sarah sutton, asla, leed ap, bfqlp

Principal, Landscape Architect

Sarah advises teams on landscape architecture, sustainability, and innovative EDUCATION

stormwater management practices. She is an expert in sustainable design and
BA, Landscape Architecture,
construction practices with over 30 years of experience in public and private sector
University of California, Berkeley
design, including parks, trails, streetscapes, and creek and habitat enhancements.

Sarah has a strong background in stream and riparian corridor protection and REGISTRATIONS
restoration and has been responsible for the development of many parks that include
stream realignment and revegetation within these sensitive habitats. As a leader California Licensed Landscape
in the firms continuing commitment to environmental stewardship in planning, Architect No. 4219
design, and project implementation, Sarah receives frequent invitations to present
at conferences and to various organizations on these topics. At the 2010 American CERTIFICATIONS
Society of Civil Engineers International LID (Low Impact Development) Conference,
Leadership in Energy and
she presented Creating Better Communities with LID, which illustrated how to
Environmental Design Accredited
successfully implement LID to complement community character in new urbanist
Professional
communities.
Green Roof Professional
Sarah recently authored The New American Front Yard: The Complete Guide for
Bay-Friendly Qualified Landscape
Creating a Beautiful, Eco-friendly, Water-wise, Low Maintenance Front Yard (2013),
Professional
co-authored the stream restoration section of the stormwater management chapter
in Landscape Architectural Graphic Standards (2007), and teaches Site Planning for Certified Green Building Professional
Creeks, Riparian Corridors & Wetlands and Practical Approaches to Erosion Control Certificate in Therapeutic Garden
and Land Restoration, both at the University of California, Davis, Extension. Design

HIGHLIGHTS OF EXPERIENCE AFFILIATIONS

American Society of Landscape
Landscape Architecture/Urban Design Architects
Wendell Park | Richmond CA
Duck Pond Park | Hercules CA California Park and Recreation
Frog Pad Park | Hercules CA Society
Carter Gilmore Sports Complex | Oakland CA Bay-Friendly Landscape Coalition
Potrero Hill Recreation Center/Playground | San Francisco CA
Green Roofs for Healthy Cities
Visitacion Valley Greenway Community Garden | San Francisco CA
IDEAscape Master Plan | Roseville CA
Team member since 2003
Streetscapes
Foothill Boulevard Streetscape Design Project | Oakland CA
John Muir Parkway | Hercules CA
66th Avenue Streetscape Improvements | Oakland CA
Foothill/High/Melrose Streetscape Design | Oakland CA

Trails Planning and Design

Wavecrest Coastral Trail project | Half Moon Bay CA
Pleasant Hill Road Multi-Purpose Trail | Lafayette CA
Wildcat Creek Trail Study | San Pablo CA
Mori Point Trail Planning and Design | Pacifica CA
Laguna de Santa Rosa Protected Lands Trail Plan | Sonoma County CA
 Open Space, Creek and Habitat Restoration
Lake Merritt Bird Island Enhancements | Oakland CA
Comanche Creek Vegetation Management Plan | Chico CA
Sycamore Creek Annual Status Report | Danville CA

Sustainable Planning and Design

Stormwater Handbook Planting Guidelines | Alameda County CA
Bay-Friendly Landscape Design Resources On-Call Services | Alameda County CA
California Urban Water Conservation Council (CUWCC) Smart Urban Landscapes
sarah sutton Residential Landscape Design Templates and Guidelines | California (statewide)
Principal Technical Services and Training for Build it Green | California (statewide)
ssutton@placeworks.com Rooftop Resources Assessment | Oakland CA

publications
Author, The New American Front Yard: The Complete Guide for Creating a Beautiful,
Eco-friendly, Water-wise, Low Maintenance Front Yard. (Aurora, Co: Tendril Press, 2013)
Designing Project-to-Protect Water Quality, Northern News, American Planning
Association California Chapter Northern Section newsletter, February 2008
Contributing author, Landscape Architectural Graphic Standards, Leonard J.
Hopper, ed. (Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2007)

speaking engagements
2013 Municipal Green Building Conference and Expo | Blue Reformation:
Overcoming Californias Water Addiction | Downey, CA
Desperately Seeking WUCOLS: Whats Next for the States Model Landscape
Ordinance and Landscape Water Use Classifications | 2011 California Irrigation
Institute Annual Conference | Sacramento CA
Green Roofs: From Concept to Reality | 2011 Annual Pretreatment, Pollution
Prevention, and Stormwater (P3S) Conference of the California Water
Environment Association (CWEA) | Santa Clara CA
Residential Landscape Design and the Model Water Efficient Landscape
Ordinance | Landscape Water Conservation Workshop sponsored by The
Water Forum, UC Davis Extension, and the California Urban Water Conservation
Council, 2011 | Roseville, Stockton, and Davis CA
Creating Better Communities with Low Impact Development | 2010 American
Society of Civil Engineers International LID Conference | San Francisco CA

Awards
2011 Merit Award, American Society of Landscape Architects Northern California
Chapter | Cryer Site Park Design, Oakland CA
2009 Environmental Resources Document Merit Award, AEP | Tapping the Potential
of Urban Rooftops: Rooftops Resources Neighborhood Assessment, Oakland CA
2008 Grassroots Initiative Award, APA California Chapter | Tapping the Potential
of Urban Rooftops: Rooftops Resources Neighborhood Assessment, Oakland CA
2008 Merit Award, ASLA Northern California Chapter | Tapping the Potential of
Urban Rooftops: Rooftops Resources Neighborhood Assessment, Oakland CA
2005 Merit Award, American Society of Landscape Architects Northern California
Chapter | Water-Efficient Demonstration Garden, San Jose CA

professional activities
President, ASLA Northern California Chapter | 2004 to 2005

leadership and community

Marine Conservation Network | Founder and President | 1993 to 1998
Environmental Affairs Committee, San Ramon CA | 1996 to 1998