GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING & PROJECTS
Green infrastructure uses vegetation, soils, and natural processes to manage water and create healthier urban environments. In conjunction with grey infrastructure, interconnected networks of green infrastructure can enhance community resiliency by increasing water supplies, reducing flooding, combatting urban heat island effect, and improving water quality.
Source: EPA Publication #8 3 2 F1 4 0 0 7
Mill Street Nature Way
The Mill Street Nature Way includes the development of a stormwater park in place of where condominiums were originally planned. The City is actively working cooperatively with the developer and is in the process of securing grant funding to complete this project initiative.
This project will reduce stormwater runoff so that it doesn’t overburden our existing grey stormwater infrastructure as we continue to experience sea level rise over the rest of this century. As we move forward with our Green Infrastructure planning, we will continually reduce the burden on our existing hard infrastructure and complement and even replace it with a more sustainable nature-based system that will be able to handle an increase in sea level and more severe storms due to warming of our oceans.
We have submitted a grant application in August 2023 to MD DNR for funding to purchase of the property under the MD DNR Community Parks and Recreation Grants program. Grant award, if selected, is anticipated in June or July 2024.
A second grant application has been submitted on December 13, 2023 to the MD DNR Chesapeake and Coastal Grant Program for the design and installation of green infrastructure. Grant award, if selected, is anticipated in October 2024.
New Projects
We are reviewing opportunities for additional green infrastructure projects.
Soak up the Rain: Rain Gardens
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a rain garden is a depressed area in the landscape that collects rain water from a roof, driveway or street and allows it to soak into the ground. Planted with grasses and flowering perennials, rain gardens can be a cost effective and beautiful way to reduce runoff from your property. Rain gardens can also help filter out pollutants in runoff and provide food and shelter for butterflies, song birds and other wildlife.
Every time it rains, water runs off impervious surfaces such as roofs, driveways, roads and parking lots, collecting pollutants along the way. This runoff has been cited by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as a major source of pollution to our nation's waterways. By building a rain garden at your home, you can reduce the amount of pollutants that leave your yard and enter nearby lakes, streams and ponds.
Smaller gardens can be dug by hand with a shovel, or equipment can be rented for larger gardens. Most gardens for average sized homes can be dug by hand if you are in good health, or have some extra help. Once the shallow depression is dug for the rain garden, it won't take any more time or expense than planting other landscaped areas in your yard.
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