Powerpoint Presentation on best practice design principles for Parkways... the strip of land between the street and the sidewalk.

1. RE-IMAGINING
THE PARKWAYS

2. Culver City has welcomed community input as it
sets out to re-write the City’s Parkway Ordinances.
Transition Culver City partnered with FlowTown
Films to interview thought-leaders in Southern
California on the best practices and uses for the
Parkways.
background
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.

3. Charles Herbertson, Culver City Public Works Director
Patrick Reynolds, Culver City Parks Manager
Damian Skinner, CC Environment Programs & Ops Manager
experts
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

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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

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

8. BUT
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.

9. FIRST RAIN = FIRST FLUSH
Synthetic Fertilizers
Pesticides • Herbicides •Fungicides
Bacteria From Animal Feces
Engine Oil • Brake Dust
Sediment • Trash

10. THESE POLLUTANTS END UP IN SANTA MONICA BAY
Degrading Water Quality
Effecting Marine Life
Having A Toll On Human Health

11. WE NEED TO LINK OUR PARKWAYS WITH
Storm Water Drains
Ballona Creek
Santa Monica Bay
Human Health

12. Equally problematic, compacted turf is an impermeable
surface which means that rainfall and water applied to
landscapes do not recharge the water table.

13. 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 California
Lawns & Water Demand in California

14. 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.

15. 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

16. While we went in talking about the parkways,
our conversations always centered on
improving the health of the watershed.

17. There are a Variety of Approaches
Requiring Different Levels of Investment

18. 1
TRADITIONAL
CENTRALIZED
SOLUTIONS
POSITIVES:
Better Control
Measurable Metrics
NEGATIVES
Paid • Paying • Will Continue to Pay
People are divorced from realities we face and don’t take ownership of problem or solution.

19. 2
MIDSCALE, LOCALIZED
END
OF PIPE SOLUTION
Elmer Avenue retrofit was a $5
million project involving
1 federal bureau, 1 state
agency, 6 city agencies, 3 nonprofits & 24 homeowners.
Solved 40 acres of flooding.
… but it was not necessary to
have that size of a project.

20. 3
DISTRIBUTED
SOLUTIONS
Brisbane, AU 20 years ahead of the US in climate change suffering.
Record temperatures. Severe drought for 12 years.
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.

21. end of pipe
SOLUTIONS
$
REQUIRES A
CULTURAL
SHIFT
More Economical
More Scalable
distributed

22. 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?
yes,
AN
We believe that we can have SMALLER END OF PIPE solutions if we
combine those efforts with LARGER DISTRIBUTED solutions.

23. 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

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

25. 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

26. SANTA MONICA’S
SHARED VISION IS TO BECOME
WATER SELF-SUFFICIENT BY 2020.
Allows the City to stop spending money
with the Metropolitan Water District and
instead produce all of its water locally.
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
http://smdp.com/city-hall-rethinking-water-usage/122562#sthash.Tag6tog2.dpuf
134 gallons.

27. 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?

28. URBAN ACUPUNCTURE
Combined, the parkways represent a
meaningful infrastructure resource that could
be a means of healing the environment and
accomplishing the City’s Vision.

29. Water Conservation
Water Filtration
Water Infiltration
Food Security
Perhaps a city wide plan could be developed:
neighborhood by neighborhood, street by street.
Each neighborhood could have a specific strategic priority.

30. 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?

31. 1
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.

32. 2
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)

33. 3

34. GOOD SOIL SPONGE
Oxygen
Water
Life
break up soil, keep fallen leaves in place
add fungally rich compost, worm castings/tea
native plants grow deeper root systems

35. 4
Curb Cuts
allow storm
water from the
street to enter
the parkway.
Cleans Out Pollutants
Increases Infiltration

36. 5
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.

37. Daisy-Chained Curb Cuts on Baldwin Avenue.
OUT
IN
OUT
IN
Make sure the clean out areas are open and easy to remove debris.

38. 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.

39. 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.
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40. BEST PRACTICES:
Bioswales
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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.

41. 7
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.

42. 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.

43. 8
When planting or replacing trees,
could we install a curb cut and tree well?

44. 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

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

46. 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.

47. 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 & Lottery
were key to project’s
successful implementation.

48. Bond Measures That Finance
Centralized 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.

49. INCENTIVES TIED TO RESULTS
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

50. 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.

51. Work Parties
Work Parties WORK.
Central to Implementation.
Pay it forward. • Make it fun.
Builds Community.

52. 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?

53. 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!

54. FOOD SECURITY
For Parkways where there are no trees and enough
clearance, consider installing dwarf fruit or nut trees.

55. RECOMMENDATIONS

56. Let’s work together to develop a shared watershed
vision with City, Business, and Residents
(If there isn’t one already in place).

57. The parkway plan should support the
watershed vision taking into account
specific strategic neighborhood priorities:
Water Conservation
Water Infiltration
Water Filtration
Food Security
Community

58. PUBLIC RALLYING CRY:
Culver City Parkways
Turf-Free By 2020

59. TRANSITION CULVER CITY ROLE:
Facilitate Creation of Shared Watershed Vision
Educate • Enlist • Enact
Work Parties
Community Organizing
Collaborating with other Organizations