Low Impact Development

Low Impact Development (LID) is an innovative storm water management approach modeled after nature. Retaining as much storm water as possible on the land can substantially reduce development's impact on pollution levels in and back erosion along our creeks.

With LID, the focus is on managing storm water through small, cost-effective landscape features on the lot, rather focusing on disposing of storm water through costly pipes and infrastructure.

Common LID practices include rain gardens, bioretention systems, grass swales and vegetated open spaces. These site design techniques and Best Management Practices (BMPs) result in less surface runoff, less pollution and less overall damage to streams and lakes.

Rain garden treating runoff from a parking lot in uptown Charlotte.

LID is more than the management of water -- it is rethinking the way we plan, design, implement and maintain urban and suburban development.

Locally, Huntersville has required LID since 2003. Post-construction storm water ordinances passed by other local communities in 2007 require many LID techniques for most large residential or commercial development or redevelopment.

Huntersville LID
Benefits of LID
Photo Gallery of LID in action