As the population boom along Colorado’s front-range continues, many housing developments have been popping up throughout the area in an attempt to satisfy the need to house the burgeoning growth. While many of these new developments tout their environmental and community principles to attract buyers, one PUD (planned unit development) project we have had the opportunity to work on takes those ideas seriously and is truly committed to building a green and inclusive community.
This project, called Main Street Erie, is still in the approval process. When it is ultimately built, Main Street Erie will provide new housing options for the growing town of Erie (located in Weld County), while simultaneously following many of the environmental and community ideals that the citizens of Colorado hold dear to their hearts.
The design of Main Street Erie is informed by New Urbanist
concepts and inspired by the idealized small town of America’s yesteryear.
White picket fences blend with detached walks, traditional architecture with
inviting porches, and cozy alley homes to bring back the charm of an idealized
residential development your grandparents may have grown up in as children.
To be efficient with land area, homes are placed closer together with smaller yards. Because most of the lots do not provide a large amount of outdoor space, and also because many of the lots have extra accessory dwelling units (ADU’s), it was determined that a community garden space would be a good addition to the project. A large portion of the property was set aside for a garden area with nearly 30 garden plots. In the community garden spaces, residents can work together getting their hands dirty nurturing their green thumbs, while interacting with their neighbors.
The inclusion of ADUs in this development will help address
the need for multiple housing types. ADU’s can help provide variable housing
sizes, which in turn may lead to a more diverse cross-section of community
members.
Near the community garden plots will sit a clubhouse with outdoor gathering spaces, including a whimsically oversized chess board to entertain young and old alike.
Just north-east of the clubhouse a large communal lawn space is planned that will make a perfect community gathering spot for residents and their families to relax and have fun with their neighbors.
This project is an efficient use of the land due to the manner in which housing types are sited together. Homes are situated and designed for maximum solar gain. This will help maximize the efficiency of solar panels. But at the same time, care has been taken to incorporate vines and other plantings along the south sides of buildings to shade the structures from southern exposure, to help minimize heat gain as much as possible.
Main Street Erie has been a great project to be involved
with. With no foreseeable slow-down in development along the Front Range of
Colorado, it is good to see neighborhoods and communities like Main Street Erie
being planned with sustainable and community building aspects being included
from beginning.
This is the official blog of Outdoor Design Group, Colorado Landscape Architects. For more information about our business and our services, click here.
From time to time, we here at Outdoor Design Group like to hand over the reins of this blog to a guest writer. This allows us to peer over the fence into the realm of another business, and bring our readers new views on topics related to our field of work.
This week, T.J. Wood from Plan-It Geo (a company that Outdoor Design Group has collaborated with in the past on various projects) gives us a description of an application they developed for the Colorado State Forest Service. This online tool helps Colorado communities assess their public street and park trees locally to provide a statewide picture of tree diversity and health.
Introduction:
At Plan-It Geo, we specialize in “Trees and Technology.” A tree inventory combines both of these elements seamlessly by management of this important natural resource with use of mobile devices and technology in the field. The Colorado State Forest Service contracted Plan-It Geo to develop a web-based application that communities, campuses, and HOA’s can upload their tree inventories and view important state-wide tree data summaries. To access all of our web and mobile GIS software applications, click here.
A screen shot from CO-Tree View
Colorado Tree View:
Project Profile: Colorado Tree View
Project Title: Colorado Tree View – Statewide Inventory and Ash management Application
Client: Colorado State Forest Service
Timeframe: February 2015 – Present
Description: Tree inventories provide critical information for cities, neighborhood associations, and other entities to proactively manage their urban and community forestry resource. This project provided a tool to help diversify the planning and planting of tree species. It also provided a first-time statewide view of the structure of Colorado’s urban forests. The tool is a starting point for a long-term strategy and provides substantial new technical support to communities.
Outcomes: A statewide web-based application was created for Colorado. This application has the built-in ability to “crosswalk” a wide variety of inventory data into the application. The main fields collected are species, dbh (diameter breast height), condition, and location of each tree. The application has a hierarchy of log ins based on city and user approvals with different functionality at each level. A customized dashboard was created for the state to view important number and population statistics on each community or organizational inventory.
A screen shot from CO-Tree View
This is the official blog of Outdoor Design Group, Colorado Landscape Architects. For more information about our business and our services, click here.
If you’ve not purchased holiday lights in several years, you are in for some surprises next time you head out shopping for new holiday lighting. Recent advances have produced a wave of new and innovative LED lighting that is far more energy efficient than holiday lighting your father or grandfather installed in years past. Many of the new LED holiday light strings are 7 to 8 times more efficient than traditional incandescent light strings. This translates to additional benefits aside from lowered electricity bills: more strings can be safely strung together end-to-end (which may mean a simplified layout of your light display) and there is a lowered fire hazard as the strings do not get as hot as many of the incandescent holiday light bulbs.
One down side to these new types of holiday lights is their higher up-front cost. But if you calculate in the lower operating costs, LED lights are likely to cost you less money in the long run. And as more LED holiday lights are being manufactured, prices have been dropping.
One criticism of LED lights has been the tendency of light from LED bulbs to appear harsh and “cold”. Manufacturers have responded to this issue and are now producing LED holiday lighting that appears “warmer”, like the incandescent lights they are intended to replace.
So this year, consider adding some ‘green’ lights to your holiday decor by choosing energy efficient LED holiday lights.
Here’s a list of pros and cons for LED Holiday lighting:
PROS
Lower energy use / operating cost
Lower heat output (Less fire hazard)
Longer life
More strings can be connected safely (Fewer outlets or extension cords needed)
CONS
Higher purchase cost than incandescent.
Color & “temperature” of light output difference as compared to incandescent
This is the official blog of Outdoor Design Group, Colorado Landscape Architects. For more information about our business and our services, click here.
The team of landscape architects at Outdoor Design Group, Inc. are thrilled to be partnering with Bud Surles Signature Resorts of Victor, Idaho to create a master plan for an exclusive new resort project in Tangshan Bay, China. The 285 acre park and resort on the Pacific coast will be one of the first of it’s kind to be completed in China, and will feature commercial space, lakes, trails, water features, marinas, and numerous active recreational amenities.
Outdoor Design Group, Inc. was founded in 2004 by Denver landscape architect Matt Corrion. The firm’s office is located in Olde Town Arvada, Colorado. Additional details about the Tangshan Bay Resort project will be shared as they become available. For more information please contact Outdoor Design Group at 303-993-4811.
This is the official blog of Outdoor Design Group, Colorado Landscape Architects. For more information about our business and our services, click here.
On March 15, 2012, facilities across the United States must comply with the revised ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) design standards adopted in the 2010 Standards for Accessible Design.
The 2010 Standards set minimum requirements for newly designed and constructed or altered State or local government facilities, public accommodations, and commercial facilities to be readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities.
I have reviewed the new standards, and they are pretty extensive. Property owners and designers should be aware of some of the changes that will be required when constructing or altering a facility.
The provision requiring accessible means of entry/exit for swimming pools has gained a lot of attention. On March 15th, the US Attorney General signed an extension of 60 days for this particular provision, while also opening up a public comment period.
The swimming pool provision, along with other key new provisions, as taken from the ADA website, include:
If boat slips are provided at a boating facility, the minimum number that must be accessible depends upon the size of the facility. Accessible boat slips must be dispersed throughout the various types of boat slips.
Where boarding piers are provided at boat launch ramps, at least 5% (but no fewer than one) must be accessible. Gangways that are part of a required accessible route are to be accessible, subject to certain enumerated exceptions.
4. Fishing Piers and Platforms (Sections 237, 1005)
Newly designed, newly constructed, or altered fishing piers must provide accessible routes, subject to the same exceptions permitted for gangways. At least 25% of guardrails or handrails must be no higher than 34 inches and must be dispersed. Clear floor or ground space must be provided at each accessible railing, and turning space must be provided on the pier.
5. Golf Facilities (Sections 238, 1006)
Newly constructed and altered golf facilities must have either an accessible route or golf car passages with a minimum width of 48 inches connecting accessible elements and spaces within the boundary of the golf course. An accessible route must be provided to the golf car rental area, bag drop-off areas, and other elements that are outside the boundary of the golf course. One or two teeing grounds (depending on the total number provided) per hole must be accessible.
If weather shelters are provided, a golf car must be able to enter and exit the shelters. Certain percentages of practice teeing grounds, practice teeing stations at driving ranges, and putting greens must be accessible.
6. Miniature Golf (Sections 239, 1007)
At least fifty percent of all holes on a miniature golf course must be accessible. These accessible holes must be consecutive, and they must be on an accessible route. The last accessible hole must be on an accessible route that connects to the course entrance or exit without going back through other holes.
7. Play Areas (Sections 240, 1008)
Play areas designed, constructed, and altered for children ages two and over in a variety of settings, including parks, schools, childcare facilities, and shopping centers, are covered.
Accessible ground and elevated play components, accessible routes, ramps and transfer systems (typically a platform or transfer steps), and accessible ground surfaces must be provided.
8. Swimming Pools, Wading Pools, and Spas (Sections 242, 1009)
Accessible means of entry/exit are required for swimming pools. Such accessible means of entry include a pool lift or sloped entry, and either a transfer wall, transfer system, or pool stairs. Wading pools must provide a sloped entry, and spas must provide a pool lift, transfer wall, or transfer system. Wave action pools, leisure rivers, and sand bottom pools where user access is limited to one area shall not be required to provide more than one accessible means of entry, either a pool lift, sloped entry, or a transfer system.
This is the official blog of Outdoor Design Group, Colorado Landscape Architects. For more information about our business and our services, click here.
Design.