The US EPA has conducted case studies of communities across the nation to identify functioning green infrastructure incentive programs. The startup costs for some projects, such as green roofs or street retrofits, can often be prohibitive in areas like downtown Columbus, because property is more expensive than surrounding areas and developers are hesitant to increase their initial costs for longer term benefits.

However, there are a variety of incentive programs effectively used in other cities to encourage and expand green infrastructure projects:

• Stormwater fee discounts and credits can be used to encourage reductions in impervious surface area or increase particular green practices like rain gardens or green roofs. Minneapolis, Louisville, Philadelphia and Kansas City are a few of the cities with a stormwater fee discount program.
• Development incentives can be used to meet stormwater management goals and include tax credits, expedited permitting, and density bonuses. Chicago’s Green Permitting Program encourages sustainable design principles and offers developers the chance to save time and money with an expedited permitting process. In Seattle, a density bonus allows downtown, commercial and residential developments more height and floor area if they use LEED or an equivalent green building standard. The standard could set a floor for development of green stormwater practices.
• Grants, loans, rebates and installation financing provide options to finance green infrastructure projects. Chicago’s Green Roof Improvement Fund provides up to 50% of the cost for green roof installation for eligible commercial facilities. There are several federal and state loan programs available, the most notable being the EPA Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund. The GreenScapes Rewards program in Montgomery County, MD offers limited rebates to assist with the installation of rain gardens, cisterns, green roofs, native plants, trees and permeable pavement.
• Awards and recognition programs may not involve much in the way of financial assistance, but they can be effective in generating positive PR for businesses using sustainable practices, and are valuable in educating the community about those practices. The City of Columbus has a Green Spot program to recognize individuals and businesses that commit to a minimum number of environmentally responsible practices. Other cities with awards programs include Chicago and Philadelphia.

Incentives provide the extra push needed to establish greener development practices, eventually making green part of the way we do business. The city of Columbus is currently looking at green incentives. We encourage them to offer a variety of alternatives in a timely manner. For more information, visit the US EPA’s website where they have posted a series of municipal handbooks.