Date of Award

May 2021

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of City and Regional Planning (MCRP)

Department

City and Regional Planning

Committee Member

Caitlin Dyckman

Committee Member

Daniel Hitchcock

Committee Member

John Gaber

Abstract

Cities in the Northeastern United States face threats of flooding due to precipitation increases and rising sea levels resulting from climatic changes. These threats are exacerbated by the reality that these cities are heavily developed, with large areas of impervious surface that lead to increased stormwater runoff loads and the potential for overflow. One way to alleviate these issues is to pursue a distributed green stormwater infrastructure approach, as both Philadelphia and New York have done. Through evaluating these plans and interviewing key stakeholders, this study aimed to understand what role both anticipated climate change impacts and urban planners had in the development and implementation of these plans. Results showed that the concept of climate change was not a main focus in plan development due to their focus on improving water quality issues associated with stormwater runoff, although plans promote resiliency through providing a range of environmental, social, and economic benefits. There was significant involvement from planners in both plan development and implementation through identifying opportunities to site green stormwater features and fostering communication and collaboration between relevant stakeholders.

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