Pashek Associates Helps Borough Fund Trail Bridge

In 2012, the Marcellus Legacy Fund was created to distribute some of the shale impact fees resulting from Act 13.  The first grant round of the Greenways, Trails and Recreation Programs was established last spring with proposals due on July 31, 2013.  These grants are limited to a maximum of $250,000 and usually require a 50% match by the local community (for communities of less than 5000 people, a 20% match is required).

Pashek Associates helped the Borough of Fox Chapel submit an application for a trail extension along Squaw Run, a steeply sloped, wooded valley running between Fox Chapel Road and Dorseyville Road.  The stream winds down the valley and connects five municipal parks.  The Borough received a grant of $60,000 matched by public works in-kind services and purchases of materials and engineering services.  The Borough hopes to construct a bike/ped bridge adjacent to the road bridge near Hunt Road to allow safe trail access to the Trillium Trail, Riding Meadow Park and eventually the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania’s Beechwood Farms nature center.  This new trail extends walking opportunities from the Allegheny River in O’Hara Township into Fox Chapel.

Green Roof Tour at Pittsburgh Zoo

On October 16, 2013, Jim Pashek joined old friends on a “Rooftop Rendezvous at the Zoo” sponsored by Green Building Alliance.  Jim was involved with project management of the “New Zoo” beginning in the early 1980’s and had the pleasure to work over the years with our tour guides that night, Frank Pizzi and Marjorie Marks.

Zoo Rooftop Garden - Extensive Plantings

What a spectacular demonstration rooftop garden.  About half of the planted roof area is an “extensive” roof garden with 3-4 inches of special soil mix.  The other half was this lush “intensive” rooftop garden of plants placed in a special soil mix ranging from 3-36 inches.  You can tell from the photos that they have been successful to identify species that can thrive in a very hot micro climate and in very shallow soils. 

Carex pennsylvanica

The garden got me thinking that the rooftop garden at Pashek Associates is ready for an overhaul.  This “extensive” garden is planted in trays on 4 inches of special soil mix.  We decided to try four varieties of sedums to see which would survive in very difficult site conditions.  They all survived and have never been watered since after the first growing season.

Some plants that we may plant include Carex pennsylvanica (the small grass clump like plants), which is one of the few sedges that tolerates very dry conditions.  I find it interesting that I would normally use Carex P. in part to full shade but at the Zoo, it is doing great in full sun.  I also think we will try in our rooftop garden Schizachryium scoparium, a plant that is home on the prairie and thrives in hot, dry, well drained conditions (the typical rooftop garden).

Schizachryium scoparium

Frank, thank you for a very informative presentation and tour of the Zoo’s rooftop garden gem.  Thanks also to the GBA for arranging the tour.  We look forward to another rooftop garden tour sponsored by GBA in November at the Convention Center, a green roof designed by Pashek Associates and installed by Eilser Nurseries.  Maybe next summer we will have more pictures of our newly renovated rooftop garden at Pashek Associates.  Please stop in and ask for a tour of our garden here on the Northside.

Designing Dog Parks without Fences

More and more people are hoping that the next park will include an area designated for their dogs so they can run around unleashed.  If properly designed, they take up an area of 2-3 acres so that there are lower concentrations of ammonia and the turf can survive.  Often, designers will fence in these parks and some include separate areas for larger dogs and smaller dogs.  Still other designs include a fenced off area that is allowed to rest while the dogs enjoy the other parts of the dog park.  Recently, our client, Ron Woodhead, suggested that the fenced areas not lead to corners where dogs or people could be trapped.  So we are rounding the fence line to avoid those corners in future dog parks.

Some communities have taken another approach to dog parks.  They have taken a natural area with trails and have permitted dogs to be off leash in the park.  Depending on the features of the natural terrain, these can be very beautiful places to get exercise for both you and the dog.  Fox Chapel Borough has a dog park that does not have any fencing, called Riding Meadow Park.  It is very popular and draws people from around the region.  People can walk their dogs along a stream or hike through a riparian landscape as the work their way up the valley toward Beechwood Farms.

The challenge, as we have learned recently, is that a park that accommodates dogs is also used for other park-like activities, like jogging.  We have also learned that not all dog owners have total control of their dog.  Unfortunately, there can be conflicts with non-dog owners and an unrestrained dog.  From a risk management perspective, how do these two groups coexist peacefully without sacrificing the benefits of a beautiful off leash area for dogs?  Fox Chapel Borough is working with their risk management consultant to see if they can accommodate both groups and provide a wonderful park for everyone that is safe.

Jim Pashek is chair of the Fox Chapel Borough Park Commission and looks forward to sharing more “lessons learned” regarding off leash areas in parks as time goes by.

Chautauqua County Greenway Plan Receives Planning Excellence Award

The New York Upstate Chapter of the American Planning Association (NYUAPA) is pleased to announce that the Chautauqua County Greenway Plan has been awarded the 2013 Planning Excellence Award for Comprehensive Planning.  The 2013 NYUAPA Chapter Awards recognize outstanding work being done by planners, planning firms, elected officials, and citizens to advance the science and art of urban and regional planning in upstate New York. The award was presented at the NYUAPA’s annual conference in Schenectady. Chautauqua County received this same award for its Comprehensive Plan: Chautauqua 20/20 in 2011.

The Planning Excellence Award in Comprehensive Planning recognizes plans that advance the science and art of planning. Winning projects are distinguished for originality and innovation, quality, thoroughness, degree of public participation, and identified steps to put the plan into action.

Summary of the Chautauqua County Greenway Plan and why it is Special

Chautauqua County’s rich system of four season greenways positively impacts the economies of our communities. The recommendations proposed in the Greenway Plan, which was a top recommendation in Chautauqua 20/20, creates a new enthusiasm for active living and healthy lifestyles; promotes outdoor activities; improves our quality of life within Chautauqua County; acts as a catalyst for economic development related to outdoor living; and establishes Chautauqua County as a destination center for outdoor adventure and lifelong learning opportunities.

This plan defines steps for the community to take to:

• Formalize and maintain the rural outdoor lifestyle;
• Fulfill the desire to be a four season destination for active outdoor living; and,
• Capitalize on the positive economic impact that can be realized through providing goods and services that visitors to Chautauqua County desire.

One of the many objectives of the Chautauqua County Greenway Plan was to develop a unique, concise, easy-to-read, high quality plan developed within the constraints of a limited budget. The Project Team, comprised of the Chautauqua County Department of Planning & Economic Development, Pashek Associates, and other key stakeholders, strove to not overburden the document with superfluous information and facts. The crux of the plan is 162 pages in length, and the team produced an attractive Executive Summary that is only 12 pages in length (available upon request). The supporting documentation is available on a CD and on the department website so that the plan can be reproduced at a reasonable cost. The plan integrates a unique style, is enhanced with colorful pictures taken locally, and incorporates modest graphics to convey its message. 

Besides identifying and proposing the development of recreational greenways using existing Rights-of Way and natural corridors, the Plan also identifies towns based on their potential to provide amenities to trail users. These "Trail Towns" are ranked based on their ability to provide the goods and services needed by Trail Users. The project team felt it was essential to identify ten (10) demonstration projects that are to be the first projects pursued in the coming years (several are currently being implemented). Enough description about each project is provided so that it can be discussed and considered for implementation. 

The Chautauqua County Greenway Plan also utilizes a unique methodology for defining its natural systems greenways by using natural, ecological and hydrologic infrastructure as building blocks for determining high-value natural areas, and allows these special areas to be ranked.  This information will help guide decision-makers towards or away from potential projects based on the sensitivity of natural areas where they are being proposed.

Pennsylvania Trail Design and Development Principles

Until now guidelines for non-motorized trail planning, design, construction, and management were located in a multitude of publications. Recognizing the need for a comprehensive source of information, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources hired Pashek Associates to write guidelines for the design and development of all non-motorized trails.

In Pennsylvania Trail Design & Development Principles: Guidelines for Sustainable, Non-motorized Trails, written by John Buerkle of Pashek Associates, you will find a compilation of best practices and guidelines for the planning, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of your trail. Equally important, it presents techniques for developing trails that are environmentally, physically, and economically sustainable, as well as techniques to create desirable and enjoyable trail experiences.

This comprehensive reference provides trail advocates, agencies, organizations, local and regional officials, and decision-makers with the basic knowledge required to understand any trail project they are about to undertake.

The Guidelines are presented in five chapters:

• Chapter 1: Planning
• Chapter 2: User Characteristics & Design Requirements for Non-Motorized Trails
• Chapter 3: Design Requirements for Sustainable Trails
• Chapter 4: Construction
• Chapter 5: Management

Click here to download a copy of the manual for free.  We trust you will find these guidelines valuable as you embark on your next trail project!

Learning How to Manage a Business Benefits Clients Too

A successful business model directly relates to happy clients.  It helps us to take a deeper look into what our values are, what our strengths and weaknesses are, how we can work more efficiently, and how we communicate to each other and to our clients.  To learn more about managing and operating a business John Buerkle enrolled in the Urban Power to Prosper certificate course offered by the Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence at the University of Pittsburgh Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business. The course follows the Interise StreetWise MBA™ Curriculum.  The nine-month program included four modules:

1. Business and Leadership
2. Financial Management
3. Sales & Marketing
4. Resource Management

By the end of the program John had developed a Strategic Growth Action Plan, specific to Pashek Associates, to guide us over the next three years.  Through the class John learned how to:

1. Develop a value proposition, identifying and sharing with clients how we bring value to them.
2. Identify and monitor appropriate financial indicators to monitor the financial health of the firm.
3. Expand marketing and business development opportunities through social media.
4. Identify strengths and weaknesses in his management style and identify what steps are necessary to improve his leadership skills.

The valuable information John learned through the course will help us better connect with and serve our clients.  He highly recommends the program to business owners who want to gain a better understanding of the components that go into running a successful business.  If you are interested in learning more about the program, contact Rhonda Carson Leach, rcleach@katz.pitt.edu, Director of the Urban Entrepreneurship Program, at the University of Pittsburgh Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business.