Promoting Low Impact Development in Puget Sound through Regulatory Assistance and Other Measures

Abstract

Beginning in 2000-01, the Puget Sound Action Team in Washington State began to carry out a strategy with regional partners to promote the low impact development (LID) approach to land development and stormwater management in the Puget Sound region. The Action Team identified barriers to implementation and undertook a series of activities to overcome barriers. Activities included raising awareness of LID and the limitations of conventional practices, improving knowledge regarding proper design, construction and maintenance of LID techniques, and removing local government regulatory barriers. Since 2001, the use of LID techniques has significantly increased in the region. This paper provides an overview of the Action Team’s overall strategy to promote LID in the Puget Sound region, with emphasis on an innovative technical assistance project to help local governments remove regulatory barriers. The relative success of efforts will be examined, and next steps needed to continue progress will be suggested. By doing so, the author hopes to share lessons learned and provide ideas for others interested in promoting LID to potentially use. Background: Puget Sound Action Team well positioned to promote LID. The Puget Sound Action Team is well-positioned to promote low impact development actively in the Puget Sound region. The Action Team has significant standing: It is housed within the Office of the Governor, State of Washington; it is charged by state law with setting, coordinating and helping carry out the environmental protection agenda for Puget Sound; and, along with its advisory Puget Sound Council, the Action Team is quite broad-based and includes representatives from state and federal natural resource agencies, local governments, the state legislature, tribes, environmental organizations, business, universities, and others. The Action Team is also recognized by, and receives funding from, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the National Estuary Program.