appendix 5: environmental resources

Kensington Appendix Appendix 5 61

 KensingtonEnvironmentalAppendix

Introduction

ThegoaloftheenvironmentalrecommendationsfortheKensingtonSectorPlanistobegintheshift
towardasustainablecommunitythat“meetstheneedsofthepresentwithoutcompromisingtheability
offuturegenerationstomeettheirownneeds,”auniversallyaccepteddefinitionofsustainability.

Toachievethis,thePlanenvisions:
ƒ mixedusedevelopmentthatwillallowresidentsandbusinessestoperformmostdailyactivitiesby
walkingorbiking
ƒ mitigationofstormwaterimpactsthroughtheuseofLID/ESDtechniquessuchasinfiltrationand
bioretentionareas,greenroofs,raingardens,andurbantreeplantings
ƒ increasedtreecovertoimprovehabitats,linkgreenandmunicipalspaces,coolstreets,andreduce
greenhousegasthroughcarbonsequestration
ƒ increasedbikewaysandpedestrianaccesstobusinesscorridors,residentialcommunities,
entertainmentandemploymentareas,andthelocalparksystemwillimprovequalityoflifeandair
ƒ sustainableinitiativesrequiringLEED(LeadershipinEnergyandEnvironmentalDesign)construction;
renewableenergysuchasgeothermal,solar,andwind;andusedeconstructionmeasuresthat
salvageandreusethebuildingsand/orbuildingcomponents.

TheseeffortswillallcontributetomakingKensingtonadesirable,prosperous,andsustainable
community.

Watersheds
TheKensingtonSectorPlanareafallswithinaportionoftheLowerRockCreekwatershedandlieswithin
partsoftwosubwatersheds:LowerMainKenGarandKensingtonHeights.Bothsubwatershedsdrain
intothemainstemofRockCreek.

Runofffromthenortheasternportionofthe
KensingtonHeightswatershed,includingaportion
ofthe100acredrainageareawithintheWheaton
SectorPlanarea,flowsintoKensington’sSilver
Creek.Consequently,activitiesbeyondthePlan’s
boundariesaffectwaterqualitywithinthePlan
area.

WaterResources
In the 1950s and1960s it was common practice to
convert natural stream channels into concrete
passages to transport water swiftly from one
location to another to reduce overbank flooding. This practice has had severe consequences on the
biologicalandphysicalfunctionofthelocalstreamanditsassociatedhabitatandfloodplains.


62 Kensington Appendix Appendix 5

Silver Creek, the only stream in the Plan area, is confined to a
concretechannel,pipedandplacedunderground,orretainedina
natural streambed. Most of its natural floodplain and associated
forestedstreamvalleybufferwasconvertedtoaparklikesetting
withnearbyhomes,leavinglittletonoroomforstormflowsthat
rise above the stream banks. During severe storm events, the
channel receives large quantities of untreated runoff from
sectionsofKensingtonandtheadjacentportionofWheaton.For
most storms, the concrete channel transfers the stormwater
throughthelandscape,however,duringseverestormeventsthe
culvertatthebaseofOberonStreetexceedsitscapacitycausing
periodicfloodingforadjacentresidents.

ThewaterqualityconditionsforKensington’stwosubwatershedswasevaluatedbyMontgomeryCounty
Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and documented in the 1998 and 2003 Montgomery
CountyCountywideStreamProtectionsStrategy(CSPS)reports.Inthe1998CSPSreport,LowerMain
KenGar had fair water quality, while KensingtonHeights subwatershed was rated poor. In the 2003,
Lower MainKenGar was downgraded to poor water quality, while Kensington Heights remained
unchangedinpoorcondition.In2003,SilverCreekwasratedashavingpoorwaterquality,poorstream
conditionsandfairhabitatconditions.



1998WaterQuality 2003WaterQuality
Watershed
(CSPSReport) (CSPSReport)

KensingtonHeights/SilverCreek Poor Poor
LowerMainKenGar:RockCreek Fair Poor
Notes:
Fair:intolerantandsensitivespeciesarelargelyabsent;intermediatespeciespresent
Poor:tolerantspeciesdominate;pooraquatichabitat

StormwaterManagement
Kensingtonwasdevelopedoverdecadespriortostrictstormwatermanagementrequirements.Thelack
ofstormwatermanagementcausesstressintheconveyanceareas,atdischargepoints,andinthe
aquaticsystems.Impervioussurfacessuchasbuildings,driveways,sidewalks,androadscontributeto
stormwaterproblemsbypreventingrunofffromsoakingslowlyintothesubstrateandrechargingthe
groundwatertable.Instead,stormwatersheetsoffthesesurfacespickingupparticulatesalongtheway
intheformofdebris,oils,pesticides,sand,salt,andotherpollutantsasitisconveyedintothestorm
drainsystemsanddirectlydischargedintonearbystreams.Thisdirectdischargeisthenumberone
causeofimpairmenttourbanstreamscausingerosion,alteredhydrologyandgeomorphology(stream
channeling),poorwaterquality,andlossofaquatichabitat.Inadditiontotheseecologicalstresses,
stormwaterrunoffaffectsneighborhoodsandstreetswithfloodingandswiftwaterflowduringintense
stormevents.

Inthe1960sWSSCtransferredtheresponsibilityofallstormdrainmaintenancetotheCounty.Thetown
ofKensingtonchosetomaintaintheirownstormsystemsbutdidnotimposeaseparatetaxasthe
Countydoestomaintainitsstormdrainsystems.Asaresulttherearelimitedfundstorepairthestorm
drainsystemsandoutfalls,orforthedesignandinstallationofinnovativestormwaterbestmanagement

Kensington Appendix Appendix 5 63

 practicesthroughoutKensington.Asasolutiontothelackofmaintenanceandfunds,thisPlan
recommendsKensingtoneitherjointheCounty’sstormwaterprogramorimposeataxonitscitizensto
payforstormwatermanagement,repairs,bioretention,raingardens,andotherenvironmentalsite
designs(ESD).

EnvironmentalSiteDesign(ESD)incorporatesavarietyofpracticesintonewconstructionand
redevelopmenttominimizeenvironmentalimpacts.ThebasicprinciplebehindESDistocontrol
stormwaterrunoffasclosetoitspointofgenerationaspossibleratherthancollecting,transporting,and
concentratingitinlargestormwatermanagement(SWM)facilities.Itusessmallscalestormwater
managementpractices,nonstructuraltechniques,andbettersiteplanningtomimicnaturalhydrologic
runoffcharacteristicsandminimizetheimpactsoflanddevelopmentonwaterresources1.Thepurpose
ofESDistomakeadevelopmentfunctionhydrologicallymorelikeawoodedlandscapebyreducingthe
stormwaterrunoffgenerated,slowingthedeliveryofrunofftostreamsystems,encouraging
groundwaterrecharge,andreducingpollutionandthermalimpactstoreceivingwaterbodies.Useof
ESDpracticescanultimatelyreducestormwatermanagementcostsbyreducingtheinfrastructure
necessaryforcollectingandtransportingstormwater.UsingESDpracticesimprovesthewaterqualityin
receivingstreamsbypretreatingandreducingrunoffquantity.

Benefitsincludebutarenotlimitedtothefollowing:
ƒ incorporatingstormwatermanagementattheearlieststagesofsitedesign
ƒ limitinglanddisturbanceandgrading
ƒ maximizingconservationofnaturalfeatures
ƒ minimizingimpervioussurfaces(e.g.pavement,concretechannels,roofs)
ƒ slowingrunofftoincreaseinfiltrationandevapotranspiration
ƒ usinginnovativeandeffectivestormwatercontrol,treatment,andnonstructuralbestmanagement
practices(BMPs).

ESDBMPsinclude:
ƒ bioretentionfacilities
ƒ infiltrationtrenches
ƒ raingardens
ƒ grassswalesandchannels
ƒ vegetatedrooftops
ƒ rainbarrelsandcisterns
ƒ vegetatedfilterstrips
ƒ permeablepavements.

TheMarylandStormwaterManagementActof2007requireslocaljurisdictionstoimplementESDtothe
MaximumExtentPracticable(MEP)andtoamendtheircodes,regulations,andordinancestoremove
impedimentstoimplementingESD.

StormwaterHotspotsinKensington
Twoareasexperiencingsignificantimpactfromuncontrolled
stormwateraretheoutfallsatWestHowardAvenueandpoints
alongSilverCreek.Otheroutfallsshowingsignsoferosionand

1
Title4,Subtitle201.1(B)ofStormwaterManagementActof2007

Photo 1: Looking north of Oberon St.

64 Kensington Appendix Appendix 5

undercuttingtoalesserextentincludePlyersMillRoadandVaughnStreet.

TheSilverCreekstreamchannelwasalteredorconfinedinthreelocationswithinthePlanarea:
1. FromPlyersMillRoadtoOberonStreetthenaturalstreambedwasreplacedwithaconcrete
trapezoidchannel(photo1).
2. FromOberonStreettoMetropolitanAvenuethestreamwasenclosedinanundergroundculvert
runningparalleltoKensingtonParkway.
3. FromtherailwaytoFredrickAvenuethestreamreturnstoaconcretetrapezoidchannel.

Alteringthestreamandheadwatershashadsevereconsequencesonthebiologicalandphysical
functionofthestreamaswellasitsassociatedbufferandfloodplain.Confiningthestreaminconcrete
orpipingthechannelhas:
ƒ increasedflowvelocities
ƒ eliminatedinstreamhabitatforaquaticorganisms
ƒ increasedwatertemperatures
ƒ reducedaquaticoxygenlevels
ƒ enabledheavyloadsofsedimentandpollutantstobetransporteddownstream
ƒ disconnectedthestreamfromthegroundwatertable
ƒ severed,reduced,oreliminatedtheinterconnectionbetweenfloodplainfunctionssuchaspollutant
andsedimentfiltration,velocitycontrol,habitat,andfloodcontrol.

WestHowardAvenue
WestHowardAvenueisprimarilyacommercialdistrictwithmanythrivingbusinesses.Itis76percent
imperviouswithawideasphaltroadthatseamlesslymergesintostorefrontparkingandloadingareas
withoutsidewalksandstormwatermanagement.Stormwatercascadesfromrooftops,parkingareas,
andflowsfromSummitAvenuetothebaseofHowardAvenuewhereitdischargesintoMNCPPC
parkland.Atthebaseofthestreetstormwaterisundercuttingtheoutfallandseverelyerodingthe
asphalt,forestedslope,andsoilsubstrate.Runofftransportsanddischargessediment,oil,debris,and
otherpollutantsintothemainstemofRockCreek.

ImplementingESDpracticesthroughoutthesedrainageareaswithanemphasisonvolumereductions
andquality/quantitycontrolcanimprovewaterquality,reducevelocityatthedischargepoint,reduce
imperviouscover,andimprovethevisualandhumanexperienceofthearea.

ThedischargepointsatPlyersMillRoadandVaughnStreetareerodingfromthefastflowingrunoffthat
transportssedimentintoRockCreek..UsingESDmeasuresthroughoutthedrainageareascanreduce
thequantityofrunoffatthedischargepointstogreatlyreducescourandimprovewaterquality.

ImperviousCover
ThereisahighdegreeofimperviousnessinKensington.Thecommercialareasareapproximately80
percentimperviouswhiletheestablishedresidentialneighborhoodsare30percentimpervious.One
exceptiontothiswouldbetheresidentialareainNorthKensingtonoutsideofthehistoricdistrict.This
areaisprimarilyzonedR60andmanyofthepropertieshavebeenextensivelymodified.Theadditions,
teardowns,andaddedparkingareashaveincreasedthelevelofimperviousnesstomorethan42
percent.


Kensington Appendix Appendix 5 65

 Increasinglevelsofimperviousnesshavebeenlinkedtodeclinesinwaterquality.Studieshaveshown
thatstreamwaterqualityindicatorsbegintodeclinewhensubwatershedimperviousnessexceedsabout
10percent.Imperviousnesslevelsabove25percentare
associatedwithseverelevelsofstreamwaterquality
degradation.

TreeCanopyCover
Treecanopyisdefinedasthelayerofleaves,branches,
andstemsoftreesthatcoverthegroundwhenviewed
fromabove.WithintheKensingtonPlanboundary,93.76
acres(24percent)oftheareaisincanopycover.Nearly
21percentofthecoveriswithintheresidentialareas
withonlytwopercentcanopycoverinthecommercial
areas.

TherearetwoforestparcelsattheendofHoward
Avenue,oneonMNCPPCparkland(2.81acres)andthe
otheronprivatepropertyownedbytheKaiser
Foundation(1.4acres).

IncreasingtreecanopyisanintegralpartofthePlan’s
recommendationsandcanprovidelinkstogreenspaces
andthroughoutthePlanareatoincludeneighborhoods,publicspaces,andcommercialareas.Increased
treecovercanbeachievedbyplantingstreettrees,increasingthewidthoftheSilverCreekstream
valleybuffer,andinstallingstormwatermanagementwithplantingbeds.Manylowimpactdevelopment
(LID)measuresincludinginfiltrationtrenches,raingardens,andbiorententionareas,canbeplanted
withshrubsandtrees.Increasingtreecanopycoverwillhavemanymeasurablebenefitsincluding
reducedheatislandeffect,improvedwaterquality,energysavings,lowertemperatures,improved
wildlifehabitatandconnectivity,reducedairpollution,reducedthermalimpactsonaquaticsystems,
enhancedpropertyvalues,improvedqualityoflife,andenhancedaesthetics.

LID/ESDRoadProjects
Ofalltheimpervioussurfaces,thelargestamountsareroadpavement.Roadsalsopresentoneofthe
greatestopportunitiesforusingLID/ESDstormwaterpracticeswithintherightsofway,whichcan
contributetoprotectingandrestoringasite’snaturalhydrology,itsreceivingstreams,andtheoverall
integrityofthewatershed.Secondarybenefitsincludeimprovedcommunitysafetyandaesthetics,and
qualityoflife.

LID/ESDdesignsmoveawayfromacollect,convey,anddischargestrategytoonethatminimizes
imperviousareasandtreatsstormwateronsite.Inroadways,LID/ESDdirectsstormwatertomedians,
plantingbeds,andotheropenareasdesignedtoretain,treat,infiltrateanddischargestormwaterslowly
overtime.LID/ESDreducescapitalcostsfrommoretraditionalpondsandincreasesbenefitstothe
environment.Italsomeanslesscosttotaxpayerforroadrepavingandothermaintenance.LID/ESD
practicesincreasevisiblegreenareaforthecommunity,includingnativetreesandplants.

WaterandSewer
ThePlanareaiscurrentlyservedwithpublicwaterandsewerandnosignificantupgradesareneededto
serveproposedgrowth.However,specificcapacityevaluationswillbeperformedbyWSSC’sPlanning

66 Kensington Appendix Appendix 5

GroupandDevelopmentServicesGroupwhendetailedinformationisprovidedasvariousparcelsand
propertiesaresubmittedfordevelopmentreview.Theextentofanyimpacttowaterand/orsewer
systemcapacity,whetherlocalizedorrequiringacapitalimprovementprogrammed(CIP)project,willbe
determinedbyWSSC.Anynewdevelopmentgenerating100,000ormoregallonsofsewerperday
(approximately700unitsor3,500employees)wouldberequiredtoparticipateinsystemupgrades.
DevelopmentsofthissizearenotexpectedinKensington.

CarbonEmissionAnalysis
MontgomeryCountyBill3207establishesagoaltostopincreasinggreenhousegasemissionsbythe
year2010,andtoreduceemissionsto20percentof2005levelsbytheyear2050.AnotherMontgomery
Countylaw(Bill3407)requiresthePlanningBoardtoestimatethecarbonfootprintofareasbeing
masterplanned,andtomakerecommendationsforcarbonemissionsreductions.

OurcurrentgreenhousegasmodelingeffortusesaversionofthespreadsheetmodeldevelopedbyKing
County,Washington.Whilemanyoftheinputsarederivedfromnationalaverages,whereverpossible
wehavesubstitutedMontgomeryCountydataderivedbythePlanningDepartment’sResearchand
TechnologyDivision.Whilethemodelconsidersallgreenhousegasemissions,resultsarereportedin
termsoftheequivalenteffectofagivenvolumeofcarbondioxide(“carbondioxideequivalents”).

Toprojecttotalemissionsforanarea,themodelfactorsembodiedenergyemissions,buildingenergy
emissions,andtransportationemissions.Themodeldocumentationdefinesembodiedemissionsas
“emissionsthatarecreatedthroughtheextraction,processing,transportation,constructionand
disposalofbuildingmaterialsaswellasemissionscreatedthroughlandscapedisturbance(bybothsoil
disturbanceandchangesinabovegroundbiomass).”Buildingenergyemissionsarecreatedinthe
normaloperationofabuildingincludinglighting,heatingcoolingandventilation,operationof
computersandappliances,etc.Transportationemissionsarereleasedbytheoperationofcars,trucks,
buses,motorcycles,etc.

Inputsfortheplanningareaincludethenumbersandtypesofhousingunitsandthesquarefootageof
differentcategoriesofretail,commercial,andpublicbuildings.Themodelisrunonceusing2005datato
establishbaselineresults.Themodelisrunagainusingprojectedhousingunits,andcommercialand
retailspacetoestimatefuturegreenhousegasemissions.Themodelestimatesemissionsoverthelifeof
thedevelopment,andresultsaregiveninmetrictonsofCO2equivalents.Thisisdifferentfromthe
CountyEmissionsInventorypreparedbytheMontgomeryCountyDepartmentofEnvironmental
Protection,whichestimatesannualemissions.

Themodelonlydealswithemissions;nocalculationsareincludedtoestimatepotentialcarbonoffsets
frombestmanagementpractices.Theestimatesalsoassumebusinessasusualwhenprojecting
emissions.Asestimatesofbuildingenergyconsumption,vehiclefuelefficiency,vehiclemilestravelled,
andotherinputparameterschange,itmaybepossibletorerunthemodeltomeasuretheeffectsof
improvementsintechnologyanddesign.Manyoftheseparametersarechangingconstantlyandarea
movingtarget.

Theresultsarealsorestrictedtoestimatesforaspecificplanarea.Overallgreenhousegasemissionsare
projectedtoincreaseduetoincreasedpopulationandcommercialdevelopmentwithinagivenplan
area.Asmodelresultsareevaluated,wemustbearinmindthatMontgomeryCounty’sgreenhousegas
reductiontargetsareconsideredataCountywidescale.


Kensington Appendix Appendix 5 67

 Modelingresultsusingtheseassumptions,alongwithsprawlscenarioestimatesareshowninthetable
below. Emissions(MTCO2e)

ThisPlanmakesseveralrecommendations 14

MetricTons(CO2e(Millions)
topromotereductionsincarbonemissions 12
includingchangesinbuildingandsite 10
design,vehicletechnologyimprovements, 8
constructingenergyefficientbuildings,as Emissions
6
wellasthebehavioralchangesenabledbya (MTCO2e)
4
compact,live/workcommunity.
2

AlternativeEnergy 0
Concernoverglobalclimatechangehasled 2005 2030 Sprawl
totheadoptionofseveralCountylawsrequiringMontgomeryCountytostopincreasingandtoreduce
greenhousegasemissions.Accomplishingthiswillrequirenewdevelopmentandredevelopmentto
incorporateenergyreductionmeasures,energyefficiencymeasures,andonsiterenewableenergy
productionintobuildingandsitedesigns.

Measuresthatmayberequiredinclude:
ƒ geothermalheatingandcoolingsystems
ƒ solarcollectorstopowerCountyinfrastructuresuchassignage
ƒ forestpreservationandstreettreeplanting
ƒ insulationandwindowtreatments
ƒ reducedimperviousness,improvedstormwatermanagement,andotherLID/ESDandgreenbuilding
techniques
ƒ greenroofsandlowreflectanceroofsurfaces
ƒ urbanstormwaterpracticesthatreusestormwaterfornonpotablewateruses
ƒ nativespeciesrequiringlowmaintenanceandwatering
ƒ wildgrasses(ratherthannonnativegrassrequiringconstantcuttingandwatering)
ƒ buildingsorientedforpassivesolarenergyandforphotovoltaiccells
ƒ coordinationwithotherenvironmentalplansandpolicies.

AdjacentResources
RockCreekStreamValleyabutsthePlanboundariesandisa
muchtreasuredrecreationalresourceusedbythousands
eachyear.AlthoughDEPhasdesignatedthestreamasa
restorationarea,thereareveryuniquehabitatpockets
throughoutthecorridor.AdjacenttotheKensingtonPlan
area,theforestedstreamvalleyMNCPPCdetermineditis
abiodiversityareawithrare,threatened,andendangered
species,andshallowpoolsofwaterwiththeirassociated
species.

RunofffromKensingtoncanaffectthehealthofthissensitive
biodiversityarea.ThroughLDI/ESDstormwatertreatments
Kensingtoncanhelpprotectthissensitiveareabyreducing
andtreatingitsstormwaterrunoff.


68 Kensington Appendix Appendix 5

OtherPlansandInitiatives
AnumberofenvironmentalplansandinitiativesareunderwayinMontgomeryCountyandtheir
recommendationswillsupplementandmaysupersedethisPlan’srecommendations.

Theseplansandinitiativesinclude:
ƒ TheWaterQualityFunctionalMasterPlanforMontgomeryCounty
ƒ TheMontgomeryCountyGreenInfrastructureFunctionalMasterPlan
ƒ RevisionstotheCounty’sstormwatermanagementregulations
ƒ RevisionstotheCounty’sforestconservationregulations.

Bibliography:
MarylandNationalCapitalParkandPlanningCommission(2008),AFrameworkforAction:Healthyand
SustainableCommunities.MontgomeryCountyPlanningDepartment.SilverSpring,Maryland.

MontgomeryCountyDepartmentofEnvironmentalProtection(February1989),MontgomeryCounty
CountywideStreamProtectionStrategy.

MontgomeryCountyDepartmentofEnvironmentalProtection(February2003),CountywideStream
ProtectionStrategy.



Kensington Appendix Appendix 5 69