If I were designing a two-way running path, with each direction of travel to be separated by a (narrow) raised garden bed along the edge of my site, would this area count towards "garden space with diverse vegetation" and "paved pedestrian-friendly area that encourage physical activity?"
Sustainability Director, Certifications & Compliance
Jacobs
LEEDuser Expert
469 thumbs up
Wed, 02/21/2018 - 00:59
- a pedestrian-oriented paving or turf area with physical site elements that accommodate outdoor social activities
- a recreation-oriented paving or turf area with physical site elements that encourage physical activity
- a garden space with a diversity of vegetation types and species that provide opportunities for year-round visual interest (this would depend on the planting types chosen)
I would note that the Reference Guide does specify that "a small strip of turf in a parking lot does not meet the intent of the credit"; however, that does not appear to match what your project is proposing. Just wanted to point that out for other readers who may come across this post who have those areas in their project. If it were my project, I would likely consider the area within the raised bed to be considered vegetated, too, provided the design includes sufficient plantings.