I am writing to express continued support for licensure of Landscape Architects in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As a previous resident of California, I can personally attest to the necessity of landscape architects in the design industry. A licensed LA takes responsibility for planned designs as they relate to the health, safety and welfare of people. That being said, I previously worked on fire mitigation projects for local government and fire marshals to help educate and establish guidelines for municipalities to preserve the natural environment while keeping residents and commercial sites safe from potential fire threats. 

I currently work for a firm in Virginia where my project manager has a license in which he uses to approve plans the plans I prepare. By signing and sealing those plans, he then takes responsibility for them. Licensing is not just about legal responsibility though. There is the continued education aspect, the reliability to clients and communities, and improvements of professional integrity to the industry. This is an ever-changing industry, and maintaining one's licensure provides assurance that newer studies or scientific innovations are implemented into future designs, and will be continuously improved upon by responsible individuals. A client working with a licensed individual can be assured they are conducting business with someone who values their profession and industry. I wouldn't ask my neighbor who works on cars to redo the electrical in my house, I'd contact a licensed electrician who professionally does that to put food on his/her table. Licensed professions in this industry build a stronger product. The outcome of any project is better for having more professionals from different disciplines working together on it. 

I am currently in the process of obtaining my license in landscape architecture. Just to get to this point, I graduated from a 4 year accredited university with a degree in landscape architecture, I obtained more than the minimum hours of apprenticeship required to receive a license because I wanted to ensure I was capable of understanding the ins and outs of the industry, and I had to retake one exam section because they are incredibly difficult. I'm still waiting on the results from one of my tests, and plan to take another section of the exam soon. My goal is to be a licensed landscape architect early 2021. Receiving my license is a goal of mine. I want to be able to sign and seal plans not just to stamp them, but to show other disciplines in the industry that I know what I am doing and I take a professional sense of pride in my work and the relationship with the client. 

Currently Virginia is a title state; only licensed landscape architects can call themselves landscape architects. This also means that other disciplines can sign and seal plans normally done by landscape architects. Like I mentioned previously, I used to live in California which is a practice state; only licensed landscape architects can sign/seal landscape plans and other documents normally created by landscape architects. I support continuing the licensure of landscape architects in the Commonwealth of Virginia and would move one step further by suggesting Virginia become a practice state.

Having a license in landscape architecture tells me that the person who drew every single line on that sheet of paper has a purpose for that line and pride in that work. A line drawn by anyone else is just a line.

Respectfully,

Christopher Gregory
Landscape Planner II, Timmons Group
1001 Boulders Pwy., Suite 300
Richmond, VA 23225