Rain Gardens For Businesses

As part of the rain garden program, Fort Wayne is encouraging businesses to become involved. In order to provide maximum flexibility, four strategies have been outlined for supporting the installation of rain gardens on commercial properties:

  • Construction of a Rain Garden on a Small Commercial Site
  • Corporate Host program
  • Corporate-Sponsored Off-Site Rain Garden

Download a brochure about the program.

For more information about rain gardens for businesses, please This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call Fort Wayne City Utilities at 260-427-1381. about the program.

Strategy 1: Construction of a Rain Garden on a Small Commercial Site

  • Target: Small businesses with a residential-type structure, fewer than 5,000 square feet of impervious surface (2 ERUs), and space available on-site for the installation of a rain garden.
  • City will provide the business with currently developed rain garden manuals to aid in the design and installation.
  • City will provide limited technical assistance for site selection, design, and plant selection through existing on-call agreements up to two hours.
  • City will design and provide signage recognizing the business.
    • Businesses who complete the construction of a rain garden on their site and who are participating in the NISBC Bright Green Business Program could receive credit for completing the Stormwater Pollution Prevention section of the Bright Green Business Certification checklist.
    • City will recognize the business on the City’s website, will provide the business with the Catching Rain logo that may be used on the marketing material produced and distributed by the business, and City will assist the business in planning and carrying out one media contact to promote the garden.

Strategy 2: Corporate Host Program

  • Target: Large businesses with a commercial-type structure, greater than 5,000 square feet of impervious surface (2 ERUs) and that may not have space available on-site for the installation of a rain garden.
  • This strategy will outline a plan for businesses, in this category, to encourage their employees to install residential rain gardens at their own homes.
  • The business will set a goal of having employees build enough gardens of sufficient size to capture and manage stormwater equal to at least half of the amount generated by the business property’s impervious surface, in a one inch rainfall. The following assumptions provide a background for the feasibility of this goal:
  1. Assume 200 square feet average size of residential rain garden
  2. Assume 6” average depth of residential rain garden
  3. An average residential rain garden captures and manages stormwater produced from 1,200 square feet impervious area in a 1” rain event.
  4. On average, it would take only 2 to 3 residential rain gardens to capture and manage half of the stormwater produced from 5,000 square feet of impervious area.
  • The business will host/sponsor residential rain garden how-to workshops (facilitated by the City) for all interested employees (City set minimum attendance level and/or join combine attendees from multiple businesses into one workshop.)
  • Employees participating in the program who live inside the Fort Wayne City limits will be eligible for the City’s residential rain garden incentives.
  • Businesses who complete this Corporate Host Program and who are participating in the NISBC Bright Green Business Program could receive credit for completing the Stormwater Pollution Prevention section of the Green City Business Certification checklist.
  • City will recognize the business on the City’s website, will provide the business with the Catching Rain logo that may be used on the marketing material produced and distributed by the business, and City will assist the business in planning and carrying out one media contact to promote the garden.
  • City will provide signage recognizing the business as a Rain Garden Corporate Host.

Strategy 3A: Corporate-Sponsored Off-Site Rain Garden (New Garden)

  • Target: Businesses that do not have space available on-site for the installation of a rain garden.
    • Business will provide funding for the design and plants needed for the installation of a rain garden in a neighborhood common area or in a park.
    • Business will team with site owners to provide rain garden maintenance assistance, including periodic watering during first year, routine weeding, mulching, and re-planting as needed.
    • If required, City will assist business in identifying potential sites and interested neighborhood associations.
    • City will provide limited technical assistance for site selection, design, and plant selection through existing on-call agreements up to two hours.
    • City will recognize the business on the City’s website, will provide the business with the Catching Rain logo that may be used on the marketing material produced and distributed by the business and City will provide and City will assist the business in planning and carrying out one media contact to promote the garden.

Strategy 3B: Corporate-Sponsored Off-Site Rain Garden (Adopt-A-Garden)

  • Target: Businesses that do not have space available on-site for the installation of a rain garden.
  • Business will commit to providing rain garden maintenance assistance, including periodic watering during first year, routine weeding, mulching, and re-planting as needed.
  • City will assist business in identifying potential, existing public or demonstration sites to be adopted.
  • City will provide limited technical assistance for maintenance design or site selection through existing on-call agreements up to two hours.
  • City will recognize the business on the City’s website, will provide the business with the Catching Rain logo that may be used on the marketing material produced and distributed by the business and City will provide and City will assist the business in planning and carrying out one media contact to promote the garden.

Strategy 4: Construction of a Rain Garden on a Large Commercial Site

  • Target: Large businesses with a commercial-type structure, greater than 5,000 square feet of impervious surface (2 ERUs) and space available on-site for the installation of a rain garden.
  • This strategy to include both, new development and existing developed properties.
  • This strategy is NOT intended for rain gardens with an active role in overall site stormwater management. If designing for total stormwater management, businesses must contact City Utility Engineering for assistance.
  • City will provide limited technical assistance for site selection, design, and plant selection through existing on-call agreements up to two hours.
  • City will design and provide signage recognizing the business.
    • Businesses who complete the construction of a rain garden on their site and who are participating in the NISBC Bright Green Business Program could receive credit for completing the Stormwater Pollution Prevention section of the Green City Business Certification checklist.
    • City will recognize the business on the City’s website, will provide the business with the Catching Rain logo that may be used on the marketing material produced and distributed by the business and City will provide and City will assist the business in planning and carrying out one media contact to promote the garden.