Agenda - 03-11-2008-2 - Laserfiche WebLink

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4 deposits typically pollute stormwater. With pervious pavement, the rainwater is spread more evenly over the entire parking lot and stormwater percolates through interconnected voids, rather than concentrating runoff into a pond. The presenter claims a 90% suspended solid removal from pervious concrete. The pervious concrete surface has good skid resistance and is easy to maintain. The surface is lighter in color and reflects sunlight better than a typical asphalt surface. This factor addresses the "heat island" effect of large asphalt parking lots. Pervious concrete paving can meet the US Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards because it can reduce stormwater runoff, it is composed of recycled materials, it can use regional materials, and it addresses urban heat island effects. Pervious concrete is five to ten percent more expensive per cubic feet than conventional paving; however, installation costs less because smaller crews are needed and the equipment is less costly. Further, site costs can be less because stormwater treatment facilities can be smaller. Tight Orange County clay soils do not allow credit for pervious paving. The watershed impervious cover standards do not need to change. However, pervious paving could be a key feature of green building standards suggested in an earlier staff report "Orange Turning Green." stormwater flowing from residential driveways and sidewalks could be collected and used for lawn and landscaping irrigation and precluding the need to use potable water sources for irrigation. Further, pervious paving can be an essential element in low-impact design, which is a more specific application of LEED New Development and Home Builders' Green Building Standards development standards. C. Water Conservation (Attachments #2 and 3) County staff, along with representatives from the Towns of Carrboro and Chapel Hill, have been working with OWASA staff to make suggestions for water conservation priorities and initiatives. The draft of that report is attached to this abstract. The final adopted revision may not be available for this BOCC work session. However, the difference in the two documents is some clarifying detail in the recommendations, and not the recommendations themselves. Obviously, most of the emphasis of the report focuses on public water supplies and not wells. Orange County is only affected as a water customer. However, the need to develop incentives and/or requirements for water saving fixtures and devices, retro-fitting governmental and school district facilities, sustainable landscaping, retro-fitting private residences at the point of sale, and prohibiting homeowners associations from not allowing innovative water conservation measures for private residences are all worth discussing at the County level. Phase I of the Green Building Standards will accomplish the first Near-Term OWASA recommendation. The second and third recommendations essentially reflect current BOCC policy. The first Longer-Term recommendation has no direct application to Orange County. The last two recommendations could to made part of Phase III, because the local government may not have sufficient legal authority to enforce them and state enabling legislation may be required. FINANCIAL IMPACT: LEED certification and other green building training would be approximately $2,000 per staff member. Staff recommends two Inspections staff members and