Welcome
Welcome to the landscape meetinghouse update. This webpage is dedicated to all things landscape and we hope it will act as an informational tool to keep you up to date on the most current meetinghouse landscape guidelines, standards, issues, questions, and answers. If you would like to contribute a question or comment, please send correspondence to: LandscapeResources@home.churchofjesuschrist.org.
Plan Development Thoughts
Plans, Details and Specifications
Historically, many consultants simply placed the standard plans, details and specifications in the project manual without editing the information. This of course happens less with standard planting and irrigation plans because every site is a little different— naturally requiring alteration of the plans. Standard Details and specifications are more frequently misused.
While all of these documents have been created to match church standards that are developed based on many years of experience, the Landscape Architect is still responsible for editing them. Within the documents are notes to assist consultants in the removal or selection of standard options, as well as principles that should be followed in the design. The consultant must also consider compliance with local codes and restrictions as well as specific site conditions that are not addressed in a set of standard documents.
For example, the most current prototypical plan sheet L100 is an informational page to help the landscape architect understand his or her duties. The plant legends shown are for example only and should not be copied verbatim. They give the consultant an example of the information the reviewer (through church headquarters or through a quality assessment) looks for at a conceptual level or at the final plan stage. The actual legend format and specified materials can be different.
As another example, prototypical plan sheet L102 shows various plant symbols around the building and throughout the site. The consultant should follow the general feel of the layout these symbols represent, matching the design guidelines as closely as possible, but the locations do not need to match precisely.
To avoid the misuse of these documents and to gain a better understanding of standard church landscape practices, the landscape architect should study the Design Guidelines located at: lds.org/aec towards the lower third of the page. These guidelines are updated on a regular basis.
Recent Questions
Q: As a Facilities Manager should I consult with an arborist on the maintenance of my existing trees?
A: Definitely. Many maintenance companies cut branches and address hazardous conditions, but very few are qualified to manage the long term health of trees. You should hire a qualified and certified arborist to perform work as described within the Meetinghouse Site Management Plan (MSMP) and the Site Maintenance Agreement. The arborist can then edit the tree section of the MSMP if one has not been completed.
Q: Are booster pumps OK and if so what type should we use?
A: Certainly. When existing pressures don’t allow for efficient irrigation operation you can specify and install an adequately sized, commercial grade, and easily maintained booster. Currently there are no church standard pumps or details.
Prior to implementation, the design consultant should compare the construction and operational costs for developing an irrigation system with a booster pump and an irrigation system without one. This assessment should cover the life of the pump and should also consider the ease of providing the necessary power.
A booster pump should be easily accessed and encased in a secure protective enclosure that can accommodate the site’s seasonal variances. The pump should seamlessly interface with the irrigation control system.
Consult an electrical engineer to evaluate the power source as well as the power connection design.
Q: Should we use Sch. 80 or Sch. 40 fittings?
A: For northern climate zones, old specifications list the use of Sch. 40 fittings, but drawings show Sch. 80 fittings around valves. The new standard specification for the northern climate reads as follows:
Fittings: Same material as pipe, except where detailed otherwise
In other words, the contractor shall install the same schedule fitting as the pipe material it is adjacent to, except when detailed otherwise. The “otherwise” conditions are those as detailed for automatic valves, quick coupler valves, backflow prevention devices, etc.
