Site Evaluation and Layout
Each site consists of three basic uses: roofs, pavement, and landscape. When planning your development, consider those three uses, the surface area that each will cover on your lot, and the potential for each to influence water quality.
Incorporate alternatives that reduce storm water runoff while planning the layout of your site, its buildings, and the landscape. Many storm water management alternatives recommended for new construction can also be incorporated into remodels.
Conducting a Site Evaluation
Step 1: Visit your building site and ask these questions:
- What paths does the storm water take when it comes on to and leaves my site?
- What natural features are located on my site that need to be considered when developing my property?
- slopes
- streams
- wetlands
- forests
- soils that don’t drain well
- other
Step 2: Make a rough sketch of your building site and locate the features you identified above on your drawing.
Step 3: Overlay the location of your planned buildings onto your drawing. Are there ways you can redesign your structures or the locations of your structures to reduce the surface area that would be covered by impervious surfaces?
- Can I design a 2-story house rather than a rambler?
- Does the shop/studio need to be a stand-alone structure or can it be a second story above the garage?
- Do I really need a separate storage shed or can the garage accommodate my storage needs?
Step 4: Can I use surfaces or materials other than concrete for my driveway and walkways?
- gravel
- porous asphalt
- other
- paver blocks
- decking
- module pavement
- pervious concrete
