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Network
Impacts: Research & Information
Gathering > Changes to the Decision
Making Process > Changes to Plans > Changes
to Regulations > On the Ground Changes > Beyond
Local Impacts
Changes
to Plans
Community
plans come in many forms: comprehensive plans, watershed plans, economic
development plans, open space plans and many
others. Regardless
of the specific focus, all establish a vision and general guidelines
related to how a community wants to look, grow and prosper. Therefore,
it is important that such plans reflect the community’s interest
in protecting valued water (and other) resources. Development of new
plans and updates to existing ones are a frequent result of NEMO educational
programs.
| Truckee
River Watershed, Nevada |
| The
NV NEMO Program, led by the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension,
is working with communities along the Truckee River to implement
a watershed protection plan for the tributary streams of the Truckee
River. As part of the implementation, a low impact development
(LID) manual is being developed to provide guidance to new developments.
To date, a new 3,000 home development in the small rural community
of Verdi is being required to use low impact development practices
promoted in the manual. |
| Bill
Williams, Verde & Upper Gila Watersheds, Arizona |
| The
AZ NEMO Program, in partnership with the Arizona Department of
Environmental Quality, has worked with local watershed groups to
develop watershed-based plans for the Bill Williams, Verde and
Upper Gila watersheds. Covering a little over 19,300 square miles,
the watersheds have been mapped under the AZ NEMO Program and hydrologic
modeling performed to identify areas susceptible to water quality
impairment. The plans lay out the origins of nonpoint pollution
and recommend management measures that should be put in place.
NEMO is beginning this planning process for the Little Colorado,
the Middle San Pedro and the Upper Agua Fria Watersheds. |
| Fairhope & Trussville,
Alabama |
| As
a result of AL NEMO’s educational efforts and support,
the fast-growing City of Fairhope has developed a Master Plan
that encourages the creation of walk-able villages and preserves
open space along waterfront areas. Trussville, located in Alabama’s
fastest growing region (Birmingham), is developing greenway and
open space plans. (See Regulations section for more on Trussville’s
actions.) |
| Northport,
Maine |
| Northport
incorporated watershed planning for nonpoint source pollution management
into their comprehensive plan after working with the ME NEMO Program. |
| California |
| The
California Coastal Commission, which leads the CA NEMO Partnership,
has begun requiring that the state’s 73 coastal cities and
counties include stormwater management plans to address water quality
impacts resulting from development in the coastal land use plans
they must prepare. Common requirements include: siting and designing
development to preserve the infiltration, purification and retention
functions of natural drainage systems; minimizing increases in
peak runoff rates; minimizing impervious surfaces in new development
and redevelopment; inclusion of effective site design and source
control Best Management Practices (BMPs) in all developments;
and minimizing land disturbance during construction. |
| Dearborn,
Howard & Elkhart Counties, Indiana |
| The
Indiana NEMO effort, Planning with POWER, worked with Dearborn
and Howard Counties to incorporate natural resource protection
language and guidance into their recently completed county comprehensive
land use plans. POWER also helped Elkhart County update their
comprehensive plan for the first time in 40 years, inserting
new sections on farmland protection and watershed projects. |
| Woodstock,
Connecticut |
| Working
with CT NEMO, Woodstock conducted a natural resources inventory,
which was incorporated into a revision of the town’s Open Space Plan. The Open Space
Plan was then incorporated into an update of the town Comprehensive
Plan. Woodstock is also developing an Economic Development Plan. |
| Old
Saybrook, Connecticut |
| Working
with CT NEMO, Old Saybrook has developed a Plan for Conservation
Areas which identifies properties critical for their recreational
and conservation value or potential. The Planning and Zoning Commission
now consults with the Conservation Commission in evaluating open
space acquisitions under the plan’s standards. The town is also working to
incorporate the Plan into their Plan of Conservation and Development. |
| Suffolk
County, New York |
| The
NY NEMO Program, coordinated by New York Sea Grant and focused
on Long Island, served on the Steering Committee for the Suffolk
County North Shore Embayments Management Plan. The plan addresses
the County’s Long Island
Sound bays and harbors, with a specific focus on priority sub-watersheds.
Noting that, “Implementation of Phase II Storm Water Management
Plans by local municipalities may have the largest impact on
nitrogen management in Long Island Sound of any existing program,” the
draft plan goes on to recognize NY NEMO as a resource for improving
municipal reduction of nitrogen inputs to the Sound and for facilitating
effective municipal Phase II compliance. |
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