Green Infrastructure for Mystic: A Community-Driven Stormwater Study

The Town of Groton is looking for ways to help property owners in the Mystic neighborhood use more green infrastructure, such as rain gardens and permeable pavement. These tools help soak up rainwater and reduce flooding.

We want to know:

1. How you experience drainage and flooding problems
2. What makes it hard for property owners to use green infrastructure
3. The best ways to share information and work with property owners

Using research, local partnerships, and community feedback, the project team will create and test a small education and outreach program. What we learn from this pilot will help shape a larger program in the future.

The project will also study ways to pay for stormwater improvements in Mystic. This includes looking at current and future needs, and exploring stormwater fees based on how much hard surface (like roofs and pavement) a property has. The study will also outline options for creating a stormwater authority to collect these fees.

Green infrastructure on private property can reduce hard surfaces and may lower stormwater fees through credits or discounts. The project will explore how these ideas work together.

Overall, this effort will help reduce flooding while giving residents and property owners a voice in local stormwater solutions.

SLR Consulting https://www.slrconsulting.com/us/ is providing technical support, and the University of Connecticut’s Sustainable and Resilient Communities Program https://draft.seagrant.uconn.edu/programs-for-sustainable-and-resilient-communities/ is overseeing the project.