405 Innovative Practices – Above Green

Intent

Innovative site design, preparation, and development practices are used to enhance environmental performance. Waivers or variances from local development regulations are obtained, and innovative zoning practices are used to implement such practices, as applicable.

405.1 - Driveways and parking areas

Driveways and parking areas are minimized or mitigated by one or more of the following:

405.1(1)

Off-street parking areas are shared or driveways are shared; on-street parking is utilized; and alleys (shared common area driveways) are used for rear-loaded garages. (5 points)

Verify by inspection.

Documentation Required

Site development plans showing shared driveways in single family areas and/or calculation showing parking provided for multi-family does not exceed local requirements. Plan shows location of structured parking.

405.1(2)

In multifamily projects, parking capacity is not to exceed the local minimum requirements. (5 points)

Verify by inspection and local requirements.

Documentation Required

405.1(3)

Structured parking is utilized to reduce the footprint of surface parking areas.

25 percent to less than 50 percent reduction (3 points)
50 percent to 75 percent reduction (5 points)
greater than 75 percent reduction (8 points)

Verify by inspection.

Required Documentation

405.2 - Street widths

405.2(1)

Street pavement widths are minimized per local code and are in accordance with the table below (6 points):

Collector street with parking (one side only) - 31 ft

Collector street without parking - 26 ft

Local access with parking (one side only) - 27 ft

Local access street without parking - 20 ft

Queuing (one-lane) streets with parking - 24 ft

Alleys & queuing (one-lane) streets without parking-17ft

For SI: 1 foot = 304.8 mm

Verify by inspection.

Required Documentation

Site development plan showing widths of collector streets, local access streets, & queuing streets with & without parking are consistent with maximum widths shown in table.

405.2(2)

A waiver was secured by the developer from the local jurisdiction to allow for construction of streets below minimum width requirement. (8 points)

Verify by documentation review and inspection.

Required Documentation

Waiver from local jurisdiction.

405.3 - Cluster development

Cluster development. Cluster development enables and encourages flexibility of design and development of land in such a manner as to preserve the natural and scenic qualities of the site by utilizing an alternative method for the layout, configuration and design of lots, buildings and structures, roads, utility lines and other infrastructure, parks, and landscaping. (10 points)

Verify by document review. The extent of the preservation should be consistent with the size of the development and appropriate for 10 points.

Required Documentation

Site plan with explanation of how the natural and scenic qualities were preserved.

405.4 - Planning

Innovative zoning techniques are implemented in accordance with the following:

405.4(1)

Innovative planning techniques are used or developed for permissible adjustments to population density, area, height, open space, mixed-use, or other provisions for the specific purpose of open space, natural resource preservation or protection and/or mass transit usage. Other innovative planning techniques may be considered on a case-by-case basis. (10 points)

Evidence of development ordinance, waivers, or variances approved by the local jurisdiction.

Required Documentation

Evidence of development ordinance, waivers, or variances approved by the local jurisdiction.

Necessary Info

Describe steps taken to meet this practice:

405.4(2)

Provide common or public spaces of a minimum of 1/6 acre that are within ¼ mile walk to 80 percent of planned and existing units and entrances to non-residential buildings. Both existing and newly constructed squares, parks, paseos, plazas, and similar uses qualify under this criterion.

(10 points)

Verify by documentation review.

Required Documentation

Statement and site plan from qualified professional that environmental effects were minimized and infrastructure is available and adequate.

Necessary Info

Describe steps taken to meet this practice:

405.5 - Wetlands

Constructed wetlands or other natural innovative wastewater or stormwater treatment technologies are used. (8 points)

Verify by inspection and document review. The extent of the constructed wetlands or innovative approach should be consistent with the size of the development and appropriate for 8 points.

Required Documentation

Plans showing constructed wetlands or other innovative wastewater technologies and documentation that a qualified contractor completed an approved installation.

Necessary Info

Describe steps taken to meet this practice:

405.6 - Multi-modal transportation

Multi-modal transportation access is provided in accordance with one or more of the following:

405.6(1)

A site is selected with a boundary within one-half mile (805 m) of pedestrian access to a mass transit system or within five miles of a mass transit station with available parking. (5 points)

Verify by documentation review and inspection.

Required Documentation

Map that defines distance to pedestrian access to mass transit system or distance to nearest mass transit station with available parking.

Necessary Info

List distance to mass transit and

Name/type of mass transit

405.6(2)

A site is selected where all lots within the site are located within one-half mile (805 m) of pedestrian access to a mass transit system. (7 points)

Required Documentation

Map that defines distance to pedestrian access to mass transit system or distance to nearest mass transit station with available parking.

Necessary Info

List distance to mass transit and

Name/type of mass transit

405.6(3)

A system of walkways, bikeways, street crossings, or pathways designed to promote connectivity to existing and planned community amenities are provided.

Create a network of sidewalks and paths that provide a minimum level of connectivity of at least 90 bikeway or pathway intersections per square mile. (5 points)
Create a network of sidewalks and paths that provide a minimum level of connectivity of at least 140 bikeway or pathway intersections per square mile. (10 points)

Verify by documentation review and inspection.

Required Documentation

Walkway and bikeway plan on site development plan and show connections to local area network.

405.6(4)

Dedicated bicycle parking and racks are indicated on the site plan and a minimum of six spaces are constructed for, multifamily buildings, and/or each developed common area. (1 point for each 6 spaces; 6 MAX)

Verify by inspection that bike parking and racks are installed appropriately.

Required Documentation

Site plan showing bike parking installations.

405.6(5)

Bike sharing programs participate with the developer and facilities for bike sharing are planned for and constructed. (5 points)

Verify by documentation review.

Required Documentation

Evidence of particpation in sharing programs.

Necessary Info

Name of sharing program(s):

405.6(6)

Car sharing programs participate with the developer and facilities for bike sharing are planned for and constructed. (5 points)

Verify by documentation review.

Required Documentation

Evidence of particpation in sharing programs.

Necessary Info

Name of sharing program(s):

405.6(7)

A site is selected within a census block group that, compared to its region, has above-average transit access to employment as calculated using the Transit Access Measures within the EPA’s Smart Location Database:

Access is within the top quartile for the region (10 points)
Access is within the second quartile for the region (4 points)

Required Documentation

Documentation from EPA Smart Location Database showing transit access quartile.

Necessary Info

Describe transit access:

405.6(8)

A site is selected within a census block group that, compared to its region, has above-average access to employment within a 45-minute drive as calculated using EPA’s Smart Location Database:

Access is within the top quartile for the region (6 points)
Access is within the second quartile for the region (2 points)

Required Documentation

Documentation from EPA Smart Location Database showing employment access quartile.

Necessary Info

Describe employment opportuntiies:

405.7 - Density

The average density on a net developable area basis is:

7 to less than 14 dwelling units per acre (per 4,047 m2) (5 points)
14 to less than 21 dwelling units per acre (per 4,047 m2) (7 points)
21 or greater dwelling units per acre (per 4,047 m2) (10 points)

Verify by documentation review and confirm calculation appears to be appropriate via site inspection.

Required Documentation

Planner's calculation of density.

Necessary Info

Net Developable Acres=

Dwelling Units:

405.8 - Mixed-use development

(1) Mixed-use development is incorporated, or (2) for single-use sites 20 acres or less in size, 80% of the units are within ½ mile walk of 5 non-residential uses and where a system of walkways, bikeways, street crossings or pathways is designed to promote connectivity to those uses. (9 points)

Verify by inspection.

405.9 - Open space

The community is situated within 1/2 mile of an area of open space available to the public or a portion of the gross area of the community is set aside as open space. (Points awarded for every 10 percent of the community set aside as open space. If open space outside of the community is included, a maximum of 3 points are awarded; 9 points MAX.)

Planner’s calculation of area set aside. Verify by documentation review and confirm calculation appears to be appropriate via site inspection.

Required Documentation

Calculation showing percent of area set aside.

Necessary Info

Total community square footage=

Qualifying open space square footage=

405.10 - Community garden(s)

A portion of the site is established as a community garden(s) for the residents of the site to provide local food production for residents or area consumers.

A portion of the site of at least 250 sq ft is established as a community garden(s) for the residents of the site. (1 point per 250 sq ft; 3 points MAX)
Areas and physical provisions are provided for composting (1 point)
Signs designating the garden are posted (1 point)

Verify by document review and inspection, if possible. If the garden has not been planted it should be distinctively marked, such as with a fence, and the ground level. Signage would also be appropriate. The size of the garden should be appropriate to the size and planned population of the community.

Required Documentation

Site plan showing designated area(s) for community garden.

405.11

The site is designed to mitigate hazards from insect born disease. [To acquire points the site must be documented to be at risk by an epidemiologist or qualified professional]

Dense plant beds, shrubbery and woody plants are not planted within 5 feet (1.5 m) of occupied buildings. (6 points)
A minimum of a 5 foot (1.5 m) border of paving, mulch, bare earth, or turfgrass is provided between woods or weedy areas and people trafficked or occupied areas, including playgrounds and dog parks. (5 points)
Vegetation that is attractive to deer, as documented by a qualified professional, is not planted within 20 feet (6 m) of buildings. (3 points)
Paths or trails maintained through natural or non-maintained areas are a minimum of 5 feet wide (1.5 m). (3 points)
Conditions that are favorable to mosquito breeding, such as standing water, are not present on site. (2 points)

Verify by inspection that landscape plan was implemented.

Required Documentation

For (1), Site plan showing vegetation to be installed near buildings.

For (2), Site plan showing paving, mulch, bare earth, and/or turfgrass.

For (3), Site plan showing vegetation to be installed near buildings.

For (4), Site plan showing planned paths and trails.

405.12

Signs are provided prohibiting smoking at the following locations:

Smoking is prohibited within 25 feet (7.5 m) of all building exterior doors and operable windows or building air intakes within 15 (4.5 m) vertical feet of grade or a walking surface. (3 points)
Smoking is prohibited in common areas unless otherwise designated as smoking areas. (3 points)

Verify by inspection that signs have been installed.