In the grand scheme of things, green infrastructure and retrofits are still the new kids on the block. Their newness is, perhaps, what makes forming partnerships so vital to succeeding with one.

“All relationships are important,” Don Green, water quality supervisor for the city of Chattanooga, Tenn., said. However, he noted with green infrastructure it’s critical to bring other entities on board in order to educate them and increase the number of green infrastructure projects being done.

“They are cost-effective and beautify an area — you get more out of them,” Green said, adding they become education opportunities not just for the public, but for entities that are brought on board to complete one.

A beneficial partnership — and one of the first green partnerships — Chattanooga undertook was with Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport. The airport, which has already been striving toward completing green projects, had acquired property in a basin area. Green explained the property contained raised impervious car lots. “They were in the hazard area for the airport.”

For both the airport and city, the project offered an unique opportunity due to its high visibility in the Brainerd Road Corridor, a 21st Century Street and includes the Mission area, Brainerd Village, Eastgate, a library and the airport authority. Additionally, it served as a means to improve water quality by giving a boost to stormwater management and addressing runoff that would have entered Chickamauga Creek.

The city paid to design an infiltration basin to take the place of the car lots. Due to its high-visibility location, Green said, “We also created signage for the basin.” The signage, along with the basin’s park-like feel, serve as an invitation for the public to visit. Its location actually allows people to walk to it.

“What the airport was going to put into it and what we were going to put into was in the agreement,” Green said, noting this allowed both parties to have an understanding of what was expected before going into the project. “It’s important to manage expectations. Have a signed agreement, especially with green infrastructure since it’s very new. It’s not like concrete — it takes lots of maintenance and oversight.”

Chattanooga has also partnered with businesses to bring about green infrastructure retrofits. As a major upgrade to alleviate flooding on Johnson Street got underway, developers of the Flying Squirrel restaurant approached the city in regard to working with it on the problem in the immediate area of the business. The fact there was another development occurring in the area involving a LEED-certifi ed youth hostel called Th e Crash Pad made a green retrofit of the street perfect.

“We did a public-private agreement,” he said. “The city designed the project, and the commercial business paid for the pavers.”

The retrofit used previous pavers to correct some of the stormwater issues Johnson Street had experienced in the past. This project also allowed city staff to experience green infrastructure within the public realm while testing the city’s new Rainwater Management guide, which incorporates green infrastructure as the preferred tool to infiltrate or harvest the first 1 inch of rainfall in new and redevelopment projects. Additionally, the rebuilding of the street was done in Woonerf style so it would be pedestrian and bicycle friendly.

The partnership went off without a hitch and has led to other developers within the combined sewer area to contact the city about similar approaches.

Athens, Tenn., population of between 13,000–14,000, is no stranger to green infrastructure projects. Public Works Director Shawn Lindsey stated the city tries to have at least one project going at all time. With each of those projects, Athens has brought on board a variety of partners.

“Universities and colleges are easy to partner with,” Lindsey said, noting they’ve worked with both the University of Tennessee and Tennessee Wesleyan College. “Industrial partners are a little harder — but we are getting some.”

Most recently, the city was approached by Denso, a global automotive component manufacturer headquartered in Japan, about building an “eco park.” Lindsey completed a design for it, plus a PowerPoint to showcase components of the park, which includes a whole gamut of green infrastructure, from permeable parking pavers, a green parking lot, green energy — both solar and wind — and a natural pool that uses wetlands for filtration, to a community orchard and a half mile trail.

After the design was completed, Lindsey said they selected a property owned by the McMinn County Economic Development Authority, which due to its preexisting wetlands was otherwise unusable — a win-win for all involved. The project is currently underway and is in phase one of three, which includes building a Japanese-style pavilion and picnic area.

“You have to have (partnerships) in most cases,” Lindsey said. “Often you don’t have one entity that has everything.”

He described how the local YMCA needed a parking lot. “The Y didn’t have land, but the city did.”

Working with developers and grants, the city was able to showcase green infrastructure by using green Presto GeoBlock II, which is a hollow-cell grid of recycled plastic through which grass grows, plus previous concrete and pavers to create a parking lot of the Y. The parking lot also has a rain garden and living roof for its informational kiosk. “We couldn’t have done (the project) without partnerships.”

Other connections have been forged with many local entities like the museum, art center, Boy Scouts, Keep McMinn Beautiful and the McMinn Regional Humane Society. The city is even trying to work with farmers, with Lindsey noting they hope to start a program that will focus on converting old, no longer used farm ponds into wetlands. The program isn’t underway yet, though. Athens still trying to secure grant moneys to launch it.

“We also have a Day of Service with 200–300 volunteers — usually from the churches,” Lindsey said. The volunteers have helped create floating wetlands, rain gardens, community gardens, removed graffiti and more.

“As public works director, I’m in a position to do these partnerships,” he said. “Th at I have all the different contacts helps.”

In addition to nonprofits and businesses, grant partners are also important.

A good relationship can result in grant givers reaching out to entities to alert them when grants become available. Grants are, Lindsey said, based on trust, with providers wanting to know the money is being put toward what was agreed upon. For this reason it’s important to keep track of grant money to further trust and a good relationship. Another consideration is applying for grants with another entity.

“We have a great relationship with Keeping McMinn Beautiful,” Lindsey said, “and we apply for grants together.”

Of course, all partnerships need a starting point. For this purpose, Lindsey suggested, “First you need to start meeting, talk about everyone’s various missions, see where the lines cross.” He added, “Take an interest — you’d be surprised where lines cross.”

One instance of lines crossing was with McMinn Living Well, an initiative aimed at improving healthy living in the community. Lindsey explained they shared a connection when it came to green infrastructure through bikeways, trails and green spaces — things aimed at getting people active.

The second thing you need to start is planning. This includes lining up funding sources and accessing the groups’ resources. “You’d be surprised at what groups have to offer.”

As another component to getting started, Green recommended municipalities have a green infrastructure manual to help make sure products meet the standards they want them to meet; additionally, it should include maintenance practices needed. “Have design specifications,” he said, noting if you are working with a new entity —more unfamiliar with green infrastructure — you don’t just want to put something in the ground. “You have to know the design.”

RIGHT: Pictured is the design for the Denso Eco Park in Athens, Tenn., which will feature a hiking trail, solar shade structure, permeable parking, natural swimming pool, Japanese fruit orchard, existing wetlands and more. (Photo provided)

On the Web

The city of Chattanooga won first place — along with project partners Andropogon Associates, ARCADIS and the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport — for its video about the Brainerd Road project in the for-profit category of Water Environment Federation’s 2014 stormwater video competition. youtu.be/ajGjZ0bV8ms?list=PL4C55204EF5052D5B, alongside several other entries.

“As public works director, I’m in a position to do these partnerships,” he said. “That I have all the different contacts helps.”

In addition to nonprofits and businesses, grant partners are also important.

A good relationship can result in grant givers reaching out to entities to alert them when grants become available. Grants are, Lindsey said, based on trust, with providers wanting to know the money is being put toward what was agreed upon. For this reason it’s important to keep track of grant money to further trust and a good relationship. Another consideration is applying for grants with another entity.

“We have a great relationship with Keeping McMinn Beautiful,” Lindsey said, “and we apply for grants together.”

Of course, all partnerships need a starting point. For this purpose, Lindsey suggested, “First you need to start meeting, talk about everyone’s various missions, see where the lines cross.” He added, “Take an interest — you’d be surprised where lines cross.”

One instance of lines crossing was with McMinn Living Well, an initiative aimed at improving healthy living in the community. Lindsey explained they shared a connection when it came to green infrastructure through bikeways, trails and green spaces — things aimed at getting people active.

Th e second thing you need to start is planning. Th is includes lining up funding sources and accessing the groups’ resources. “You’d be surprised at what groups have to off er.”

As another component to getting started, Green recommended municipalities have a green infrastructure manual to help make sure products meet the standards they want them to meet; additionally, it should include maintenance practices needed. “Have design specifications,” he said, noting if you are working with a new entity —more unfamiliar with green infrastructure — you don’t just want to put something in the ground. “You have to know the design.”