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.