Sustainable Streets

Roads and parking lots provide important opportunities for managing stormwater because they constitute as much as 70 percent of the total impervious cover in ultra-urban landscapes.

San Mateo County Sustainable Green Streets and Parking Lots Design Guidebook
Link to the First Edition: January 2009 Download full guidebook or by chapters.

Green_Streets_Flyer Sept2009

Winner of Two Awards for "Innovation in Green Community Planning"

2009 Award of Excellence, American Planning Association California Chapter

2009 Outstanding Planning Award, American Planning Association California Chapter Northern Section

Link to California Chapter Awards Program webpage

Link to California Chapter Northern Section Awards Program webpage

In 2007, the City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County (C/CAG) enthusiastically supported the recommendation from its San Mateo Countywide Water Pollution Prevention Program Technical Advisory Committee to develop this Sustainable Green Streets and Parking Lots Design Guidebook.

The guidebook provides designers, builders, municipal staff, and other interested groups practical and state-of-the-art information on creating low-impact development roadways and parking lots within San Mateo County.

View Current Projects located in Brisbane and San Bruno.

View posters about the sustainable streets initiative:
Poster 1:Introduction to sustainable streets and parking lots
Poster 2:Visual simulations of sustainable street opportunities

American Planning Association - California July-August 2009 features an article on the
San Mateo County Sustainable Green Streets and Parking Lots Design Guidebook

Articles:
Putting Parking Lots To Work, Estuary News, August 2010

Slow It, Spread It, Sink It Estuary News, August 2009

Other Resources:

Green Infrastructure, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Green Roofs, Rainharvesting, Downspout Disconnection, Planter Boxes, Raingardens, Permeable Pavements, Vegetated Swales, Infill and Redevelopment, Green Parking, Green Streets and Highways, Pocket Wetlands, Urban Forestry, Riparian Buffers, and Green Infrastructure Design.

EPA Parking Lot Pervious Surface Study This project will allow the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide a scientifically defensible estimate to municipalities on the performance of the three permeable surfaces: porous concrete, porous asphalt, and interlocking concrete pavers. Video - water test demo