More Rain Gardens to Choose From
In order to continue to improve the health of New York Harbor, over the last several years we have developed and implemented one of the most aggressive and ambitious Green Infrastructure (GI) programs in the country. This includes the construction of nearly 3,000 curbside rain gardens, or bioswales, in neighborhoods from the northern Bronx to portions of Brooklyn and Queens.
Rain gardens have proven to be an effective way to improve harbor water quality as they intercept stormwater before it can drain into the sewer system and contribute to Combined Sewer Overflows. And, as the GI program has matured over the years, we have continuously worked to refine and improve the standard designs for the rain garden and our policies and procedures.
As the program spreads into new neighborhoods, staff works diligently to engage community boards, civic associations and elected officials in order to explain what the GI program entails and the benefits it will bring to the community and the environment. What we have been reminded of again and again during this process is that every neighborhood is unique.
During our conversations and meetings with the northern Queens community, we learned that some property owners really like the way the sidewalk in front of their home currently looks, and that they didn’t want to see changes to it. Specifically, we learned that some owners have installed a strip of lawn adjacent to the street in front of their home that they don’t want to lose. Other property owners would prefer that the full sidewalk in front of their home remain a concrete surface. With this understanding, our engineers developed alternatives to the traditional rain garden that would provide the same GI benefit, while preserving the look and feel of the existing above-ground surface.
The Green Strip will function like a typical rain garden below ground, but will look like the existing grass planted strip that many property owners have already installed in the sidewalk. This option will not include a tree guard or any type of fence.
The Concrete Sidewalk will function like a typical rain garden below ground, but will look like the existing sidewalk. This option will also not include a tree guard or any type of fence.
Additionally, we will allow any property owner with a disabled license plate or parking placard to fully “opt-out” of any type of GI in front of their home.
Moving forward, if it is determined that GI is feasible in front of a home, the homeowner will have the option of selecting from the traditional rain garden design, or one of the new alternatives. While it will take us some time to work out the logistics for this new procedure, it’s also important that we continue to work with the community to address their concerns and ensure the long-term viability of the GI program.
