What exactly is impervious space, and how do we determine how much impervious area we have available for improvements? How is impervious space factored into Architectural requests?
Our neighborhood is in a protected district of the Mountain Island Lake watershed. Pervious ground cover allows water to be filtered of pollutants by soil before entering the water supply. Impervious area is land that has been built upon that does not allow water to penetrate into the soil beneath. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Land Use And Environmental Services Agency (LUESA) website defines impervious area as “any hard surface covering the ground. This includes building roofs, paved parking lots, and sidewalks. Gravel is considered impervious under the watershed regulations…” This includes concrete for driveways or patios, slate pavers, footings for decks, and gravel as a groundcover. Decking – wooden slats – is not considered impervious because it is not a solid surface. As to whether any specific building material (i.e. types of pavers) would be considered pervious or impervious, homeowners must contact LUESA for clarification before submitting their Architectural Request. The amoun
