Virginia Regulatory Town Hall View Comments

Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation

Board for Professional and Occupational Regulation

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9/28/20 6:40 pm

Commenter: Jason Curtis

Support for Landscape Architecture & Soil Scientists Professional Licensure

Landscape Architects and soil scientists work in complementary ways on projects on a regular basis. Each profession brings additional rigor to the success of the project. We're all trained in different and complimentary subject matter and while there can be overlap between these two professions and some engineering professions, they're all critical in different ways to the success of a project.

Landscape architects directly impact public health, safety, and welfare. Licensure is the most appropriate form of regulation to ensure that the public is adequately protected.

Licensure of landscape architects ensures that professionals are qualified by virtue of their education, experience, and examination.

Licensure of landscape architects ensures that untrained individuals are prevented from engaging in professional practice that substantially (or significantly) impacts public health, safety and welfare. Licensed landscape architects fulfill educational training and examination requirements that prepare professionals to protect the public from both physical and monetary harm.

Landscape architects are called upon for complex services that require highly technical skills, making it difficult for prospective clients to evaluate the competency of professionals. Licensure as a measure of competence can assist consumers in identifying appropriate professionals for design services.

The scope of landscape architectural practice includes site plans, plans of development, grading plans, vehicular roadways and pedestrian systems design, stormwater and erosion control plans, and the siting of buildings and structures, all work that localities and federal agencies require to be sealed by licensed professionals. Consequently, the scope of landscape architecture overlaps with other licensed design professionals including architects, engineers, and Class B land surveyors.

The services provided by soils professionals are critical to protect life, property, health, and public welfare through regulation of the practice of soil science in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Proper application of soil science principles by soil scientists is vital to the lives, property, economy, security and environment of the people of your commonwealth.

Thank you for your consideration

CommentID: 86814