SUSTAINABLE URBAN LANDSCAPES Alternative Development Standards for Sustainable Communities
SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVE DEVELOPMENT Grading	Back
The Sustainable Alternative Development study site has been graded with a close sensitivity to the existing lay of the land.  Minor grading has been done to the site to establish a natural storm drain system that follows the lines of the pre-existing natural drainage system.  Storm water from streets and lots flows into dished lanes and street-side swales which in turn feed into retention swales that frame the community gardens.  The gardens are designed to completely fill if necessary.  In the vast majority of cases rain water returns to the ground water table under the neighbourhood and flows very slowly underground through the soil to the stream channel before reaching the retention swale.  This slow filtration process helps to cleanse the water and supply ground water to the stream during summer months.  Riparian strips bounding the streams act as bikeways, walkways, and natural recreation areas.  Additional best management practices, such as infiltration trenches under roadside swales could be built into road profiles as necessary to meet even the most ambitious hydrological goal.