Who knew green infrastructure was such a divisive topic?
Patrick Thornton reports on a curious case of neighborhood controversy in Montgomery County, Maryland, where residents are rejecting the idea of new "rain gardens" to help control stormwater Wheaton Woods.
"Rain gardens are designed to help stop flooding and prevent pollution in rivers and streams by holding and purifying stormwater," explains Thornton. But some residents are calling the rain gardens "pits of death" in effort to keep the county from building any more. According to Thornton, "some neighbors are fighting the gardens, saying they're worried that people will fall into them, that they'll hurt property values, or that stormwater pollution will end up in their yards."
Thornton notes that local candidates for county executives are echoing some of those opposing talking points, but all as a prelude to a photo essay exposing the ridiculousness of those claims. One thing Thornton will grant the opposition—Montgomery County could have done a better job with outreach before building new rain gardens.
FULL STORY: The 10 best “pits of death” in the Washington region

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Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

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The city wants to accelerate small-scale safety improvements that use low-cost equipment to make an impact at dangerous intersections.
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