities implement green infrastructure, and consider it’s benefits in planning process. These program help us to implement the green infrastructure vision, as well as our other plans, throughout southeast Michigan, and support local governments actions to implement green infrastructure.
Funding Opportunities for Transportation Improvements: • Bike & Pedestrian Safety • Historic Preservation • Environmental Mitigation
Activities • Safe Routes to School
Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP)
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The first of SEMCOG’s grants is the Transportation Alternatives program. TAP offers funding for a number of transportation improvements, including environmental mitigation activities. In the past, projects that have been supported include streetscapes, such as the one above, greenways, and park trails.
• Norton Creek Watershed Green Infrastructure Planning
• George W. Kuhn Basin Green Infrastructure Code Changes
Multi-Community Planning Grants
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SEMCOG also recently began it’s multi-community planning grants program. This program works to support the planning process for a variety of projects, including ones that focus on green infrastructure implementation. This past year, two projects were funded that support green infrastructure planning. The Norton Creek Watershed Green Infrastructure Planning grant focused on potential GI sites in the Norton Creek Watershed. The Huron River Watershed Council worked with local communities in this area to identify GI needs, as well as potential sites for GI. As this project wraps up in June, the collaborative group is looking to receive funding for many of the potential projects identified by stakeholders. The George W. Kuhn Basin Green Infrastructure Code Audit is another project supported by this grant. This project is working to review green infrastructure zoning and codes in southern Oakland County, and is working to identify areas where codes can be changed to be more flexible to incorporate GI.
• EPA GLRI• $265,000 for implementation• Lake Erie drainage
– Majority of region– Nutrient reduction priority
• County + EGLE
Green Infrastructure
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In March of this year, SEMCOG released a request for proposals for green infrastructure implementation in Southeast Michigan. The goal of this grant was to help local governments implement green infrastructure to support the Lake Erie Domestic Action Plan, by reducing nutrient loading and runoff into nearby water bodies. Green infrastructure, as part of this project, needs to be multifunctional, supporting multi goals and benefits. This grant was awarded to SEMCOG as pass through money, by the EPA, in support of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. SEMCOG is currently working with county officials and EGLE stakeholders to determine where funding will be awarded.
Questions?
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At SEMCOG, our focus on environmental issues is strong. We realize the importance of green infrastructure, in supporting our economy, our health, our regional natural features, and our regional assets. As we move forward, SEMCOG will continue to tackle barriers to implementing green infrastructure and support local governments in the planning process through planning support and funding. Questions?
