The City of Decatur, in this changing environment, has instituted strong controls on new development, proscribing in detail acceptable outdoor lighting, tree planting, clearing, fire access, and other issues related to landscape identity. City officials are involved early in the planning process to establish a dialogue on fulfilling regulations in a manner in the best interests of all.

As colleges expand their student bodies, new buildings are required which make campuses denser and more urbane. At Agnes Scott, however, these new buildings will, for the most part, replace existing parking lots or an existing building so the overall campus green space is not greatly diminished. Building density and building related service, paths and access will nevertheless impact the character of the green space and the sense of openness. For this development strategy to be successful, parking must be relocated to areas related to the surrounding neighborhood. City requirements and neighborhood desires will be addressed in a responsive way to balance the needs of all parties. Tree preservation, new drainage, planting, lighting and fencing are key issues for new parking lots in this hilly area. Use of natural slopes to set a garage into the ground, and improved planting and lighting are further measures for mitigation of necessary parking construction.

With a successful parking strategy, the remaining campus core can be focused on new and improved campus landscape management and design. Essentially, every bit of open space remaining is meaningful and must be treated as such. There can be no "terrain vague" or back door lost space. This does not mean that elaborate plantings must be placed everywhere. In fact, plantings which hide architectural detail or make maintenance of a building next to impossible should be removed and not replaced. Foundation plantings, perennial gardens, and displays of annuals will be used, but in systems of recognizable order so the parts make a sum greater than the whole.

The campus landscape plan was designed by Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Carol R. Johnson Associates. The landscape of the college perimeter will be strengthened and unified by simple elements which will organize existing elements to be preserved such as the canopy oak trees and large masonry signage at campus corners. Additional understory planting such as dogwood, redbud and azaleas which relate most imagable and successful plants at the college and on the neighborhood sides of the surrounding streets will be used to strengthen the existing character.

Within the campus core the college will maintain both the dominant high canopy deciduous trees and the magnificent specimen southern magnolias which dot the campus. An ongoing tree replacement program will guarantee that these campus features continue. The existing quads and other spaces which give unique identity to Agnes Scott will be enhanced by planting simplification and reduction of paving. Overgrown plants will be replaced with slow growing or dwarf varieties which require little pruning. Perennial flower gardens will be used only in areas beside residence halls and at the new chapel. Displays of annual flowering plants will be limited to certain key areas where they will be placed to relate in scale to architectural features. The linkage of green spaces will be maximized in order to make the campus community aware of the entire campus from any particular point. Irrigation will play a key role in making the more densely used green spaces remain attractive even in semi-shaded or dry areas.

In all, small campus landscape planning-- like at Agnes Scott College-- seeks to rebalance landscape design and maintenance programs to simplify many areas, but also to enhance key focal points in a manner consistent with the neighborhood and the surrounding region. lasn