ASLA UTAH FEBRUARY 2021 NEWSLETTER

UPCOMING EVENTS

Annual Conference - “Opportunity” Thursday -Friday, May 20-21
Early Bird Special for Members only ENDS SUNDAY 2/28: REGISTER HERE

LAEP 2021 SPEAKER SERIES Friday, March 5th, 3:30pm Gina Ford & Brie Hensold, Agency Landscape + Planning, “Optimism and Action” Full Schedule: Click Here Lectures are hosted via Zoom at 3:30p.m MST

LIVE EARTH - Fertilizer 101. Thursday, March 18th, 12:00pm REGISTER HERE

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Leadership Express

Seth Bockholt, Chapter President

Here in Salt Lake City, the following weeks after February 2nd turned out to be one of our largest snow accumulations in a single day. A snow depth of 11.7 inches was measured which is the 7th greatest snowfall in a 24-hour period in recorded history for the Salt Lake Valley. The largest being 14 inches which fell in 1908.

With the heightened avalanche dangers due to the warm winter we have had, I’ve been hunkered down in the studio and on the phone. Over the last couple weeks I have connected with several of you in an effort to gain some insight from your experience as our chapter has been invited to a joint resolution committee. The Committee will be made up of ASLA, AIA and ASCE representatives to discuss DFCM policy around the project complexity and fee structures tables. If you or your firm is, or has been involved with a DFCM project in the last few years and we haven’t spoken, please call me in March.

In March we can look forward to the emergence of Spring and new beginnings! I am very excited for the longer days and sunshine ahead. I am longing for warm evenings in the garden about now. Those evenings help keep me sane!

Despite the boon we have experienced in the industry, this year has been tumultuous and trying in all possible ways and as the pandemic continues into 2021 it can make even the most optimistic of us feel weary. I want you to know that if you’re ever feeling like you need to talk to get another perspective…if you have had a setback on a project or just a rough day at work; I speak for the entire executive committee when I say our phones are always on and we welcome a conversation with you on most any topic. My mobile number is 801.602.9951.

Advance the awareness of our profession to government officials: Back in December, the Executive Committee met to determine a singular issue on which to focus our efforts on during 2021. There were several ideas put forth, and we discovered there was a common thread within each. This was the need to advance the awareness of our profession to government officials. We recognize the need for advocacy for Landscape Architects at all levels of government. ASLA National continues to excel at lobbying within the federal sphere and gives us help and guidance when needed on a State level. Our discussion turned to whether we should focus on advocacy at a State or Municipal Government level. Either a top down, or bottom-up approach, really. We all understand and agreed on the long-term goal of moving the needle on a State level. However, we disagreed around the tactics to employ in order to reach that goal. The majority consensus was one of a grass-roots approach; this being deemed as the more pragmatic way. Apart from the expense to lobby for a bill properly; without assured support from our allied professions and local communities any statewide effort woulddoubtless flounder. We determined there is a continued need to develop our relationships with our affiliated professions. So, we will continue to do this; and our focus in 2021 will be to prepare for a municipal outreach campaign to advocate for landscape architecture and educate Municipal officials about the benefits inherent in working with landscape architects. We want to forge ties with Community Development people, schools, and other municipal organizations to let them know all the various ways our disciplines methodology how we can contribute to creating better communities.

We do not have all the details worked out, we are just getting started on this municipal campaign effort. I can tell you that we will want to leverage all the relationships our membership already has within these communities. Many of you have contacts that can get us face-time. This is the low hanging fruitand it just makes sense to go about it this way. Once we have a campaign prepared we can all coordinate in delivering its message. In the meantime, may I suggest that as you engage with the jurisdictions you work in…plant a seed. Especially inyour business development efforts I think there is an opportunity to relay expertise. As a way to demonstrate our expertise to city officials without getting into the weeds we can speak to the facts and figures around designs for neighborhoods, streets, parks, plazas, playgrounds and gardens. I believe we should avoid comparisons to engineering solutions as well as avoiding the pull to solve problems as a way to demonstrate expertise. If our message is to be that our education and expertise has value, we cannot simply give it away in order to prove it. I encourage you to check out the new ‘Universal Design Guide’ for Professional Practice on the ASLA website Universal Design | asla.org and reflect on how you can improve your professional engagements with the cities and towns you interact with. The guide seems to have potential as a great tool to ground yourself prior to discussions with a client.

Lastly, if you have some ideas about what a municipal campaign could look like, please give us a call or request to participate in the monthly EXCOM meeting to discuss it.

-Seth Bockholt, PLA ASLA

Advocacy Update

Ali Lewis, VP of Advocacy

We wanted to share a brief update on the General Session as things are winding down with only a little over a week left.

Some things to note:

H.B.98 Local Government Building Regulation Amendments ASLA UT's Executive Committee has been in contact with Nathan Bracken, a water attorney with Smith Hartvigsen on this issue and sent a letter to our district legislators asking them to oppose the bill. The reason for our opposition is this bill still places limitations on plan re-submittals, which raises our concern as landscape architects because of the effect this may have on addressing a site’s stormwater issues on the front end. To explain, many stormwater managers see a plan resubmittal as a vital step in the approval process to adequately address potential stormwater issues.

Due to opposition H.B.98 was shelved and a new compromise aims to push the bill through with heavy modifications to the bill's terms. While these revisions are far better than the original, some components still effect our work as landscape architects.

The House Committee Amendments that were incorporated into the bill (as of yesterday Thu, Feb 25, 2021 at 7:40 AM by pflowers) are as follows:
▸ allows a building permit applicant to engage an independent third-party building
inspector to conduct inspections in certain circumstances;
▸ allows an independent third-party building inspector to issue a certificate of
occupancy to a building permit applicant in certain circumstances;
▸ modifies requirements for a building permit application;
▸ exempts a construction project involving repairs to a building damaged by a natural
disaster from certain State Construction Code and building permit requirements;
▸ prohibits a municipality or county from regulating certain building design elements;
and makes technical and conforming changes.

https://le.utah.gov/~2021/bills/static/HB0098.html

H.B.183 Occupational and Professional Licensing Amendment
We reached out to ASLA National about this bill and they are not concerned (believing it is unlikely to pass). You can find this bill tagged on ASLA National's website as a low priority. If this status changes, we will let you know: https://www.asla.org/statelegislation.aspx

DFRC ASLA Executive Committee created a task force to write a list of Landscape Architecture Essential Services to submit to the DFCM. We intend to work with the DFCM to identify more clearly defined parameters for when landscape architects should be engaged for projects, rather than tasking architects and engineers with site work, which largely relates to a project's complexity. As this relationship evolves, we will keep you updated.

Thank you to our members who have come forth with their concerns related to this issue. Your voices are important and we invite anyone else with thoughts on the matter to contact either Ali Lewis or Seth Bockholt.

Screen Shot 2021-02-25 at 7.37.46 PM.png — New Executive Sub-Committee Member

**Hanna Thompson- Membership Sub-Committee**

UASLA: Why did you choose Landscape Architecture as your profession?

HANNA: It was sort of a haphazard love affair. I studied environmental science as a undergrad with the aim of improving our planet, but I lacked a roadmap. One day I stumbled upon a classical Chinese garden and was immediately enchanted. I noticed the other visitors were equally engaged and curious. I wondered if more people shared a similar connection with the natural landscape, then maybe it would strengthen the argument to conserve it. I overhead a group of people using this strange phase "landscape architect". I ran home, turned on my laptop and the rest is history.

UASLA: Tell us about your educational background and any past professional experience.

HANNA: I was fortunate to join the MLA program at the University of New Mexico. If you haven't been to the Land of Enchantment, go! It's such and unusual and special place. The climate is challenging, but I left with an deep appreciation of and reverence for the desert. Before moving to Utah, I worked at a small LA firm in Austin, Texas that specializes in urban retrofits and the downtown core. It was a fantastic experience that left a lasting impression.

UASLA: How do you presently practice Landscape Architecture?

HANNA: Currently, I work at an interdisciplinary firm. It's primarily architecture with a small department of interior design, energy analysis and landscape architecture. It's forced me to stretch my collaborative muscle more than I anticipated. It's an entirely differently beast from an LA firm, but I've learned the value of cross pollination early in the design process.

UASLA: What project have you been involved in that you take great accomplishment in and why?

Screen Shot 2021-02-25 at 7.40.36 PM (1).png — **HANNA:** Most of the projects I've worked on Utah are still under construction. Back in Texas, I had the opportunity of working on an urban retrofit called 111 Congress. The Owner wanted to revamp a tired, neglected plaza just outside of their office tower to attract younger tenets and compete with newer buildings. Our team was tasked with reimagining the space so we partnered with an architect, restaurant group and artist to develop a totally new vision. Today, it functions as a civic plaza with a food emporium, fog sculpture and music space. It was great fun.

UASLA: What is a project outside your design influence that impacted you greatly and inspires you?

HANNA: I'm a big fan of Sandy Sukgland. Her installations are so clever and captivating. Her work has been described as "reality under siege". It doesn't get any better than that!

UASLA: What are your top three goals that you would like to accomplish while serving on the ExCom Board?

HANNA: Utah ASLA is a wonderful organization with dedicated volunteers and people passionate about our profession. My goal is to contribute whatever I can further the mission of Utah ASLA and spread the word. Our community is small but determined.

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