This unique project, driven by the City of Big Bear Lake’s Improvement Agency, aimed to beautify all seven miles of Big Bear Boulevard (State Highway 18), the city’s main thoroughfare. The program goals relied on community participation: for any Big Bear Blvd. property owners that agreed to make certain frontage areas (such as unused parking) accessible to the City, the City would remove the asphalt, then install planting and irrigation for that space. The property owners would be responsible for all subsequent maintenance for ten years, but they would in essence gain a free landscape, and Big Bear Boulevard would have its own genius loci. Property owner participation was strictly voluntary.

Nine community focus groups (comprised of business and residential property owners) were held in order to gain input for the design. Other work included preparation of construction documents and coordinating project approvals with CalTrans District 8. In addition, a landscape “owner’s manual” was created for all participants, to help maintain and add to “their” landscapes. Phase One installation was completed in September 2000. Total budget: $300,000.

* Work performed while with another firm