LID Certification
The Low Impact Development (LID) Certification System at Lake George features a series of credits detailing LID practices a property owner, architect, designer, or developer can apply to their project, whether for new construction, improvement for an existing structure, or redevelopment of a site. Each credit is assigned a prescribed number of points, and after third-party technical review, a project receiving enough points becomes LID Certified. Based on the score awarded, there are three possible levels of LID Certification—Platinum, Gold, and Silver.
LID Certification combines 32 individual credits across four categories: Protect, Build, Restore, and Maintain (as detailed below). With up to six additional points possible for innovations contributing to LID goals, scores can total up to 100 points and are divided by certification level. Arrangement of credits and points is designed to accommodate and ideally award the widest variety of development projects possible.
LID Certification awards include:
Platinum LID Certification | 85-100 points |
Gold LID Certification | 70-84 points |
Silver LID Certification | 55-69 points |
LID Certified Landscape* | 30-37 points |
*A LID Certified Landscape is designed for projects that do not involve building, clearing or land disturbance. This certification is ideal for homeowners and businesses that would like to join the LID community by implementing best management practices on their property.
LID Certification credits are organized by four performance categories:
Protect
For new development projects, natural systems and resources deemed critical to preserving water quality are protected. This includes avoiding very steep slopes, maintaining shoreline buffers, and protecting native trees of certain size and value.
Build
When building on or developing a site, impervious surfaces and lawn areas are limited, natural stormwater treatment is provided, and locally sourced landscape materials are used.
Restore
Where natural filters and buffers have been removed, features such as stream buffers, forested areas, and native shorelines are restored.
Maintain
Landscape maintenance practices that limit impacts to water quality are employed, such as avoiding the use of seal coat, reducing salt use, eliminating lawn fertilizers and chemicals, and implementing a “lake friendly” landscape maintenance plan.