Multi-tasking Landscapes

Kelly Gutshall, RLA. March 10, 2016

HOA Forum: Common Space for the Greater GoodLoudoun County | Algonkian Regional Park Woodlands Conference Center | Sterling, VA

Multi-tasking Landscapes

Why is Protecting Water Resources Important?

We all live downstream…..


Water is the basis of land use


Water as the basis of vegetation and diversity

Water is vital for basic health, safety and welfare……


What happened to our natural landscapes?

Loudoun County

Loudoun County - 1957

Loudoun County - 2015

How do we protect and improve Water Resources

…. Functional Natural Landscapes

Single Function Multiple Function

Multi-tasking Landscape

Lititz Run Watershed

How can a community improve water quality?

Lititz

Loudoun

1953 Image of Lititz Lititz, Lancaster County - 1950

Butterfly Acres

Rock Lititz

New Street Park

Banta Farm

Lititz, Lancaster County - 2015

Butterfly Acres

Butterfly Acres - Before

Butterfly Acres - After

Butterfly Acres

Rock Lititz

New Street Park

Banta Farm


New Street Park

New Street Park - Before

New Street Park - After

Butterfly Acres

Rock Lititz

New Street Park

Banta Farm


Banta Farm

Banta Farm - Before

Banta Farm - After

Butterfly Acres

Rock Lititz

New Street Park

Banta Farm


Rock Lititz

How it all began....”A Community Improving It’s Water Quality”

Over 30 projects implemented and continuing

• Re-designated a Cold Water Fishery (CWF), upgraded from its previous designation as a Warm Water Fishery (WWF) in 2008.

• Over 7 miles of stream and riparian corridor restored.

• Over 20 acres of wetlands have been created to reduce flooding and improve water quality.

• Hundreds of community residents have volunteered their time and contributed money to help in the restoration effort.

• Warwick School District and Millersville University integrated education curriculum related to the watershed.

• MS4 Permit Compliance already achieved

• First Critical Aquifer Recharge Area (CARA) restoration in Pennsylvania.

• First regional water quality facility in Pennsylvania

Measurable Results – 15 years

Where it all began….$5,000 investment

Lititz Run Riparian Park

Little Conestoga Watershed

Watershed Action Plan

Community Engagement

Prioritization of Opportunities

Concept Plans

Functional Natural Landscapes

Industry Standard - Landscaping for aesthetics not function

• Water Quality Regulations – NPDES

• Native Plant Availability

• Chesapeake Bay Initiatives

• Stormwater Management & Infiltration

The Catalysts for Change

• Education • Involvement• Expectations• Incremental Approach• Design • Engage the Lawn Care or Landscape

Contractor

What can homeowners do?

Education

Involvement

Higher Cost– mulched bed with container planting

Lower Cost - seeded meadow with container planting

Expectations

Expectations

Before

Incremental Approach

After

Incremental Approach

Design Involvement

Engaging the Lawn Care or Landscape Contractor

The Homes at Wyncote – golf course community

Grandview Chase – common open space

Hillrise – urban lower income housing development

Creekside – conventional 1980’s Planned Unit Development

Oakmont –5 HOA’s within one hillside community experiencing severe drainage issues

Landis Homes – retirement community with a sustainable living environment

Examples:

The Homes at Wyncote

The Challenge: Blending a conventional 1 acre lot development into an existing golf course.

The Homes at Wyncote

• Implementing lot by lot caused consistency issues in maturity of the meadows

• Enforcement of the guidelines and original intent

• Consistent maintenance by the Golf Course worked well

Lessons Learned:

Creekside

The Challenge: The serial mowers ….. How to encourage Community support and provide

flexibility.

• On-going Technical Support – for community representative is critical

• Flexibility of Implementation – it was crucial to the success of this project

• Maintenance – long term maintenance has been transferred back to the lawn care company

Lessons Learned:

OakmontThe Challenge: One Community and 5 HOA’s …..

one common issue, drainage and erosion.

• Engineering - to size drainage facilities properly was critical

• Slow and Steady Progress – for long term solutions as alternative to short term fixes.

• Showcase Areas - one of the HOA’s has leadership that understood the investment for long term and implemented projects which provide examples for the rest of the community.

Lessons Learned:

Lancaster Residence

The Challenge: Residential Stormwater Management

Lancaster Residence Lancaster Residence PA Stormwater Manual BMP 6.7.4

Lancaster Residence Lancaster Residence Post Construction – September 2011

Lancaster Residence Lancaster Residence September 2011 Storms – 18” + in 2 week period

Lancaster Residence Lancaster Residence Early October 2011

Lancaster Residence Lancaster Residence June 2014

Lessons learned:

• Client - understood regional value of the proposed restoration.

• First Floodplain and Stream Restoration used for Stormwater Management in PA

• Aesthetics is as important at function – the top of slope delineates the transition between naturalized and manicured landscape

Lessons Learned:

Landis Homes

The Challenge: restoring a floodplain as an alternative to conventional stormwater

management

Landis Homes Floodplain Restoration

Landis Homes Floodplain Restoration (SWM) Facility

Economic Ecology Economic Ecology

Kelly Gutshall, RLA. March 10, 2016

HOA Forum: Common Space for the Greater GoodLoudoun County | Algonkian Regional Park Woodlands Conference Center | Sterling, VA

Questions

Multi-tasking Landscapes

Environment

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