LASN is a photographically oriented, professional journal featuring topics of concern and state-of-the-art projects designed or influenced by registered Landscape Architects.
Issue link: https://landscapearchitect.epubxp.com/i/107181
ordinances One Smart Green Code "We will sustain the vitality, function and beauty of Bluffton's natural heritage." — Bluffton Comprehensive Plan, 2007 Above The Town of Bluffton Unified Development Ordinance states: "Native and regionally appropriate plant species are required. Invasive species, as identified by the U.S. Forest Service or Clemson University, are prohibited from being planted in the town of Bluffton. Further, … Bluffton encourages the replacement of invasive species with desirable hardwood species." Beaufort County has a least 14 varieties of oaks. Southern magnolias are the naturally occurring accent tree, with wax myrtle, saw palmetto and dwarf palmetto supplying the understory. Vinca minor, Confederate jasmine and saw palmetto are the low ground covers in village right-of-ways. 16 By Buck Abbey, ASLA, Robert Reich School of Landscape Architecture, Louisiana State University Low Country Living The May River in South Carolina's low country has always shaped the quality of life for people who have chosen to live on this bluff surrounded by forests, marshes, swamps and water. Four rivers enclose Bluffton. The town laid out in the early 1800s as a resort community, but was officially founded in 1852 by those wanting to escape yellow fever ravished rice plantations in the summer. South Carolina's succession is traced to the "succession oak" that still stands where Robert Barnwell Rhett agitated in the 1840s over tariffs. He helped ignite the "Bluffton Movement," which culminated in the succession of South Carolina from the Union in December 1860. The development of nearby Sea Pines Plantation and Hilton Head Island, the birthplace of landscape codes in the late 1950s, has brought tremendous growth to historic Bluffton. The town's planning documents, codes and ordinances are as up-to-date as will be found in any community. the model of the SmartCode. Readers will recall from a previous column in LASN the SmartCode was first used in the 1980s by the firm Duaney Plater-Zyberk & Company and has since fueled the New Urbanism approach to town planning. Form-based coding literally conveys an architectural pattern to all decisions concerning land use, building placement, building design, parking, street frontage, landscaping and other minor aspects of community building, including parks and public spaces. Existing site conditions play a secondary role to creating walkable communities and reducing the impact of cars. This code is primarily based upon performance type standards conveyed by a series of "preformatted design tables." Its simplicity seems perfect for a small historic community such as Bluffton. An interactive (IZone) document has all of the town's zoning and green laws. The interactive nature of this document makes it very easy to navigate the code. Take it for a test drive at www.townofbluffton.sc.gov/Documents/izone.pdf The Green Laws Form Based Code Bluffton upgraded its local codes in 2011 to carry out the Comprehensive Plan prepared in 2007. The municipal zoning regulations were replaced by a unified development code that brought all building regulations together in one document. One big step, for good or bad, was to transition away from traditional Euclidian zoning to the new "form based codes" developed on Landscape Architect and Specifier News Nine articles are included in the code. The green laws include regulations for silviculture (trees), landscaping, open space, stormwater and sustainability. Landscape architects will find most of the information they need in Art. 5 (Design Standards), Art. 6 (Sustainable Development Initiatives) and in a very good Stormwater Design Manual. Several innovative ideas are contained in these laws. They include heavy restrictions on tree (Continued on page 76)