Presented at the 2019 Washington State Municipal Stormwater Conference (April 25, 2019)
Presenters: Aaron Clark, Ph.D. (Stewardship Partners); Jo Sullivan (King County RainWise Program); Cari Simson (Urban Systems Design); Derek Hahn, P.E. (Snohomish Conservation District); Mary Rabourn (King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks)
Abstract.
Across the Puget Sound region, cities, counties, conservation districts, and non-profits are offering incentives, cost-shares, and other implementation models for private landowners to improve water quality and flow control through installation of rain gardens and cisterns. As municipalities work to control stormwater statewide, private land can be incorporated into their larger planning efforts to help meet NPDES permits, while also engaging the public through meaningful projects.
Our panel of regional experts will guide attendees through the basic overview of each program with information about program costs, successes and lessons-learned, as well as efforts to address equitable access to the programs. The panel will provide tangible tools, tactics and metrics for municipalities that are considering a private property program to address their NPDES permit, including how to engage low-income, people of color, Veterans, and other populations that do not typically engage in stormwater programs.
Programs represented:
City of Seattle/King County’s RainWise rebate program has rebated over 1600 projects (2.17 million square feet of roof area captured) on residential, commercial and large roof buildings such as places of worship.
Snohomish Conservation District’s cost share and implementation model provides design/construction support and labor instead of a rebate; their program has installed over 500 projects and employs a military Veteran construction crew for implementation.
Stewardship Partners’ regional grant-funded incentive programs include a revolving loan and two small equity grants; they’ve provided thousands of dollars for equity grants and helped leverage and support large projects across King County.
King County’s incentive program (in pilot phase) for residential and commercial property owners in unincorporated King County will install projects that manage stormwater through rain gardens, cisterns, removal of impervious pavement and tree planting. Their program will be designed to address equity and help retrofit properties built before LID/GSI became required.
