Factors That Drive Resident Support for Planned Rain Gardens in Urban Neighborhoods

Green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) promises to improve stormwater management while making landscapes more sustainable. The ability of GSI to achieve water quality objectives and provide socioeconomic cobenefits depends in part on public perceptions and support. This study contributes to the literature on public perceptions of top-down, municipal-scale GSI. We examined variation in public support for planned rain gardens and the factors associated with support in a large Midwestern city in the US. We collected survey data (N=588) in two socioeconomically distinct neighborhoods and fit multivariate linear regression models to explore how variables derived from economics, landscape ecology, and outreach and engagement literatures impact support. There was little difference in support between neighborhoods. The expectation of increased property values and improved neighborhood appearance, alignment with personal norms and experience with conservation landscaping, and satisfaction with outreach and engagement programs were significantly associated with higher support. In addition, strong neighborhood identity magnified the effects of several variables. These results suggest that planners should work with communities to identify rain garden designs and locations that balance functionality with aesthetic preferences to minimize potential negative socioeconomic effects while meeting stormwater management objectives. Proactive community engagement that is attentive to local norms and values and identifies appropriate rain garden maintenance plans could improve the long-term effectiveness of GSI by increasing the likelihood of local support. Cities are increasingly using technologies called green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) to manage drainage water, including flooding and sewage overflows to waterways. Common examples of GSI in urban areas are rain gardens and permeable pavement. Vegetated with perennial plants, rain gardens potentially offer additional benefits to urban environments such as pollinator habitat, lower summer heat, and improved community aesthetics, which can enhance health and well-being from activities like increased exercise. However, installing rain gardens alters the landscape, which can be viewed positively or negatively by residents. Public views on rain gardens are important because if viewed negatively, fewer people benefit and otherwise-effective GSI programs could fail to be pursued. On the other hand, community support for GSI could lead to long-term viability of the infrastructure and its benefits. We studied public perceptions of GSI in Columbus, Ohio, where the city planned to install rain gardens throughout residential neighborhoods. Residents were more likely to be supportive of planned rain gardens if they (1) felt they would improve their property values and appearance of the neighborhood, (2) felt sufficiently informed by the city about the rain garden plans, and (3) already had experience with conservation landscaping at home.