Type: Municipal, Parks
Services: Landscape Architecture, Construction Observation
Principal In Charge: Michael A. Cook, PLA
Client: Bob Branz, Town of Belvedere, California

Acting as the Town’s Landscape Architect, Michael Cook, and Ralph Alexander reenvisioned the community park for Belvedere, California. Mike and Ralph worked with the Town Engineer and Town Manager hand-in-hand to coordinate the design, the desired playground pieces, and the layout of the park.

At the start of our scope of work, we held a community workshop to introduce the team and the project/property to the community. The neighbors came out in force to get the project removed from the priority of the Town. However, there were many families in attendance and they all wanted the project to move forward. Through five different community workshops that Mike facilitated with the community, we developed the preferred plan. Large grassy areas and a playground were the main elements of the master plan.

During the construction document phase, Mike was the lead planting and irrigation designer. For this project, Mike selected a weather sensing controller, with clog-resistant (irrigation off of a well) valves and small radius rotors (due to match precipitation and odd areas). Over 15 valves were designed with hydrazone (including microclimate, sun exposure, prevailing wind, etc.) characteristics considered.