The new green infrastructure plan requires new developments greater than an acre to use green infrastructure

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett announced the new Green Infrastructure Plan Framework to add green space to streets, schools and parking lots throughout Milwaukee. The plan, announced Sept. 26, set a series of goals designed to change the city’s regulatory framework to increase use of green infrastructure in order to capture storm water runoff and increase sustainability.

According to the Milwaukee Independent, the plan includes a new requirement that developers for properties an acre or more must design properties to capture the first .5 in. of storm water in green infrastructure. Furthermore, the plan lowers the regulatory requirement for a storm water management plan from .5 acre of impervious surface area to .12 areas.

“To help adapt to climate change, we have to chart a new course,” Barrett said. “We can’t continue to pave over green space. In fact, we need to remove excess pavement and hardscapes and replace it with functional green space, or green infrastructure.”

Beyond the new regulations, the city announced plans to partner with Milwaukee Public Schools to redevelop paved schoolyards into functional green space, as reported by Urban Milwaukee. The plan calls for four to five schoolyards to be redeveloped annually.

“This will ensure that we all get the community benefits of green infrastructure, including more attractive and healthier urban environment,” Barrett said. “With the city leading by example, we are also supporting MMSD’s efforts to develop regional green infrastructure standards.”