Modifying landscape area for appeal review

My team and I are in the appeal phase for our project. WEc3 was denied because the total area of exterior landscaping is 3,276 square feet, which is less than 5% of the total site area and therefore the project was not eligible for this credit. The team wants to increase the exterior landscaped area to 4575.8 sf, making us eligible for the credit. This landscaped areas will be modify now (as tomorrow), and we would like to know whether it is permissible to modify the landscaping, have a contract will an designer and have only 50% advance in the landscape project at the moment of submitting the appeal. Would this be acceptable? Or the 100% of the project should be finished at the time of the final submittal? Thank you in advance for any comments.