Using multiple grant funding sources, Urban Systems Design (USD) worked with 15 private property owners and their tenants to build five voluntary roadside rain garden projects along five neighborhood streets and intersections:

• Markey Machinery in Georgetown

• S. Orcas St. in Georgetown

• South Southern/Rose Greenstreets in South Park

• E. Ballard Greenstreet

 

USD provided project management support to manage engineering and landscape design teams, obtain permits from the City of Seattle Street Use Permits and King County Roads permits, provide outreach and educational opportunities for the community, organize voluntary restoration projects and provide administrative support for grant reporting. 

 

In addition, USD co-authored  with Stewardship Partners, a manual for maintaining rain gardens titled, "Rain Garden Care Guide: a Guide for Residents and Community Organizations."  

 

These projects, pictured below, provided improved stormwater management in the Georgetown, South Park and Ballard neighborhoods and formed partnerships between the Georgetown Community Council and Markey Machinery, South Park Redevelopment Committee and local residents, as well as Antioch University, Ballard High School and the East Ballard Community Association. 

 

SvR/MIG donated engineering services to these projects.  Additional in-kind services were provided by Tom Knoblach Fine Landscaping, Go Native Nursery, Gary Merlino Construction, and Earthcorps.  Ongoing maintenance at all sites is provided by DIRTCorps.