This document – the Low Impact Development - Best Management Practices Design Guide (Design Guide) - was developed by the City of Edmonton (City) to provide guidance for the application of low impact development best management practices (LID-BMPs). It provides an overview of LID-BMPs and design guidelines that planners, engineers, developers, and designers can use to integrate LID-BMPs into land development, redevelopment, or retrofit projects. Development of the Design Guide supports the City’s vision of sustainable growth and forwards the environmental goals laid out in The Way We Green, the City’s environmental strategic plan. 

    The Design Guide consists of 14 chapters. Chapter 1 introduces why LID is necessary and what it entails. Chapter 2 briefly describes the federal, provincial and municipal legal documents that are most likely to have an impact on implementation of LID-BMPs. Chapter 3 describes soil and climate characteristics typical of the City of Edmonton. Chapter 4 describes LID site planning level details. Chapter 5 provides an overview of seven LID features identified to be most applicable to the City of Edmonton. Chapter 6 provides a LID facility design process and identifies cold weather adaptations recommended for Edmonton applications. Chapters 7 to 13 describe design considerations for each of the seven LID facilities. Chapters 14 and 15 contain a glossary and list references cited in this document. There are also five appendices that provide LID sizing, modeling tools and examples. 

    As LID is an evolving field and new to the City, this Design Guide is a living document and will be updated through continuing engineering experience and research studies in the City’s local context. This Design Guide is not a design standard but rather provides high-level information about LID-BMPs to assist those interested in LID oriented development. Each site considered for development is unique. Consequently, the design of the LID-BMP facilities will also be unique and must be based on sound engineering principles that account for the soils, vegetation, topography, hydrology and management requirements for the site. Qualified professionals should be consulted for advice specific to each development. In addition, the relevant requirements for stormwater management as set out in City drainage bylaws, Design and Construction Standards and other pertinent legislation remain applicable to LID. It is strongly recommended that discussions with applicable City of Edmonton departments be started early in the process to facilitate the design and approvals process and ensure mutual understanding of the development objectives and methodology. 

    This document was drafted in June 2011 by AMEC Earth & Environmental with assistance from Armin A. Preiksaitis & Associates Ltd. and Progressive Engineering Ltd. The Drainage Planning section of the City’s Drainage Services Branch made further revisions to the draft Design Guide. The Design Guide development fully incorporated stakeholder inputs from advocacy and technical roundtable sessions. The authors acknowledge the contributions and participation of key stakeholders including Parks, Community Services, Sustainable Development, Development Services, Buildings and Landscape Services and Transportation Services.