Monday, March 17, 2014

Chattanooga Design Competition Kick-Off Meeting

Don't just meet the EPA's new standard for stormwater management; create a project that will bring residents a better quality of life, Don Green, Chattanooga's water quality supervisor, told a group of planners, architects and engineers this week. "We're looking to be blown away," he said. Times Free Press article

Saturday, March 15, 2014

Chattanooga LID Design Challenge

Resource Rain” Kicks Off Low Impact Design Challenge CHATTANOOGA, TENN. – For years Chattanooga residents and businesses have been making great strides to create a cleaner, more environmentally friendly community; Resource Rain: Low Impact Development (LID) Design Challenge is an important next step in the process. A partnership between the City of Chattanooga, Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency, green|spaces, The Lyndhurst Foundation, River City Company and Hamilton County Water Quality Program, the LID Challenge kicks off March 13. The event will be held at green|spaces, 63 East Main St., from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Lunch will be provided. LID Design Challenge will accelerate the adoption of green infrastructure in Chattanooga. This infrastructure will be the preferred method of managing storm water and complying with new standards set forth by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which are effective December 2014. “This is an important partnership that can highlight Chattanooga’s commitment to innovative, sustainable practices,” said Mayor Andy Berke. “Through this process, we will empower talented individuals to explore solutions that can ultimately make our neighborhoods stronger and create a positive impact in every district of Chattanooga.” Specifically, Challenge entrants are asked to utilize the City of Chattanooga’s storm water management practices as a guide for their designs. “The Design Competition will be a great tool to introduce the City’s new water quality requirements,” said Bill Payne, the City’s Engineer in Public Works department. “Demonstrating that low impact development and green infrastructure practices can advance innovative, cost-effective site designs that will serve to protect watersheds.” LID Design entrants will focus on conservation of natural resources, development of practical designs and incorporation of urban design and traditional neighborhood development. For more information about Resource Rain, visit chattanooga.gov. Go to www.chattanooga.gov/designchallenge