Projects

The following are current projects administered by the staff of CRWP. For more information about these projects, please contact our staff. Completed project, reports can be found under Publications.

Implementing Best Local Land Use Practices

Since 1996, CRWP has provided technical assistance to its members and developed cost effective, prevention-focused solutions to minimize new, and address current, natural resource management problems. We recommend that members adopt regulations for riparian and wetland setback zoning and comprehensive stormwater management. As we work with members to adopt these regulations the following issues have been raised and may limit their widespread implementation.

• Concern about the impacts of riparian and wetland setbacks on property values.
• Inconsistent implementation of riparian and wetland setbacks.
• Poor understanding of floodplain restoration as a component of stormwater management.
• Few tools to ensure long-term operation and maintenance of stormwater management practices.

With this Project, CRWP will enhance our support to local governments by addressing these four issues by completing the following tasks:

• Analyze the impact of riparian and wetland setbacks on the value of parcels in communities where riparian and wetland setback zoning has been implemented for a minimum of 2 years.
  
• Provide training and associated educational materials, for professional advisors responsible for implementing riparian and wetland setbacks in their communities. These trainings will use case studies to address implementation issues reported from members to demonstrate effective ways to balance community efforts to control the location of development on parcels with the reasonable use of land.
  
• Demonstrate floodplain restoration as a component of stormwater management during development. CRWP will provide educational materials, training, and technical assistance to aide local professional advisors in evaluating the design of floodplain restoration demonstration projects as a component of a development’s overall stormwater management plan.
  
• Provide tools necessary to ensure storm water BMP function & long term funding. CRWP’s stormwater model ordinance requires developers to make provisions for long-term operation and maintenance of storm water best management practices (BMP). To assist communities to understand the specifics of such provisions or how to effectively fund these requirements, CRWP will develop model inspection and maintenance agreements and guidance for members on effective long-term funding options for BMP maintenance.

This project is been made possible by a grant from the Lake Erie Protection Fund, administered by the Lake Erie Commission.