HomeMy WebLinkAbout18- RFP Submission - Drought Tolerant Designs for City Medians - Peak to Plains DesignDROUGHT TOLERANT
LANDSCAPE & IRRIGATION
DESIGNS FOR CITY MEDIANS
Peaks to Plains Design PC
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE / PLANNING / CIVIL ENGINEERING
Peaks to Plains DesignPC
404 North 31 Street, Suite 405 Billings, Montana 59101 Phone: 406.294.9499
www.peakstoplains.com
April 13, 2018
Jessica Ahlstrom
Water Conservation Specialist
PO Box 1230 | 20 East Olive Street
Bozeman, Montana 59715
RE: Drought Tolerant Landscape & Irrigation Designs for City Medians
Dear Jessica:
Bozeman is located a semi-arid environment with limited water sources that are being subjected to
increasing pressure from water demands of a growing population and recurring drought. Like many cities in
the country, nearly half of the water supply during summer is used on lawns and landscapes. These growing
demands on water supply make it everyone’s responsibility to rethink appropriate use. This mindset does not
need to come at the cost of aesthetics.
Xeriscaping is not as simple as replacing plants with drought-tolerant plants. Xeriscape design is both a
science and an art form. This requires a holistic approach to design that goes beyond plant selection
and irrigation design. It must consider runoff, infiltration, filtration, stormwater and runoff capture, effective
irrigation management, soils, mulch, non-living materials, roadway safety, cost and maintenance.
We mention this because we have experience designing many types of road corridors for the past fifteen
years. Consider our firm for the following reasons:
• Within the last two years, we have completed six large-scale xeric designs that have achieved water
savings ranging between 31 percent to over 90 percent. We have the tools to calculate your water
savings.
• Roadway safety can be compromised by landscaping. We are familiar with the MUTCD and AASHTO
road design guidelines to ensure that your desire to have a drought tolerant median does not create
other problems.
• Not every landscape architect is also an irrigation designer. With over 100 irrigation systems
designed, our landscape architects are also expert irrigation designers who are knowledgeable and
experienced with the latest irrigation products, equipment, technologies and management strategies that
increase efficiency and decrease water consumption, maintenance, labor and cost.
• Roadway median landscaping requires a holistic approach that considers much more than planting and
irrigation. It requires careful examination of many interrelated elements to achieve a functioning and
aesthetically-pleasing design.
We are ready to work with you to achieve your water reduction and roadway aesthetic goals.
Sincerely,
Jolene Rieck, PLA
President
Peaks to Plains DesignPC
1
Statement of Qualifications
Capacity for New Projects
Ready for Hire.
Peaks to Plains Design PC is a landscape
architecture, planning and civil engineering firm
that specializes in creating innovative spaces that
merge artistic vision, environmental sensitivity,
long-term viability and sound economics.
Recognized as experts in design and planning,
the addition of engineering integrates the art of
design with the efficiency of engineering. This
collaboration enables all traditional planning
services to develop as one comprehensive plan
without costly delays, saving our clients time and
money.
The team at Peaks to Plains Design is efficient,
strategic and is extremely adaptable to a wide-
variety of situations. Our intimate knowledge of
each and every project allows us to maintain
project schedules. We are not a organizational
chart company; rather, each person contributes to
every aspect of a project, often customizing the
right team for the right project.
1. Prioritizing Work: The project priorities are
clear, easy to change and are reflected in the
work tasks. Everyone knows what to do right
now.
2. Manage Risk: Instead of reacting to the
unexpected, we anticipate the unexpected
and attempt to respond in a proactive manner.
3. Schedule Reliability: We utilize our past
experience to accurately reflect our work task
efforts and available resources. While clients
often drive our schedules, we respond by the
ability to re-prioritize efforts on the go.
4. Ownership and Accountability: Projects are
managed collaboratively. This allows for team
members to take vacations, travel for work
and respond quickly.
5. Productive and Focused: Instead of wasting time
managing the schedule, more time is spent on
productive work tasks.
Peaks to Plains Design provides professional services
on approximately forty projects per year. While we
engage in approximately fifteen projects per year as
a prime consultant, the remaining projects place us in
a collaborative environment through sub-consulting.
The diversity of landscape architecture, community
planning and civil engineering, our staff may work on
anything from feasibility studies to construction close
out during a typical day. With our personnel, this type
of capability has been consistent within the last five
years and serves the needs of our clients well.
In addition to the key staff members listed in this
response, Peaks to Plains Design has access to
additional production and administrative staff. This
helps us respond to high volume projects while
limiting the need to carry the additional employee
overhead. This approach keeps costs reasonable
while ensuring that the key staff is cognizant of client
and project needs.
Drought Tolerant Landscape & Irrigation Designs for City Medians2
Considerations for Roadway Landscaping
The primary purpose of a road median, traffic circle
or roundabout is to increase safety by managing
the access of vehicles to adjacent properties and
separating vehicular traffic. However, when plants
are added, these roadway facilities can improve the
aesthetics of streets and increase the environmental
benefits. The design of these landscapes requires
landscape architects who possess specialty knowledge,
skills and abilities.
Consideration #1: Soils
Description: When it comes to a drought-tolerant/
xeric landscape, soils are as important as the plants
and watering strategies. The two primary challenges
for soil within roadways are quantity and quality.
Medians often have a shallow soil profile and can be
compacted, which restricts plant growth and water
holding capacity. The quality of existing soils and
proposed fills (if any) must be assessed as to their
drainage characteristics, compaction potential, organic
content, fertility and exposure to foreign materials/soil
contaminates.
Strategy: Peaks to Plains Design will assess the soils
and make design decisions that will provide a sufficent
depth of soil for plant growth, as well as ensuring that
the it facilitates water holding and moisture dispersion.
A detailed approach to soils on your project will
help ensure a healthier plants and increased water
holding capacity and moisture dispersion. Ultimately,
this consideration results in less maintenance, plant
replacement cost and water consumption.
Proof: On our Diesel Technology Center project in
Havre, Montana that recently achieved a 2-Green
Globe rating, our consideration of the planting profile
and physical properties played a key role in reducing
outdoor water consumption by 30 percent. The soils
were engineered in such a way to increase water
dispersion and holding capacity, which reduced the
need for the frequency and intensity of irrigation.
Consideration #2: Vegetation Selection
Description: While drought tolerance is the main goal
for this project, it does not need to come at the expense
of aesthetics. Roadside conditions are typically harsh,
and selected plants must be tolerant of a variety of site
conditions, including the climate, solar exposure and
above- and below-ground conditions. Additionally, the
plant selections need to be generally low-maintenance
and organized to avoid difficult/dangerous
maintenance situations.
Strategy: Identify plant materials that require minimal
soil volumes in order to achieve maximum health.
Identify plant stock that are tolerant to magnesium
chloride and other de-icing materials. Discuss with the
client the realistic life span of plant materials. Consider
the annual maintenance requirements for the plant
stock (e.g. thinning, removal of dead flowers, pruning).
Identify plant material with four season interests.
Consider microclimate impacts such as snow drifting,
snow plowing and solar exposure. Utilize plant
material that is considered drought tolerant.
Proof: As the city is making an increased effort to
reduce water consumption, we have been able to
integrate native and drought-tolerant plants into our
palettes. The Ccara Building at Ferguson Farm is a
design of ours demonstrating how aesthetic goals
were achieved by providing color through the use of
perennial plants. Due to the use of drought-tolerant
plants, water consumption was reduced by 68 percent.
In the I-25 Entryway Corridor Study in Casper, the
recommendations for the placement of plant material
took into consideration snow drifting and solar
exposure. Tree placement must occur outside of the
highway clear zone, and any massing of shrubs took
into consideration the aspect, slope and surrounding
improvements that could affect where snow will
accumulate.
Peaks to Plains DesignPC
3
Consideration #3: Safety
Description: The overriding spatial deisgn considerations for
roadway landscaping are those that address the safety of the
corridor. The principle considerations are: visibility, clear zones,
pedestrian safety and animal deterrence.
No matter the design, sight lines must be preserved near intersections
and driveways. The reflectivity or glare produced by materials should
not distract drivers. Materials within the medians should visually
contrast the roadway to assist drivers easily separate medians
with driving lanes, particularly at night. Clear zones need to be
maintained to provide a recovery area for the roadway. Pedestrian
safety must also be considered at crosswalks, such as providing
refuge areas on wider roadways. Finally, the design should reduce
animal-vehicle conflicts by considering foliage that animals prefer,
especially browsing species.
Strategy: Urban roads have clear zone requirements as dictated by
local agencies or follow the AASHTO’s “A Policy on the Geometric
Design of Highways and Streets.” The FHWA also has resources
regarding aesthetics and safety under “Context Sensitive Design” and
“Roundabouts.” The combination of soft and hardscape materials
at the approaches to intersections must account for traffic signage,
visibility and geometric configurations.
Proof: The aesthetic considerations for the Billings Airport Road
project included berming the center of the roundabout in order to
reduce headlight glare and to give drivers a visual cue that they will
be maneuvering through the roundabout. At the Alkali Creek end of
the project, a more native landscape treatment included the selection
of specific grass species that did not attract antelope and deer, and
wildflower plant materials could not attract avian species, due the
proximity to the airport runway.
Consideration #4: Maintenance Logistics
Description: Long after the design and construction phase services
are complete, the success of the installation relies on a systematic
and integrated approach to maintenance. Maintenance success
relies on both quality and quantity of the personnel and program.
Maintenance personnel tend to have a high turn over rate and are
often entry level jobs or maintenance is left to volunteer groups.
Snow plowing and de-icing materials often migrate onto the medians,
causing changes in soil chemistry or damaging plant material. Over
Vegetation to deter browsing animals helps to reduce
vehicle-animal conflicts.
The Alkali Creek Interchange required clear zone
setbacks, a specialty seed mix and a thoughtful
compositon of planting soil in order to have
vegetation survive without irrigation.
The redesign for two traffic circles in Valley West
proposes using non-living materials for aesthetics,
while reducing water use and maintenance costs.
Drought Tolerant Landscape & Irrigation Designs for City Medians4
time, the ease of maintenance outweighs the design decisions made
due to life safety or technological factors, and ultimately the installation
decays.
Strategy: Include the anticipated maintenance personnel in the design
review in order to identify any concerns related to maintenance.
Discuss with the roads division the need for OSHA and lane closure
requirements for personnel and equipment to access the medians.
Design median edges to allow for road debris to accumulate and
shed chemicals. Prepare a maintenance manual that outlines the
design intent, the rationale for the design decisions made and the
technical aspects that should be used in training. Identify a full-
time city employee who is responsible for annual training on the
maintenance for the system. Consider an annual contract with Peaks
to Plains Design or another 3rd party to monitor irrigation consumption.
Proof: Peaks to Plains Design designed the medians on the US Highway 93 South near the Stevensville Wye for the
Montana Department of Transportation. The design took into account highway construction practices of extending
pavement through the median, causing a drainage block. Our solution required the contractor use alternative
construction methods where a deeper soil profile was necessary.
An entryway median for the Bitterroot Heights Subdivision was technically dedicated as city park, but the city
required the developer to maintain the median, who then allocated it to the HOA. The median was being over
watered. Once the city parks department regained control, they were able to properly set the irrigation control
clock and monitor the water use.
Consideration #5: Irrigation & Clock Management (Smart Control)
Description: While it is generally accepted that drip irrigation is the most effective delivery system to reduce water
use, the strategy (e.g. surface versus subsurface), product selection, technology and clock management are critical
to ensure the most efficient use of water. Pressure loss is also a critical issue in roadway design due to the length of
pipe.
The entry median to Bitterroot Heights Subdivision.
Note how the sloped edges prevent debris from
entering the planting bed and provides more soil
volume for the ornamental trees.
US Highway 93 South
median cross section
detail. Two planting soil
profile depths allowed for
woody plant stock root
development and drainage
from the center of the
median.
Peaks to Plains DesignPC
5
Have you ever seen an irrigation system running while
its raining? Technology, such as rain sensors, shut off
systems during rain events. (stock photo)
This design for the Sidney Streetscape included rain
gardens that were integrated into the curb to reduce
the amount of storm water runoff and improve water
quality. This would serve as the irrigation for the
plant material in the garden, too.
Strategy: We design using smart control technology that uses
real-time weather data to increase water efficiency by reducing
watering times and intensity. The smart control technology also
provides the end-user with countless functions to assist in effect water
management, as well as assists in maintenance of the irrigation
system by helping to detect breaks.
Proof: Our Northwest Pipe project in Billings achieved a 90 percent
water use reduction, and it demonstrates how a combination of
careful design, technology, soils and plants reduce water use. This
project used drip irrigation that delivers water to the base of the
plant, eliminating watering areas of the bed without plant material.
The smart control technology allowed for the controller to make real-
time adjustments based on the climate conditions present.
Consideration #6: Stormwater Run-off & Median Drainage
Description: Not all medians need to be at grade or raised. Some
medians can be depressions that collect and detain storm water. A
median depression (bioswale) must have the ability to quickly capture
and hold runoff without erosion. The edge treatment of a median
depression must be closely coordinated with city engineering, and
the median often carries a series of important utilities. A bioswale or
an at-grade median can reduce the amount of runoff and improve the
water quality into the storm sewer system.
Raised medians are often placed on top of asphalt pavement.
Drainage from the vegetation becomes an issue from rain events and
irrigation water. A subsurface drainage system should be integrated
into the soil profile to allow for proper water holding capacity.
Strategy: Peaks to Plains Design’s landscape architects and civil
engineers will work with the city’s public works department to
locate storm sewer and other utilities. We will perform storm water
calculations that will help identify the intensity and duration of rainfall
to properly size drainage infrastructure. In roundabouts and traffic
circles, there are usually manholes placed where a grade should
be raised. We consult OSHA requirements and city standards to
determine of a manhole can have its rim raised.
Proof: Peaks to Plains Design did a streetscape design for the City of
Sidney. The four-block area did not have any existing storm sewer
infrastructure. We designed rain gardens into the curb line of the
project. The gardens consisted of a planter “vault” that encompassed
three levels of water detention and treatment. Overflow was allowed
from the vault to continue flowing water towards the end of the block.
Drought Tolerant Landscape & Irrigation Designs for City Medians6
Airport Road
Billings, Montana
Peaks to Plains Design was the project landscape architect for a
highway reconstruction project for Montana State Highway 3, locally
known as Airport Road. City leaders considered this 3-mile corridor
as one of the gateways to the city. Peaks to Plains Design worked
with the project engineers to implement context-sensitive design
considerations.
The project starts at the entry to the Billings Logan Airport, with a
multi-lane roundabout. The landscape architect worked with the
Airport authority to develop an aesthetically pleasing site entry
through landscape enhancements, planning for future signage and
careful selection of plant material that does not conflict with the
wildlife mitigation requirements for airports.
In addition, the landscape architect designed an efficient irrigation
system that tied into the large system supplied by the airport. The
design considerations for the new multi-lane roundabout took into
consideration the FHWA standards, clear-zone requirements and
long-term maintenance considerations.
The landscape architect specified the multiple levels of native grass
re-vegetation and soil amendment profiles. The anchor end of the
project included a new interchange with Alkali Creek Road. Peaks
to Plains Design incorporated native sandstone boulders to recreate
the vertical element and provide a means for modified soil structure to
support the re-vegetation of trees and shrubs native to the area.
In addition, the landscape architect research and provided
recommendations on the architectural concrete finishes
for retaining walls, bridge abutments and other features.
The construction value for Peaks to Plains Design’s scope
of work is approximately $1.2 Million.
Featured Project Experience
Peaks to Plains DesignPC
7
Downtown Image Enhancement
Sidney, Montana
Peaks to Plains Design prepared streetscape plans for the community of Sidney, Montana. Downtown
businesses owners were interested in developing event spaces and enhancing the streetscape facade with
landscape augmentations and site furniture.
Each concept took into consideration the function of the existing businesses on Main Street, traffic calming
techniques, opportunities for outdoor patios and public gathering spaces. Of particular interest was the
potential reconfiguration of the courthouse front lawn. Other projects affecting the concepts included
additions to the County’s justice center, library and an adjacent MDT project. Peaks to Plains Design
developed several concepts for the reconfiguration of parking and provided graphic illustrations for use as a
communication tool to help Sidney residents visualize and market the plan.
Construction document preparation for this streetscape enhancement project was completed in 2014. The
4-block project consisted of modifying the existing downtown Main Street corridor to provide for streetscape
enhancements, alternative storm water collection and treatment measures, street lighting, sidewalk and
ADA pedestrian ramp improvements, landscaping, irrigation and roadway rehabilitation. As part of this
project, the existing roadway geometry was evaluated and narrowed to provide for parallel parking and an
innovative landscape enhancement design that serves as both aesthetic improvements as well as providing
storm water collection, treatment and detention facilities to help correct existing drainage issues.
The plant material selected provided both a functional and aesthetic component, including the filtering of
storm water. Once the rain gardens were inundated, the remaining water would run to the storm water
piping system, which was already in place. The pre-treatment and use of storm water will help with
capacity issues in the existing system. In addition, the use of green streets would not require an irrigation
system installation, reducing project costs and long-term maintenance.
Drought Tolerant Landscape & Irrigation Designs for City Medians8
I-25 Entryway Corridor Study
Casper, Wyoming
The Casper Area MPO consists of the City of Casper, Towns
of Evansville, Bar Nunn and Mills, Natrona County and the
Wyoming Department of Transportation. Historically, Casper has
been a regional hub of energy activity with oil refineries, railway
and trucking depots and secondary industries supporting the
energy sector. Development was loosely controlled along major
thoroughfares, resulting in blighted areas along the I-25 corridor as
the boom and bust cycle of energy production affected the region.
The primary objective of the project provides a policy document
for shaping the Interstate corridor into a visually appealing and
cohesive gateway into the community. Eleven interstate interchanges,
overpasses and underpasses were evaluated as a part of the study.
The resulting design guidelines for improvements within the rights-
of-way for I-25 provides project designers with the tools to apply
design standards to new construction and renovation projects. The
plan examines visual improvements that reflect the latest trends in
highway safety, landscape design and structural improvements.
Peaks to Plains Design facilitated three community listening sessions,
utilizing the latest technology in public participation. The research
included factors that affect the design such as viewshed analysis,
microclimate, clear zones and non-motorized transportation issues.
The resulting design guidelines focused on structural bridge elements,
regulatory, warning and guide signs, way finding signs, lighting and
landscaping. Maintenance considerations were a critical component
of the plan.
The team developed conceptual designs for each of the eleven
study areas, including plan view renderings and visual simulations
that depict both creative and functional solutions. A section of
the plan focused on policy considerations such as zoning and site
development regulations, preservation of views and property/
business owner incentives.
Top: Highway median existing.
Bottom: Median after (visual simulation). Synthetic
grass and a highway rated cable rail barrier are
two solutions to improve an otherwise weed infested
median with no access to maintenance or irrigation.
Peaks to Plains DesignPC
9
Jolene Rieck, PLA
President/Principal
Jolene Rieck is a licensed landscape architect with over 19 years
of experience. As the Principal-In-Charge, she is responsible for the
quality assurance and control to ensure that the degree of care and
skill of professional services are met. As an experienced project
manager, she is capable of handling projects that are multi-faceted
with many interests and coordination requirements. Ms. Rieck has a
specialty niche in public facilitation. She is effective at utilizing an
appreciative process to peak citizen interest and participation.
Technically adept, she designs complex irrigation systems, sidewalks,
ramps, reclamation plans and specialty outdoor details. Her
background in natural resource management combines the knowledge
base of regional ecosystems with a flair for design and a foundation
for sound management principles that are applicable to many projects
in this region.
Project Personnel
Specialty Training
• Rainwater as a Resource: Performance-based Stormwater
Design: Opportunities and Challenges
• Fostering Livability on Commercial Highways and Arterial Streets• Steps to Building a Livable Community• Livability Principles at Highway Interchanges• Bioretention in the Desert, You’re Joking Right?
• Retrofitting Urban Streets: Lessons Learned Using Stormwater
Planter Boxes• Bioretention Rainwater Treatment – Technical Design Issues• Bold Concepts in Stormwater Infiltration and Principles that Drive
Success
• Use of Native Plants in the Landscape
• Irrigation Training Seminar• Understanding Alternative Approaches to Soil Design• ASLA’s Landscape Soil Specification System• Designing Urban Soil Systems
• Landscape Planting Techniques in Difficult Clayey Soils
• Getting Green Streets to take Root• Long-term Monitoring of Low Maintenance Grasses• The Art and Science of Designing Native Landscapes:
Meadows, Grasslands and Woodlands
• Landscape Forensics: Why Natural Systems-Based Design
Solutions Sometimes Fail
Professional Affiliations
Irrigation Association, Member
Association of Pedestrian and
Bicycle Professionals, Member
BikeWalk Montana, Member
American Society of Landscape
Architects (ASLA), Member
Idaho/Montana Chapter ASLA, Past
Trustee & Past President
ASLA, Past Licensure Committee
Chair
Yellowstone County Historic
Preservation Board, Past Chair
National Recreation and Parks
Association, Member
Montana, North Dakota & Wyoming
Recreation and Parks Associations,
Member
Licensed Landscape Architect
Montana #184LAR
Wyoming #LA-0073C
North Dakota #8
South Dakota #10075
CLARB Certified #6980
Drought Tolerant Landscape & Irrigation Designs for City Medians10
Gordon Lemmel, PLA, ASLA
Landscape Architect
Gordon Lemmel has an extensive body of work that reflect his
clients’ goals and objectives, while incorporating his love of
art and creativity in landscape architecture. He is inspired by
watching how people interact within their environment – the
way they sit, stand, play, relax, entertain, their overall posture
and attitude – and his designs explore how to best foster these
interactions.
Gordon’s approach to the design process is a natural
progression in his artistic growth. While his designs ultimately
result in construction documents, Gordon begins every project
by brainstorming and sketching out ideas. His strong design
sense of lines, forms, shapes and balance results in creative
and fresh concepts that make his designs compositions unique,
functional, aesthetic, sustainable and vibrant.
Unlike many designers, Gordon worked for a landscape
contractor in Columbus, Ohio in his formative years - digging
holes, planting plants and installing irrigation systems during
the summers of high school and college. He honed his skills of
construction and knowledge of plant horticulture.
Specialty Training
• Water-Efficient Landscape Design
• Stormwater Management Integrated into Creative Design
• Two-Wire Irrigation Design & Installation
• Pressure Regulation & Check Valves for Landscape Irrigation
(SmartWater)
• Planting Design for Beauty and Delight
• Hunter Irrigation 2-Wire Decoder Design & Installation
• Weathermatic SmartLink: Irrigate from Anywhere
• Subsurface Emitterline Products: Eco-Mat and Eco-Wrap
• Irrigation with Recycled Water
• Healthy Built Environments
• The Art of Managing Stormwater
• Livability Principles at Highway Interchanges
• People & Pedestrians by Design: The Benefit of Walkable
Environments
Professional Affiliations
American Society of
Landscape Architects Member
Idaho-Montana ASLA
Secretary, Member
Irrigation Association,
Member
Kiwanis International
Vice President, Member
Land Trust Alliance, Member
Design Skills
Irrigation Design
Planting Design
AutoCAD
Microstation
SketchUp 3D
Adobe Creative Suite
ESRI ArcGIS
Magix Video Editor Pro
Hand Graphics
Cost Estimation
Technical Specifications
Licensed Landscape Architect
Montana #LAR-12493
CLARB #40700
Proposals for Drought Tolerant Landscape and Irrigation Designs for City Medians Page | 9
ATTACHMENT C: NON-DISCRIMINATION AFFIRMATION FORM
[name of entity proposing] hereby affirms it will not
discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, age, marital status, national origin, or
because of actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability in the performance of
work performed for the City of Bozeman, if a contract is awarded to it, and also recognizes the eventual
contract, if awarded, will contain a provision prohibiting discrimination as described above and that this
prohibition shall apply to the hiring and treatment of the [name
of entity proposing] employees and to all subcontracts it enters into in the performance of the
agreement with the City of Bozeman.
Signature of Proposer:
Person authorized to sign on behalf of the proposer
Peaks to Plains DesignPC
11
Non-Discrimination Form
Peaks to Plains Design
Peaks to Plains Design
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE / PLANNING / CIVIL ENGINEERING
Peaks to Plains DesignPC
Connecting People to Their Environment
404 North 31 Street, Suite 405
Billings, Montana 59101
www.peakstoplains.com
(406) 294-9499