Plants in Fire Lane – Looking for Precedent

[Marc Beyer]

Hello Land8 Community!

We are looking for examples of projects that have plants in fire lanes.  Currently, city ordinance will not allow us to use plants other than turf (grass). We want to use low height plants to promote safety and access.  The municipality also limits the amount of high water use plants and we don’t want to use artificial grass.  Our preference is to use real plants.  We are intending to incorporate a walkway and use this area as passive recreation to be used for walking pets, strolling and the like and the client is hoping for a lush, planted environment beyond stabilized decomposed granite and concrete pavers.  

Does anyone know or have precedent to share?

[Tosh K]

Fire Lanes as in the land adjacent to buildings reserved for use by fire department equipment? The structural load requirement in the lane itself is pretty brutal.

In my experience it’s something to be negotiated with the fire marshal who has jurisdiction and the structural requirement for the outriggers on a ladder truck pretty much negates anything growing there besides turf grass (maybe a ‘lawn alternative like sedge/liriope within a structurally reinforced soil).  The Charlottesville Downtown Mall is negotiated to have a meandering fire lane through the brick pedestrian mall with interspersed tree pits – not entirely ‘lush’, but the strategy may work…

[Marc Beyer]

Tosh K –

Yes, you are correct.  Your input and plant suggestions are helpful. I’ll definitely take a look at the Charlottesville Downtown Mall as precedent.   

Thanks for the reply!

[Socorro Gonzalez]

You can use native and drought tolerant succulent plants because they need very less maintenance and water and they could be lush and beautiful on your walkways or fir lanes.

In the below image you can see the use of succulent plants at the borders that is providing an inviting view to your residential outdoor with very less need of water and maintenance.

[Marc Beyer]

Hello Socorro,

Thank you for sharing, this is beautiful arrangement of succulent plantss

Thanks for the reply!

[Kevin Ho]

Hi Marc-

I was really impressed with the Four Seasons in Scottsdale.  Looks like a 6′ wide path with a clear zone full of low/med shrubs.

The pavement matching the dg also helps break up the linearity.

Hope this helps.

Aloha,

Kevin

[Marc Beyer]

Hi Kevin!  

Thanks for the reply…this is very helpful! 

Hope all is well.

Marc

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