Adopt zoning language or approve a skinny street/development project that follows green street and/or walkable streets principles.
Best Practice of this action
Rating Guideline
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Describe your green street project; report street narrowing done as part of a street reconstruction project; satisfy LEED-ND prerequisites and a minimum of 2 credits (in addition to Walkable Streets and Street Network) among Connected & Open Community, Tree-Lined & Shaded Streets, Stormwater Management. |
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Describe your green street ordinance; satisfy LEED-ND prerequisites and between 7 & 12 credits among all 1-star categories. |
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Document savings from a green streets project; certify as a LEED-ND development and achieve more than 12 credits among all 1-star categories; set a maximum block perimeter total that does not exceed 2400 feet. |
Resources
- The EPA Green Streets Handbook (2021) features examples from the City of Maplewood and includes resources from the MPCA Stormwater Manual.
- While zoning policy is typically under the purview of planning and zoning offices, partnering with public health practitioners can support efforts to amend long-term zoning and planning to foster walkable communities. See resources from the Institute for Health Research and Policy.
- Using a skinny street design over time as street reconstruction is needed on low-traffic streets, cities can see the multiple benefits of decreased impervious area, more trees and infiltration area, less polluted runoff to nearby bodies of water, more/better sidewalks, and decreased construction and maintenance costs. See Skinny Streets Aid Crystal Lake Water Quality where a GreenStep participant is narrowing most streets from 34 to 32 or 30 feet and 32 to 30 feet to reduce costs and reduce stormwater runoff.
- LEED-ND performance standards specify at least 90 street intersections per square mile. See resources for the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Neighborhood Development program.
Order Number
2
Action Type
Finite