Leveraging Community Engagement and Plan Quality for Improved Decentralized Stormwater Management

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  • February 28, 2019
Creator
  • Martin, Sarah
    • Affiliation: College of Arts and Sciences, Department of City and Regional Planning
Abstract
  • Traditional stormwater management is no longer capable of meeting environmental standards while protecting the health and safety of citizens. Though traditional methods effectively achieve the goal of transporting stormwater away from the city center through networks of pipes, these systems do little to address pollution and often transfer flooding to downstream communities. Furthermore, as cities continue to develop, infrastructure may become ill equipped to manage increased volumes of stormwater runoff. Cities are beginning to look past the pipe toward lot­‐level stormwater management. Lot­‐level stormwater management moves beyond administrative, centralized solutions and requires the frequent implementation of stormwater management controls on both public and private property. The frequency of implementation required demands an efficient and effectiveness participatory process, capable of garnering sufficient support from a wide range of public and private stakeholders. Using the Bolin Creek Restoration Plan as a case study, this analysis seeks to understand the connection between community engagement, plan quality, and planning outcomes as it relates to stormwater management. Comparing the Bolin Creek Restoration Plan against established best practices for high quality plans revealed important information about the plan content and structure, while interviews with community and Town stakeholders revealed information about the planning process and planning outcomes. Ultimately, while the plan addressed all of the elements required by the EPA, the content lacked continuity, which detracted form the plan’s overall quality. Furthermore, the final recommendations included in the plan appear to contradict its general support for decentralized stormwater management. The plan cites preliminary difficulties garnering support for siting specific small­‐scale projects, however this resistance may be indicative of a time­‐constrained engagement process and entrenched mistrust rather than a lack of support for restoration efforts. The final section of this paper further dissects these findings and provides preliminary recommendations for future planning efforts.
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  • In Copyright
Advisor
  • Spurlock, Danielle
Degree
  • Master of City and Regional Planning
Degree granting institution
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Graduation year
  • 2017
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Location
  • Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States
Extent
  • 53
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  • 01a9c2e1-c753-4172-90f1-ecfd828703a8
Date uploaded
  • July 7, 2017

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