The Low Impact Design Charrette: Engaging the Public and Expanding Green Stormwater Management in San Francisco

To identify new LID opportunities within San Francisco's ultra-urban setting while addressing the distinct interests of its residents, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) hosted two LID charrettes that brought together local stakeholders and helped shaped the future of green stormwater management in San Francisco. The charrettes were designed as a game involving a unique hands-on watershed planning exercise that helped participants visualize and quickly quantify the impact of specific LID projects. Charrette participants were divided into teams and given the necessary data about LID types and drainage basin conditions to assess the impacts of implementing potential LID projects. The teams worked together to identify the most promising LID projects in their assigned basin and estimate the projects' costs and benefits. These candidate projects are now undergoing more detailed engineering analysis to assess their feasibility and prioritize them for implementation. This unique charrette process provided insight into the public's preferences while capturing valuable local knowledge and identifying neighborhood LID opportunities. The charrette also encouraged inter-agency cooperation and generated enthusiasm and acceptance of LID. The tools and approach were developed such that the game could be easily applied to build awareness and identify LID opportunity areas in communities nationwide.