Green Infrastructure
in your own backyard

Green Infrastructure, sometimes referred to as Low Impact Development (LID), uses plants, soil, and trees to slow down, soak in, or reuse rainwater before it runs off into streets, storm drains, and creeks.

This page explains what green stormwater practices are allowed in your city, when permits may be needed, and where to find support.

When it rains, stormwater runs over impervious hard surfaces, picking up pollutants which are washed into storm drains that connect to our local waterways. 

Green Infrastructure can help by reducing stormwater runoff and remediating pollutants.

2. Learn your city’s rules

Learn about the ordinances that apply to your property and projects

HOW TO USE THIS SITE

1. Choose a project type

Discover which green stormwater practices are right for you

3. Plan your next steps

Get connected with technical support resources that will help your project succeed

Choose a Green Infrastructure Project

Rain Gardens + Bioswales Capture, slow, and filter stormwater runoff with planted depressions or shallow channels. “Rain garden and bridge” by Field Outdoor Spaces, CC BY 2.0

Good fit if...

  • You have runoff from a roof, driveway, patio, or lawn.
  • You have a low area where water already collects.
  • You want native plants, habitat, beautificatoin and stormwater benefits in one project.

Not for you if...

  • You do not have a space at least 10 feet from your foundation.
  • You need a very formal or ultra-low-maintenance landscape.

Check with your city if...

  • You will grade, excavate, or move a significant amount of soil.
  • The project changes where water flows off your property.
  • The site is near a creek, floodplain, easement, sidewalk, curb, or street.

Ready to plan a rain garden or bioswale?
Jump to design resources, plant guidance, and next steps.

Plan Your Project
Permeable Pavers Replace hard surfaces with materials that let water soak through instead of running off.

Good fit if...

  • You are replacing or adding a patio, walkway, driveway, or parking area.
  • You want to reduce runoff from paved surfaces.
  • You have enough depth for a proper gravel base.

Not for you if...

  • You need the cheapest possible paving option.
  • The area receives heavy sediment, mud, or leaf buildup.
  • You cannot maintain joints or prevent clogging over time.

Check with your city if...

  • You are changing a driveway, parking area, curb cut, or sidewalk connection.
  • The project adds or replaces hard surface.
  • The project affects drainage, grading, right-of-way, or utilities.

Ready to plan a permeable paving project?
Jump to design considerations, city review notes, and installation resources.

Plan Your Project
Rain Barrels + Cisterns Collect roof runoff from gutters and store it for watering gardens, trees, or landscape beds.

Good fit if...

  • You have gutters and downspouts that can be safely connected.
  • You want to reduce your water cost for summer garden irrigation.
  • You have a stable, level place to elevate the barrel or cistern.

Not for you if...

  • You do not have gutters or a practical roof collection area.
  • You cannot direct overflow away from your foundation.
  • Don't have a use for stored rainwater.

Check with your city if...

  • You are installing a large cistern.
  • The system connects to plumbing or irrigation infrastructure.
  • Overflow could affect neighboring property, sidewalks, or streets.

Ready to plan rainwater harvesting?
Jump to rain barrel setup, overflow guidance, and cistern considerations.

Plan Your Project
Native Plants + Trees Use deep-rooted plants and trees to build soil health, slow runoff, and support wildlife.

Good fit if...

  • You want to replace your lawn with a more resilient landscape.
  • You want habitat for pollinators, birds, and beneficial insects.
  • You can maintain weeds and water the garden while the plants establish.

Not for you if...

  • You cannot maintain the finished garden.
  • You live in an HOA with strict landscape rules.
  • You cannot plant trees a safe distance from utility lines.

Check with your city if...

  • The planting is in or near the right-of-way.
  • You are planting near utilities, sidewalks, intersections, or drainage infrastructure.
  • Your city has naturalistic landscape, weed, or tree preservation rules.

Ready to plan a native planting?
Jump to plant lists, site prep guidance, and maintenance resources.

Plan Your Project

Learn Your City’s Rules

Understanding your city’s requirements and support for green infrastructure implementation is critical before starting your project. We’ve demystified that code so you can get to work with confidence.

Practice Status What to know
Rain Gardens + Bioswales ✓Allowed What to know: Rain gardens are specifically listed as an approved stormwater runoff mitigation practice. Bioswales or drainage swales should be reviewed if they change grading, redirect runoff, or connect to public drainage.
Permeable Surfaces ✓Allowed Driveways, patios, parking areas, or other hard-surface changes may need review, especially if they change runoff volume or direction.
Rain Barrels + Cisterns ✓Allowed Larger cisterns or plumbing connections may require city review. Make sure overflow is directed safely away from foundations and neighboring properties.
Native Plants ✓Allowed Native planting is generally allowed as landscaping and works well with rain gardens, terraced landscape, and other LID practices. Check visibility, right-of-way, easement, and maintenance requirements.
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When should I check with the city?

  • Changes how stormwater flows on your lot, especially if it is redirected toward a neighbor's property. Examples include adding a patio, driveway, retaining wall, swale, rain garden, or other drainage feature. Start with a Permit Application for project review.
  • Adds or changes paving or other hard surface. Examples include concrete, asphalt, pavers, rooftops, or expansions.
  • Involves grading or disturbing a large amount of earth..
  • Touches a creek or floodplain - check the Floodplain Management page and the city's GIS flood maps if your property may be near a floodplain.
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Helpful city links

Plan Your Project
Practice Status What to know
Rain Gardens + Bioswales ✓Allowed Rain gardens and bioretention are recognized Green Stormwater Practices. Projects tied to new impervious area, grading, building permits, or drainage changes may need GSP documentation, standard details, and an owner affidavit.
Permeable Surfaces ✓Allowed Fayetteville provides standard details for permeable pavers, permeable asphalt/concrete, and reinforced gravel. Driveways, patios, parking, or hard-surface expansions may require review.
Rain Barrels + Cisterns ✓Allowed Larger cisterns or plumbing connections may require city review. Make sure overflow is directed safely away from foundations and neighboring properties.
Native Plants ✓Allowed Extensive naturalized planting should be registered through a Naturalistic Landscape application to be exempted from mowing enforcement.
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When should I check with the city?

  • Changes how water moves on your lot. Examples include: adding a patio, driveway, retaining wall, swale, rain garden, or other drainage feature.
  • Adds more than 1,200 square feet of paving or other hard surface. Examples include: concrete, asphalt, pavers, rooftops, or expansions.
  • Involves grading or disturbing a large amount of earth.
  • Touches a creek, streamside area, or floodplain. Check the Floodplain Management page and City GIS Flood Maps if your property may be near a floodplain. Check the Streamside Protection page if you are near a creek.
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Practice Status What to know
Rain Gardens + Bioswales ✓Allowed Rain gardens, bioswales, and other stormwater features may be appropriate, but check with the city if the project changes drainage, grading, stormwater flow, easements, or public infrastructure.
Permeable Surfaces ✓Allowed Driveways, patios, parking, or hard-surface expansions may require review. These systems must be maintained according to local engineering guidelines. Owners must submit an annual maintenance log + inspection report to the city.
Rain Barrels + Cisterns ✓Allowed Larger cisterns or plumbing connections may require city review. Make sure overflow is directed safely away from foundations and neighboring properties.
Native Plants ✓Allowed Check visibility, right-of-way, easement, and maintenance requirements.
!

When should I check with the city?

  • Changes how stormwater flows on your lot, especially if it is redirected toward a neighbor's property. Examples include adding a patio, driveway, retaining wall, swale, rain garden, or other drainage feature. Start with a Permit Application for project review.
  • Adds or changes paving or other hard surface. Examples include concrete, asphalt, pavers, rooftops, or expansions.
  • Involves grading or disturbing a large amount of earth.
  • Touches a creek or floodplain - check the Floodplain page and the city's GIS flood maps if your property may be near a floodplain.
🔗

Helpful city links

Plan Your Project
Practice Status What to know
Rain Gardens + Bioswales ✓Allowed Rain gardens or bioswales should be reviewed if they change grading, redirect runoff, or connect to public drainage.
Permeable Surfaces ✓Allowed Permeable surfaces should be reviewed when used for driveways, parking, commercial sites, subdivisions, or other hard-surface changes. Use the city’s Drainage Manual and LID Design Guide for technical expectations.
Rain Barrels + Cisterns ✓Allowed Larger cisterns or plumbing connections may require city review. Make sure overflow is directed safely away from foundations and neighboring properties.
Native Plants ✓Allowed Springdale has Managed Natural Landscapes information and updated landscape/buffer goals that support ecological landscaping, erosion control, soil stabilization, canopy, and plant buffers. Native plantings should still be maintained and kept clear of sidewalks, streets, sightlines, utilities, and drainage features.
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When should I check with the city?

  • Changes how stormwater flows on your lot, especially if it is redirected toward a neighbor's property. Examples include adding a patio, driveway, retaining wall, swale, rain garden, or other drainage feature. Start with Forms + Documents for permitting and project review.
  • Adds or changes paving or other hard surface. Examples include concrete, asphalt, pavers, rooftops, or expansions.
  • Involves grading or disturbing a large amount of earth.
  • Touches a creek or floodplain - check the Floodplain Management page and the city'sGIS lflood maps if your property may be near a floodplain.
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Plan Your Next Steps

Choose a project type below to find step-by-step guidance, design resources, and next steps.
Rain garden illustration

Rain Gardens + Bioswales

Capture and filter runoff with a planted depression or shallow channel.

1

Plan your garden site

Figure out where water comes from, where it can safely go, and how large the garden should be.

IRWP Rain Garden Design Workbook IRWP Rain Garden Design Workshop Slides
2

Shape and plant your garden

Build the basin, direct water into it, and choose plants for wet and dry zones.

Recommended Plant List Buy Native Plants Locally
3

Care for your garden

Water, weed, mulch, and maintain the inlet and overflow while plants establish.

Maintenance Guide
Permeable pavers illustration

Permeable Pavers

Let water soak through patios, paths, driveways, or parking areas instead of running off.

1

Choose the right location

Check slope, use, drainage patterns, and whether city review may be needed.

Materials Guide
2

Plan installation or hire a professional

Install the base, bedding layer, edge restraint, and pavers to allow infiltration.

DIY Guide
3

Maintain infiltration

Keep sediment out and clean the surface and joints to prevent clogging.

Maintenance Guide
Rain barrel illustration

“Rain barrel” by Arlington County, CC BY-SA 2.0

Rain Barrels + Cisterns

Collect roof runoff from gutters and store it for watering plants.

1

Choose your collection point

Pick a downspout, estimate roof drainage area, and plan a safe path for overflow.

Setup Guide
2

Install safely

Use a stable base, screened inlet, overflow outlet, and hose or spigot connection.

How to Build a Rain Barrel
3

Use and maintain your system

Drain before freezes, clean screens, prevent mosquitoes, and use stored water safely.

Maintenance Guide
Native plants and trees illustration

Native Plants + Trees

Replace turf or bare ground with deep-rooted plants that slow runoff and support habitat.

1

Match plants to the site

Look at sun, soil moisture, slope, visibility, and maintenance expectations.

Buy Native Plants Locally City of Fayetteville Recommended Trees and Shrubs
2

Prepare and plant

Remove weeds or turf, plant at the right spacing, mulch lightly, and water during establishment.

IRWP Rain Garden Establishment Guide
3

Maintain

Weed, water, cut back, and replace failed plants during the first few seasons.

IRWP Rain Garden Maintenance Guide