GOING GREEN WITH A CARSPIN TURNTABLE MEANS MORE EFFICIENT URBAN PLANNING
Efficient low impact site planning can incrementally shrink the surface area of the parking lots and limit the amount of impervious cover. This is accomplished by increasing the percentage of compact parking stalls through better utilization of land by employing vehicle turntables instead of taking up excess driveway area for unneeded turn-around areas.
According to the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES):
“Green parking refers to several techniques that applied together reduce the contribution of parking lots to total impervious cover. From a stormwater perspective, green parking techniques applied in the right combination can dramatically reduce impervious cover and, consequently, reduce the amount of stormwater runoff. Green parking lot techniques include: setting maximums for the number of parking lots created; minimizing the dimensions of parking lot spaces; utilizing alternative pavers in overflow parking areas; using bioretention areas to treat stormwater; encouraging shared parking; and providing economic incentives for structured parking.”
“Alternative turnarounds are end-of-street vehicle turnarounds that reduce impervious cover in neighborhoods by replacing cul-de-sacs. Cul-de-sacs are local access streets with closed circular ends that allow for vehicle turnarounds. Many cul-de-sacs have radiuses of more than 40-feet. From a stormwater perspective, cul-de-sacs create a huge bulb of impervious cover that increases the amount of stormwater runoff. Reducing the size of cul-de-sacs, either though the use of alternative turnarounds or by eliminating them altogether, can reduce the amount of impervious cover created at the site. There are numerous alternatives to the traditional 40-foot cul-de-sac, all of which reduce impervious cover.”
“Alternative pavers are permeable surfaces that can replace asphalt and concrete and can be used for driveways, parking lots, and walkways. From a stormwater perspective, this is important because alternative pavers can replace impervious surfaces, creating less stormwater runoff.”
URL:http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater/menuofbmps/index.cfm
The above pictured concept cul-de-sac/parking lot represents the aforementioned concepts of green parking: alternative turnaround and alternative paver. Utilizing a turntable allows for minimizing the dimensions of parking lot spaces and increasing bioretention areas to treat stormwater; as an alternative turnaround impervious cover is reduced; and because there is an edge along the circumference of the turntable which acts as a storm drain, this alternative paver (of sorts) creates less undirected stormwater runoff.
