A Low Impact Development (LID) Model Ordinance and Guidance Document

This paper describes the development of a Low Impact Development (LID) Model Ordinance and Guidance documents developed to assist communities which are in the process of adopting LID technology to develop and ordinance that helps them to overcome many of the traditional impediments to the application of this technology. Many communities throughout the US are interested in implementing LID technology because it offers a sustainable "green" approach to site design and stormwater management. However, in many instance they are faced with a patchwork of local codes (zoning, subdivision, inland wetland regulations, board of health regulations, and safety regulations (Fire Marshall, DOT's)) which may provide overlapping and sometime conflicting regulations which may create impediments to the implementation of LID technology. The model LID ordinance and guidance documents are being developed as a resource document which accomplishes the following objectives: 1) first, identify the elements of a model LID ordinance and 2) identify the potential impediments to the implementation of LID technology and offers some approaches to address these issues.