Mark Lerch

I’ve never seen these in clay before but what it looks like to me is that the tabs are touching the other tabs on many of the bricks because of the haring-bone pattern that was chosen. It the bricks were laid with a running bond and offset instead the tabs would be creating a less awkward spacing between the bricks but would still allow drainage.  

I agree with Andrew. Also, raised island prohibits opportunities for stormwater capture. Can’t see much but I notice when someone plans for pedestrians after they get out of their cars and doesn’t force them to walk down drive aisles to get to their destination. 

How many other people out there are 40+ and found the ageist conclusion to be unsettling? 

From my commercial landscape plan review days… one applicant argued that there was nothing in the code that specifically excluded asphalt from being counted for area that contributed to % of ground cover.

Code minimums are just that. It is up to the L.A. to persuade the developer to go beyond the minimum. I know most owners/developers would rather maximize the opportunities for parking spaces, however trees that are planted in groups do better and have a greater chance of survival. So whether you decide to go with a low impact development strategy…[Read more]

I agree with the person on the article comments with the Observer, if the Crapes were planted to meet minimum code requirements and that is why the Forester is enforcing the pruning fine, it may require questioning whether these trees ever should have been approved as minimum code trees in the first place. It is my experience that many business’s…[Read more]

I have commented on this also. I believe you are correct. It is hard enough to find work now without having to compete with people that are willing to allow themselves to be exploited by predatory employers. The ASLA needs to create a separate forum for students that are interested in internships because an internship posting has no place on a job board.

Good article. It is good to see that there are professionals not more concerned with job preservation than actually doing their jobs. Topping trees is an archaic form of arboriculture that is no longer recommended by any of the professional arboricultural  associations. I worked in a county where it was illegal to do so but the initial penalty…[Read more]

For 1″ bluestone you can get by with a 4″ grinder and a good diamond blade. Sakrete is weak as mentioned. I would use 5 shovel masonry sand, 1 shovel Portland cement, .5 shovel lime ratio mix. The sand is important. If its the wrong type, you won’t get the loft necessary and it will make levelling the patio very difficult. The consistency of the…[Read more]

First, if vehicles have been parking on the Critical Root Zone for years the trees already are compromised. It really doesn’t matter whether you use pavers or not. Check the trees limbs for dieback and try to do a soil probe to determine how compacted the root zone is. How close to the tree will the paving be?

I am glad you wrote an article addressing this topic. It does seem like there is a lot of pressure to validate ourselves with more and more credentials. I thought when I got my RLA I would be done. Now with the competition for work being so intense it seems inevitable that just to be marketable it will be necessary to become LEED certified, even…[Read more]

Florida has a specific section of the LARE that it requires candidates pass prior to becoming licensed. It covers many areas but not specifically grading and drainage.

You are correct about the question of whether local goverment agencies have the right to elevate the standards of submittal to the exclusion of all statute qualified professionals…[Read more]

You are not dumb or uniformed, Jennifer. You are right on. There is no advantage in being complacent about the diminshing role landscape architects are being resigned to. It is essential to the future of our practice that landscape architects exercise the rights we have to their limits. While we can equivocate about how much business we stand to…[Read more]

Hi Andrew, first, thank you for your contribution to this thread.
In the State of Florida, in the Southwest Florida Water Management District, a developer doesn’t even have the choice to use a landscape architect to prepare the stormwater plans. This is in a state that recognizes landscape architects as being qualified to prepare stormwater plans.…[Read more]

I agree with the writer of the letter, Dan Kerr. It is not enough to just acquire LEED certification without verifying that there is a quantifiable gain in doing so. If there is not some accountability and proof that being LEED certified is actually accomplishing what it is supposed, energy efficiency and environmental compatibility, then it will…[Read more]

Nick, thanks for the questions. I don’t necessarily think engineers are not qualified to do stormwater plans. Clearly they have been doing them and are adept at meeting stormwater requirements designated by the water management districts. I review landscape plans for commercial developments on a daily basis and I frequently see plans that are…[Read more]

perhaps try “noise and sound attenuation”. Time saver standards for Landscape Architecture goes into this.

I found the DEP website very helpful. You will also need to be very familiar with many of the statutes. Not just the ones that regulate licensure but also lighting on beaches, walkway width clearance at bus stops, importation of nursery plants from out of state, sand fencing, etc. If you go the DBPR website there is a very detailed list of topics…[Read more]

I have some materials for Section F that I can send you. Do you have an email? I will send them to you. Mark

What oath? I attended school and I had to to pay a boat load of $$$ to take the exams. I don’t remember taking an oath. Did you? I worked in a landscape architecture office in 2004-2007. The principals bought “company” cars. One was a Ford Expedition and the other a full size pick-up truck. I was dumbfounded. I thought landscape architects would…[Read more]