VA Overview People have a strong emotional attachment to water, arising from its aesthetic qualities tranquility, coolness, and beauty. Although there are a limited number of natural waterfront sites, many opportunities exist to create waterfront property. Homes and businesses can be sited along hydroelectric or water supply impoundments or near the banks of artificial lakes created for wildlife, recreational, or aesthetic reasons. A practice becoming more prevalent is to site developments around man-made ponds, lakes, or wetlands created to control flooding and reduce the impacts of urban runoff on neighboring natural streams, lakes, or coastal areas. When designed and sited correctly, artificial lakes or wetlands can help developers reduce negative environmental impacts caused by the development process and increase the value of the property.
Most local governments require some form of urban runoff management for new development.
This report describes certain urban runoff management controls that can be incorporated into a development in away that provides aesthetic and economic benefits. Table 1 summarizes examples of real estate premiums charged for property fronting these controls. For existing runoff controls that are unsafe or unsightly, corrective renovations are described. Examples of real estate premiums charged for property fronting urban runoff controls. Sediment from construction sites can end up in streams and rivers, choking plant and animal life.