Jake Young, a professional landscape architect and city planner, initially did not prioritize water conservation as part of his work at Citi Design, a land use and planning firm. It wasn’t until he worked on the West General Plan for Salt Lake County that he realized the importance of incorporating water into his process. The survey conducted for the General Plan revealed that water conservation had become a top concern for local residents, alongside issues such as affordable housing and air quality. The plan emphasized the need to work with water agencies and conservation districts to address these concerns and integrate water conservation into the planning process from the beginning.
Laura Briefer, director of Salt Lake City’s public utilities department, also highlighted the importance of saving the Great Salt Lake and promoting water conservation as a means to create a more livable and sustainable city for residents, particularly those on the west side.
Connecting the dots between urban planning and water use, Jake Young, and other experts discussed that the majority of Utah’s water is used by farms, industry, and businesses. However, when it comes to water used at homes, offices, and schools, the majority of it is used for outdoor purposes. Young emphasized that urban design and water conservation are interconnected, having implications for natural assets such as the Great Salt Lake.
Courtney Brown, conservation division manager for the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District, pointed out that while lawns use the majority of municipal water supplies, much of the issue is due to the default practice of installing lawns in new construction, rather than planning water-wise landscapes from the start. Initiating water conservation through city planning is crucial and aligns with urban design principles to promote more sustainable and effective water use.
Houssam Elokda, a community designer and housing expert, emphasized the importance of walkable communities and mixed-use development in promoting social connections and emotional well-being. Elokda stated that a holistic planning approach is needed to replace car-dependent, sectioned-off cities with more walkable, intentional neighborhood designs that foster social interactions and human connections. These same principles relate to landscaping, detailing how water-wise landscaping requires intentional design for gatherings and play, rather than just replacing grass with gravel.
Ultimately, the experts highlighted the need for integrated planning and design to address water conservation, public health, and social connectivity in cities, emphasizing the inextricable relationship between urban planning, landscaping, and water use.
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