Date of Award

5-2021

Document Type

Terminal Project

Degree Name

Master of City and Regional Planning (MCRP)

Department

City Planning & Real Estate Development

Committee Member

Dr. Caitlin Dyckman, Committee Chair

Committee Member

Dr. Daniel Hitchcock

Committee Member

Dr. John Gager

Abstract

Cities in the Northeastern United States face threats of flooding due to precipitation increasesand 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 surfacethat 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 qualityissues 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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