August 24, 2010 Update

Department of Technology, Management and Budget(DTMB)- Office of Facilities Administration consider Landscape Architects eligible to perform as Prime Professionals under the State of Michigan DTMB Contract for Professional Service.  DTMB will continue this practice as long as the work conforms to State law.

The DTMB professional services contract definition of "Prime Professional Services” reads:

PRIME PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACTOR (ARCHITECT/ENGINEER): Shall mean an individual, firm, partnership, corporation, association, or other legal entity under a separate Contract with the Owner who is legally permitted by law to sign and seal final design construction Contract Documents and licensed under the State of Michigan's professional licensing and regulation provisions of the Occupational Code (State Licensing Law), Act 299 of the Public Acts of 1980, Article 20, as amended, to practice architecture, engineering, environmental engineering, land surveying, or landscape architecture services in the State of Michigan.

The Michigan Chapter of ASLA cannot emphasize enough that, as a prime professional, it is imperative you as a landscape architect demonstrate that the required professional qualifications are included within the proposal(s) and clearly address the technical aspects of the project needs which will ensure that public health, safety and welfare are met.

The Michigan Chapter of ASLA also notes this is informational purposes only and does not guarantee that landscape architects will be awarded state contracts.  For more information see the following web link http://www.michigan.gov/buymichiganfirst and select the Design and Construction brochure.

July 29, 2009 Update

Your chapter is please to report that licensure implementation is progressing well. 

As a reminder, licensure for the landscape architect profession officially began on May 13, 2009. 

Those in the profession who were Registered Landscape Architects should keep their registration information as it does not expire until July 31, 2010.  The department is trying to send new licenses out before then.  At the very least, everyone will have new licenses in 2010. 

Also, as expected and worked out with the department, the new licensing fees will be collected beginning with 2010 renewals.  So landscape architects in Michigan will pay $120 for the 2 year license when they renew their license in 2010. 

Any new licensee will pay the new fee of $200 beginning now. 

On other items, you do NOT need to get new stamps.  The "registration" stamp can still be used and will not be penalized in any way.  However, if you prefer to have a "license" stamp, that is up to you, of course, and you can certainly have new stamps created saying as much.  As you may know, the department does not provide stamps and if you would like a new you stamp must do so at your own expense.

As for reciprocity, it should work as seamlessly as hoped and designed.  If an out of state landscape architect wants/needs a license here in Michigan, they must utilize CLARB.  If already licensed in another state, they simply work through the CLARB process, produce a certificate showing that they passed LARE, and produce the proof of experience, which is a total of 7 years with a maximum of 5 of those years coming from a university program.  And then all they need to do is download the Michigan license application.  In other words, they will not need to anything more than produce proof and pay the Michigan license fees to receive licensing here in Michigan if they are already licensed in another state and have passed the LARE. 

Your chapter will continue to work with DELEG to coordinate website materials and provide the most helpful information to the profession.

DeLEG Appoints TAC

Part of the licensure legislation that the chapter advocated was for the possibility of DELEG to appoint a Technical Advisory Committee made up of Michigan landscape architects to address issues that directly affect the profession here.  Your chapter recommended a diverse list of professionals to make up the first TAC.  DELEG officially created the TAC this month and hosted the first meeting with the TAC to begin addressing the Continuing Education process to be developed for the profession.

The first TAC members are: Clare Jagenow, Patricia Cornelisse, Bill Sanders, Mark Hieber, Warren Rauhe, and Russ Clark. 

To contact your local legislators from the ASLA Advocacy Network, enter your zip code:

Write Your State Legislators enter zip code

Please check back here at michiganasla.org and look for e-news bulletins for continuing updates.

To get more information on the licensing of Landscape Architects in Michigan, visit the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth.

Many of our members have been involved in preserving our board and pushing for licensure stretching back some 25 years.  If you would like to talk to some of the members of the Government Affairs Committee to learn more about the situation we would be pleased to speak with you.  Please feel free to contact any of the following Government Affairs Committee (GAC) members:

Bill Sanders, GAC Chair

906-228-6061 x11

Derek Dalling,  Michigan ASLA Executive Director,

517-485-4116

Pam Blough, Executive Committee Trustee and GAC Member,

616 -847-2010

Norm Cox, GAC Member

Scott Reinholt, GAC Member

Vanessa Warren, Executive Committee Trustee and GAC Member

Roger Sabine, GAC Member

Bill Sanders, GAC Member

Mark Heiber, GAC Member

LICENSURE AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY, AND WELFARE

The practice of landscape architecture directly impacts public health, safety, and welfare. The work of landscape architects surrounds us, in the planning of sites such as office plazas, public squares and thoroughfares. The design of parks, highways, housing developments, urban plazas, zoos and campuses reflects the skill of landscape architects in planning and designing the construction of useful and enjoyable places. Landscape architects are trained to work on such diverse projects as community master plans, site planning, local road design, pedestrian walkways, wetland construction and mitigation, park and trail systems, erosion control, historic preservation, site stormwater management and more.  In all of these projects, there is the potential for serious harm to the public through incompetent practice.

A few examples:

• The design of a parking lot led to the death of a visitor who fell to his death when there was no barrier between the parking lot and the driveway below;
• Negligent lighting specification resulted in the electrocution of homeowner;
• The inadequate reinforcement of patio and related design flaws led the patio to come apart and slide downhill.

Landscape architecture must be regulated such that unqualified individuals are prevented from engaging in professional practice that impacts the public heath, safety, and welfare.  Landscape architectural education and experience under the supervision of a licensed professional prepares professionals for licensure.  The examination ensures that an individual is competent to protect the public.