RE-IMAGINING THE PARKWAYS

background

Culver City has welcomed community input as it sets out to re-write the City’s Parkway Ordinances.

Transition Culver City partnered with FlowTownFilms to interview thought-leaders in Southern California on the best practices and uses for the Parkways.

A total of 9 experts were interviewed about the current state of the parkways, what regulations should include, and what could be accomplished by reimagining how the parkways could be utilized.

This deck, and the accompanying film, comprise the findings of our investigation. We hope that the results will inspire helpful dialog in preparing to rewrite the City’s Parkways Ordinance and to help guide community engagement.

experts

Charles Herbertson, Culver City Public Works Director

Patrick Reynolds, Culver City Parks Manager

Damian Skinner, CC Environment Programs & Ops Manager

Ray Olson, City of Ventura Environmental Sustainability Division Manager

Dr. Shelly Luce, Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission

Andy Lipkis, Tree People

Pamela Berstler, G3 | Green Gardens Group

Tom Rau, Landscape Architect/Surfrider Foundation

Angel Teger, Home Gardener/LA Green Grounds

A parkway is the strip of land between the street and the sidewalk.Parkways vary in width and condition.

Many house vital city and utility infrastructure.

The parkways are owned by the city.But cared for the property owner (except in the case of trees).

Therefore, the city is concerned about public safety and financial liability.

City Concerns

City Infrastructure -Signs, Lighting, Fire Hydrant, Trees

Utilities - Power, Gas, Water

Visibility From The Street For Police

Access To The Street And No Barriers To Car Doors Or Pedestrians

Minimizing Financial Liability From Potential Safety Hazards – e.g.,

Fallen Fruit From Fruit Bearing Trees,If Someone Falls Ill From Fruit/Veg Grown,

If Someone Gets Hurt From Poorly Maintained Benches

Diminished Control Over Standards

We are left with the legacy of turf as the most uniform solution for the parkways.

Turf is highly problematic due to the amount of water and fertilizer needed for the grass to flourish.

Excess water, fertilizer, herbicides and other pollutants run into the storm drains.

BUT

FIRST RAIN = FIRST FLUSHSynthetic Fertilizers

Pesticides • Herbicides •FungicidesBacteria From Animal Feces

Engine Oil • Brake DustSediment • Trash

THESE POLLUTANTS END UP IN SANTA MONICA BAYDegrading Water Quality

Effecting Marine Life Having A Toll On Human Health

WE NEED TO LINK OUR PARKWAYS WITH Storm Water Drains

Ballona CreekSanta Monica Bay

Human Health

Equally problematic, compacted turf is an impermeable surface which means that rainfall and water applied to

landscapes do not recharge the water table.

50 to 65% of an average homeowner’s water

consumption is used to maintain landscaping.(IN SOME CASES UP TO 70%)

Source: Public Policy Institute of CaliforniaLawns & Water Demand in California

In Southern California, this water is imported.

Wasting fossil fuels to transport.

Depleting other ecosystems.

This is a very expensive practice.

Water costs will increase over time.

We have lived on borrowed time here in California. Everything grows here and we’ve been able to supply the water

it took to provide the lifestyle we enjoy. But we’re past that point...

We live in a false world of having lawns and species of plants that don’t belong here. We are paying the price in terms of water

and displaced habitat. It’s a domino effect that’s coming home to roost.- Patrick Reynolds, Culver

City Parks Manager

While we went in talking about the parkways, our conversations always centered on

improving the health of the watershed.

There are a Variety of ApproachesRequiring Different Levels of Investment

TRADITIONAL CENTRALIZED SOLUTIONS

POSITIVES:Better ControlMeasurable Metrics

NEGATIVESPaid • Paying • Will Continue to PayPeople are divorced from realities we face and don’t take ownership of problem or solution.

1

Elmer Avenue retrofit was a $5 million project involving1 federal bureau, 1 state

agency, 6 city agencies, 3 non-profits & 24 homeowners.

Solved 40 acres of flooding.

… but it was not necessary to have that size of a project.

2 MID-SCALE, LOCALIZED

END OF PIPE SOLUTION

Brisbane, AU 20 years ahead of the US in climate change suffering.

Record temperatures. Severe drought for 12 years.

3DISTRIBUTEDSOLUTIONS

Bond initiative financed cisterns for every household resulting in a reduction in consumption of water from 90 to 30 gallons per person per day and in the process changing people’s relationship with water.

SOLUTIONSen

d o

f p

ipe

distributed

More EconomicalMore Scalable

$REQUIRES A CULTURAL SHIFT

BALDWIN BIOSWALE = BRILLIANT!Can the city afford to to scale this solution to meet our needs?

Are there other centralized end of pipe solutions under consideration?

We believe that we can have SMALLER END OF PIPE solutions if we combine those efforts with LARGER DISTRIBUTED solutions.

yes, AN

I’ve been reading about local municipalities looking for multi-benefit solutions from

existing infrastructure… We are looking at Parkways to accomplish multiple goals.

- Ray Olson, City of Ventura Public Works Director

What could re-imagining the parkways accomplish in Culver City?

THE GOALS OF THE PARKWAYS SHOULD TIE INTO THE CITY’S

SHARED VISION

“In everything we do, we need to address the small things but keep the big picture in mind.”

– Patrick Reynolds

SANTA MONICA’S SHARED VISION IS TO BECOME

WATER SELF-SUFFICIENT BY 2020.

Strategies To Realize Vision:• Ban watering of parkways• Ban sprinklers & front lawns for new residences• When selling property must update to appropriate

low-water landscaping• Hotels must retrofit plumbing fixtures to meet

current green building codes• Per capita goal of 123 gallons per day… down from

134 gallons.http://smdp.com/city-hall-rethinking-water-usage/122562#sthash.Tag6tog2.dpuf

Allows the City to stop spending money with the Metropolitan Water District and

instead produce all of its water locally.

Does Culver City Have A Shared Vision?How Can The Parkways Help Us Achieve That Goal?

Reduce Water Consumption By 75% Per Person Per Day?

Reduce 100% Pollution Runoff Into Ballona Creek Within

Culver City Boarders?

Combined, the parkways represent a meaningful infrastructure resource that could be a means of healing the environment and

accomplishing the City’s Vision.

URBAN ACUPUNCTURE

Perhaps a city wide plan could be developed: neighborhood by neighborhood, street by street.

Each neighborhood could have a specific strategic priority.

Water Conservation

Water Filtration

Water Infiltration

Food Security

The width of the parkway, the existence of water & gas lines, trees,street signs, street lights will all factor in to what is possible.

What can be done?

REMOVE TURF & REPLACE WITH MULCH (DECOMPOSED GRANITE LESS IDEAL).

This could conserve a tremendous amount of water used per household.

It’s important to educate the public on the methods to remove turf without

pesticides or herbicides.

1

Native Plantings

Water conservation once established.

Deeper roots create better soil composition resulting in better water capture.

Provides habitat for pollinators.

Select plants consistent with parkway goal. (water conservation vs. storm water treatment)

2

3

GOOD SOIL SPONGEOxygen

Water

Life

break up soil, keep fallen leaves in place

add fungally rich compost, worm castings/tea

native plants grow deeper root systems

Curb Cuts allow storm

water from the street to enter the parkway.

Cleans Out PollutantsIncreases Infiltration

4

Daisy-chaining curb cuts slow the flow of storm water and magnifies the benefits.

By the time the storm water flows through the daisy-chain, it is much cleaner as it flows into the storm drain.

5

Make sure the clean out areas are open and easy to remove debris.

Daisy-Chained Curb Cuts on Baldwin Avenue.

ININ OUT

OUT

BEST PRACTICES:Curb Cuts

• Residents should work with the city to develop a plan that takes into account utility lines, street lights, signs, trees, etc.

• Curb cuts should be a minimum of 18 inches, preferably 24 inches.

• Cut on a 45 degree angle reduces the chance of breakage/trip hazard.

• Utilize spray paint to mark the cuts before cutting.

• Hire a licensed concrete contractor to make the curb cuts.

• Make sure the clean out areas are open and easy to remove debris.

Bioswales are wide but shallow ditches with sloped sides filled with native plants, mulch and “armoring” rocks that maximize the time water spends in the swale so pollutants are removed

and the soil can soak up as much water as it can.

6

BEST PRACTICES:Bioswales• Residents should work with the city to develop a plan that takes into account utility lines, street

lights, signs, trees, etc.

• Before digging, call underground service alert at 8-1-1.

• Digging deeper (where possible) allows for better sediment drop and increases the amount of time between maintenance/re-digging out of the bioswale.

• Make sure the bioswale mimics the same grade as the street.

• Plant palette should be selected based on parkway’s performance criteria (filtration vs infiltration) e.g., Sedges hold up equally well to being inundated with water and dry conditions.

• Utilizing native plants and grasses have deeper root systems which breaks up the soil compaction, holds onto water longer, and provides habitat for butterflies, bees, birds, lizards, etc. Once native plants are established they need little to no water.

• Utilize smaller mulch as it decomposes faster resulting in healthier soil.

• A combination of the smaller green and brown mulch tends to knit together resulting in a more stable base for the bioswale.

• Do not over-plant the parkways – allows place for people to walk through.

• Provide an 18 inch clearance from the curb to allow for car doors to open.

• If boulders are used in the parkway, make sure there is clearance for car doors.

• Take into account the surrounding neighborhood when designing elements that will go into the parkway- e.g., small rocks in the parkway not advisable near a school as children might be tempted to throw the rocks.

Mulch Tree Basins are placed in front of curb cuts and are designed to slow the flow of storm

water and filter out pollutants.

The basin is a donut shape 8 inches below the gutter,

armored with large cobbles or recycled concrete and has mulch

and native plantings.

Mulch tree basins can be part of a bioswale or stand alone.

They are particularly well suited for parkways that do not

have enough room for a bioswale.

7

BEST PRACTICES:Tree Wells• Create one curb cut that allows water to flow into, around the basin,

and out the curb cut.

• Dig a donut shape 8 inches below the gutter.

• Armor the basin with rough cobbles or recycled concrete. Make sure the armoring materials are light and contrast against the mulch so people are less likely to walk through the well and trip.

• Utilize smaller mulch as it decomposes faster resulting in healthier soil.

• A combination of the smaller green and brown mulch tends to knit together resulting in a more stable base

• Provide an 18 inch clearance from the curb to allow for car doors to open.

When planting or replacing trees, could we install a curb cut and tree well?

8

For each new project, we get as many departments involved to see how many benefits

we can accomplish together. - Ray Olson, City of Ventura Public Works Director

What can be done to encourage a community wide action plan?

INCENTIVES:City of Ventura offers a No Fee Encroachment Permit

Homeowner Requirements:

• Go in to public works department with plan (hand drawn on paper is OK).

• Make sure utility infrastructure is accounted for in plan.

• Hire a licensed contractor to cut concrete.

Public Works Department developing an A-La-Carte Menu, with Step by Step Instructions

to make the process easy for residents.

INCENTIVES City of Oxnard partnered with G3 to implement a Turf Removal Program:

• Financial Incentive

• Education on turf removal without chemicals

• Lottery for Assistance

Education & Lotterywere key to project’s

successful implementation.

Bond Measures That FinanceCentralized End of Pipe Solutions

Could Be Smaller Scale and Balanced With

Distributed Solutions.

Importantly, distributed solutions are often more economical on

a long term basis.

It’s like sex. Planting stuff is the easy part. Caring for plants, like children, takes commitment.

We need to incentivize people for caring for this infrastructure. We are developing a feedback app that tracks the success

rate of trees and we could expand it to include plants, bioswales and tree wells.

After 5 years, people who have a 90% success rate of keeping the parkways maintained, could be entered into a $10K lottery.

- Andy Lipkis, Tree People

INCENTIVES TIED TO RESULTS

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Shared vision & programs need to be communicated.

Flyers in coffee shops and groceries.

Get the word out at city events (Fiesta La Ballona, Summer Music Festival, Car Show)

Partner with organizations that know how to engage and educate the public

and encourage cooperation.

Work Parties

Work Parties WORK.Central to Implementation.

Pay it forward. • Make it fun.Builds Community.

Supply Side Preparation

Work with local vendor community so they can

recommend proper supplies.

Local Vendors =

keeping tax dollars in Culver City

Establish neighborhood micro nurseries with appropriate native

starters?

Community Building

This parkway was designed with plants that would complement the Pine Trees.So, we can design parkways with plant and community in mind.

A lovely reminder to step outside our homes and engage with our neighbors!

FOOD SECURITY

For Parkways where there are no trees and enoughclearance, consider installing dwarf fruit or nut trees.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Let’s work together to develop a shared watershed vision with City, Business, and Residents

(If there isn’t one already in place).

The parkway plan should support the watershed vision taking into account

specific strategic neighborhood priorities:Water Conservation

Water InfiltrationWater Filtration

Food SecurityCommunity

Culver City ParkwaysTurf-Free By 2020

PUBLIC RALLYING CRY:

TRANSITION CULVER CITY ROLE:

Facilitate Creation of Shared Watershed VisionEducate • Enlist • Enact

Work PartiesCommunity Organizing

Collaborating with other Organizations