design elements - San Jacinto Texas Historic District

LANDSCAPE
Landscape is the fi rst section of these Best
Practices because natural elements provide
the foundation around which all other
features are designed. These natural elements
include hydrologic and geologic conditions
as well as biological features such as plants
and animals.
The Best Practices in this section seek to restore
a balance between the built environment
and the natural features within it. When this
balance is achieved, natural features can be
a resource and an amenity to urban spaces.
In all cases, however, it is critical to consider
the safety and security of people, such as the
preservation of sight distance, sight lines, and
view triangles at intersections, medians, and
other areas along corridors where visibility is
paramount.
These landscape practices address important
system-level concepts such as plant
selection, water conservation, and long-term
maintenance.
Best Practices for trees are given special
att ention because no other landscape feature
has the ability to transform the urban
environment in the way that trees can. The
practices here describe a few of the important
roles that trees can play in urban spaces.
Requirements for properly integrating and
protecting trees are also presented.
Ground-level vegetation also has an important
role to play in the urban environment. The
practices here demonstrate a few of their
benefi ts.
LA IN LI CI AM
Landscapes are often thought of as the green “stuff” that fi lls the voids in our built environment. Through
careful planning and design, landscapes can be more than a beautiful backdrop. When properly integrated,
soils can remove pollutants from runoff, rainfall can be harvested for reuse, and plants can literally breathe
life back into desolate urban spaces, reactivate the landscape, and provide a more cultural and historically
relevant setting for the District.
Consideration should also be given to high
winds and hurricane conditions, which tend
to uproot shallow-rooted trees.
Recommended Suggested Strategies and
supplemental information are also provided
where appropriate and are included in
Appendix A.
SAN JACINTO TEXAS HISTORIC DISTRICT CORRIDOR STANDARDS │ 81