Resilience Development Strategy Recommendations:

Green Infrastructure:

• Development should attempt to maximize the use of green infrastructure and climate resilience strategies consisting of connected networks of landscaped areas, open spaces, wetlands, parks, tree preserves, and native vegetation that naturally manage stormwater, increase biodiversity, reduce flooding, capture pollution, and improve water quality.
• Development should also maximize the use of rain gardens, bioswales, green roofs, tree planting, permeable pavement, and other landscape-based drainage features that promote, protect, and mimic natural hydrologic functions.
• Prioritize greenspace amenities and proactive development measures within all communities to increase property value and reduce ecological impacts in potentially sensitive habitats.

Buffer Considerations:

• Buffers improve water quality, preserve wildlife habitat, and protect trees, waterways, and other natural features. Thus structures/buildings, excessive impervious surfaces, and land-disturbances are restricted within the recommended 100 ft buffers. All stormwater conveyance measures and buffers must conform to stormwater management requirements.
• Avoid development and non-native landscaping within 100 feet of both sides of a wetland or stream. Consider the slope of the land surrounding the stream or wetland when determining buffer width in order to protect water quality and streambank integrity (i.e. stream and wetland features with steep slopes greater than a 3:1 grade should have buffers greater than 50 feet)
• Buffers also protect agricultural land uses and can protect a waterway from fecal matter from entering a water source.Evaluate threatened and endangered plant and animal species in wetlands or streams that may be present within the project area. In areas with threatened and endangered species, 100-foot riparian buffer widths are preferred and recommended.
• If development within 100 feet of a wetland or stream is unavoidable:
  • Restore the buffer by removing invasive plants and restabilizing with native plants.
  • Consider prioritizing onsite mitigation to fulfill mitigation credit requirements for impacts to water features.
  • If onsite mitigation is not an option, consider purchasing mandatory mitigation credits within the same HUC-10 watershed as the project area or as close to the project area as possible.
  • Prioritize flood resilient structures within the designated floodplain such a multimodal path.

General Development Considerations:

• Avoid disturbing waterways. Only install permanent or temporary stream crossings where absolutely necessary and where there is no alternative route regardless of culvert length. Design around streams and wetlands where possible. If not possible, then thoughtfully select the locations of crossings in areas where the feature being crossed is impacted to the least extent possible.
  • Take action to protect and preserve wetlands, streams, and natural areas of water conveyance of any sort. All isolated wetlands may not be jurisdictional under United States Army Corps of Engineers policy, but should be valued. When protected and maintained, they provide stormwater and flood storage, improve water quality by filtering contaminants, and provide habitat for wildlife.Designing with nature rather than against it should always be considered at the onset of the project and could lead to greater economic value.
• Prioritize high density development where sewer infrastructure and capacity exists.
• Incorporate into the design plan stream and wetland restoration efforts to help offset negative impacts of added stormwater pressure due to increased impervious surfaces. If the site was already developed with impervious surfaces, restore areas of stream where banks are near collapse to avoid property loss and sedimentation.
• Assess the property to ensure existing culverts, dams, and infrastructure in or near streams and wetlands are not at risk of failure or collapse and are in compliance with current regulations. Where possible, remove existing culverts from piped areas of streams where the culvert is no longer necessary to daylight the stream and return it to its natural state.
• If any portion of the development will be utilized as a public amenity, make available pet waste stations (bags and trash can with lid) and implement a plan to provide consistent proper disposal of waste when trash cans are full and replacement of bags when empty. Also incorporate  recycling and trash cans with lids and incorporate into a community plan a way to provide consistent and proper disposal of waste when trash cans are full.
• Place and properly maintain the required double-row of wire-backed silt fencing.
• After final grading, revegetate exposed soils with permanent vegetation within 48 hours to reduce the time that soil erosion may occur.
• Prioritize construction phasing to limit clearing to areas of a parcel that are immediately being developed. If a lot or section of a parcel will not be developed within 6 months, consider a phased approach to clearing that considers when it will actually be built on.
• Provide permanent stormwater energy dissipation/diffusion at the discharge point of all pipe or ditch outlets that connect to a surface water system. Employ methods at pipe outlets to prevent erosion caused by the rapid discharge of water and scouring soils (level-spreaders, concrete aprons, or similar structures designed to dissipate concentrated flow).

General Landscape Recommendations:

• When selecting plant species, prioritize plant species that are native to North America, specifically the southeastern region of the U.S., over non-native species. Native species require less watering and maintenance than non-native species, support native animal species, and provide soil stabilization and stormwater infiltration benefits. Utilize the SC Native Plant Society SC Native Plant List as a guide for plant selection.
  • At least 60% of all plants added to the property during or after development should be native to North America. The rest could be non-native, but may not be listed as invasive species on South Carolina Exotic Plant Pest Council Invasive Plant List or South Carolina Forestry Commission List of Invasive Species.
    • Please refer to the SC Native Plant Society’s Native Plant Alternatives List to learn about landscaping with native plants and avoiding invasives.
  • To conserve biodiversity, at least three different species of each layer of vegetative strata must be included (i.e., instead of planting one type of tree-/shrub-/herb-layer plant, consider including at least three species so that all  tree-/shrub-/herb-layer plants are not the same species).
  • Consider incentivizing native plant and tree landscaping with a reduction of Homeowners Association dues if at least 60% of a parcel’s selected landscaping plants are native to the southeastern U.S.
  • Suggest that lawn areas may be planted with species other than traditional turf grass to avoid the negative effects of monoculture, including erosion, water waste, and excess nutrient loading.
    • See SC Native Plant Society Native Alternatives to Turf Grass Lawns.
  • Provide educational materials to property owners or those who will be maintaining common areas regarding proper water and fertilizer application to avoid excess nutrient loading in nearby waterways that can cause the waterway to be dangerous to human health.

Invasive Species Avoidance and Removal:

• Under no circumstances should any invasive species be intentionally planted in any portion of the development.
• If an agency or local jurisdiction will be enforcing covenants or ordinances for a development, ensure that invasive species commonly used in landscaping are explicitly listed as prohibited in the development.
• If invasive plant species are present on the selected site, consult a professional regarding proper removal techniques that minimize negative environmental impact, especially if near a waterway.
  • Both mechanical and chemical removal treatments should be considered and implemented to effectively eradicate invasive species. Avoid broadcast spraying of herbicides, and instead consider professional application tactics like cut-and-paint or targeted spraying. 

Partnership and Community Recommendations

• For new developments, create an advisory council that includes environmental stakeholders and advocacy groups to prioritize watershed concerns. Please contact FoRR if you need recommendations of environmental advocacy partners that may suit your project's needs.

Download our Resilience Development Strategy Recommendations 1-page checklist HERE.