Small Business Assistance - Permit Primer
Green
Land Development: Save Dollars and the Environment!
To find out how you can save money and minimize land disturbance on your project site, read on!
Up Front Planning
Minimizing the amount of impervious areas during the design phase of your project is important. By reducing amounts of blacktop and concrete used (substituting non-paved, gravel pathways, parking areas) and running roof drains, gutters and downspouts to natural swales or grassy areas, you can save dollars that would otherwise be spent on storm sewer fees and ongoing maintenance costs.
Department Store layout incorporating grass swales, turf pavers and grouped plantings. Up-front planning can include creating grassy swales or leaving natural areas thereby allowing rainwater to be absorbed instead of ending up as runoff. This can lead to positive public recognition, as well. Drawing by Robert W. Droll, Landscape Architect.
Filling and Grading
When looking at the parcel in which you plan to develop for your small
business, consider alternatives to clearing, grading, filling and disposal
such as preserving your valuable natural areas. If you see areas with
existing trees, shrubs and groundcover on your property, you can save
money by leaving them in place.
Conserve trees during construction to provide water retention and shade. Photo used with permission from the Center for Watershed Protection.
Not only will you save on rising landscaping costs (landscaping, lawn mowing, etc.), you may be able to avoid storm water issues related to water quality and amount of less pervious and impervious surfaces such as compacted lawns and blacktop.
Small
Business Assistance