SHIELDING COMMUNITIES WITH PROACTIVE SOLUTIONS
Infrastructure challenges are often addressed reactively—but what if we could shield our communities before disaster strikes? In this issue, we explore strategies and technologies that fortify municipalities against both natural and man-made threats.
Proactive measures are already making an impact. In Charlotte, NC, storm drainage infrastructure improvements are mitigating potential flooding. When Hurricane Helene rendered the Town of Lake Lure’s wastewater treatment plant inoperable, swift collaboration restored operations—demonstrating the power of partnership.
Preparation extends beyond infrastructure. In Niagara County, NY, law enforcement officers are using virtual reality to train for modern threats. We also examine how setting safe speed limits reduce traffic fatalities and how digitized cemetery records preserve vital historical data while improving accessibility and efficiency.
For communities facing stalled planning efforts, we offer strategies to keep critical initiatives moving forward. Finally, we unveil our Climate Solutions webpage—dedicated to initiatives that safeguard communities today and for generations to come.
With each issue of In Office, we share our expertise, experience, and forward-thinking insights on the trends shaping municipal projects. If there’s a topic you’d like us to explore, contact us at inoffice@labellapc.com
LaBella Expands Environmental Services
LaBella Associates is pleased to announce the acquisition of Earth Dimensions, Inc. (EDI), a leading drilling and ecological services firm based in Western New York. This strategic move enhances LaBella’s environmental service capabilities, integrating EDI’s expertise, skilled team, and resources into its operations.
In conjunction with the acquisition, LaBella is investing in a 10,000-squarefoot, state-of-the-art environmental construction hub on Walden Avenue in the Village of Lancaster, NY. Set to open mid-2025, this facility will enhance service delivery for Western New York clients, housing expanded environmental remediation, eco-construction, and drilling and ecological services.
“The acquisition of EDI and the creation of the Lancaster hub reflect our commitment to innovative environmental solutions and sustainable regional growth,” said Jeff Roloson, President of LaBella Associates.
Key expanded services include:
• Environmental Remediation: Comprehensive solutions ranging from Underground Storage Tank (UST) removals to soil and groundwater remediation and the operation of remedial systems.
• Eco-Construction: Projects focused on ecological preservation and restoration.
• Drilling and Ecological Services: Leveraging EDI’s extensive experience and resources for soil testing, monitoring, and ecological assessments.
This partnership between LaBella’s design and construction teams enables seamless project delivery, offering cost savings, improved schedules, and enhanced quality control for clients across the region.
An Award-Winning Project
Lyon
Court
Storm Drainage Improvement Project
Wins Two Statewide Awards in North Carolina!
This fall, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services (CMSWS) and LaBella were honored to receive two statewide awards for the City of Charlotte’s Lyon Court Storm Drainage Improvement project.
We are proud recipients of the following awards:
1. 2024 American Public Works Association North Carolina Chapter Stormwater Project of the Year Award— This award recognizes excellence in stormwater project implementation and highlights the collaborative efforts between project owners, consultants, suppliers, and contractors that result in successful stormwater management improvements in North Carolina.
2. 2025 American Council of Engineering Companies of North Carolina (ACEC/NC) Grand Finalist Award for Engineering Excellence in the Water and Environment Category—This award celebrates projects that demonstrate innovation, creative problem-solving, and the transformative impact of engineering on communities.
The Lyon Court project tackled significant flooding in a 311-acre urban watershed, improving storm drainage infrastructure to better serve the CharlotteMecklenburg community.
Partnering with CMSWS, LaBella implemented comprehensive solutions, including:
• 21,850 feet of drainage system upgrades, with pipes ranging from 15 to 54 inches in diameter and box culverts up to dual 9’x7’.
• Natural channel stabilization, enhanced with in-stream structures and native vegetation.
• Utility relocations, ensuring seamless integration with existing infrastructure.
The project utilized advanced Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping and hydrologic modeling to ensure precise and efficient design. Despite aggressive schedules, the team completed the construction phase on time and on budget, with the warranty phase concluding in 2023.
Learn more about this impactful project by scanning the QR code:
Project team members from LaBella and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services accept the 2025 ACEC/NC Grand Finalist Award for Engineering Excellence in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Developing Effective Hazard Plans in 2025
By Jared Pristach, PE | Senior Environmental Engineer
As new development advances across the country, our communities face increasingly complex challenges from both natural and man-made hazards. Municipalities are increasingly tasked with developing robust hazard plans to identify vulnerabilities amongst their communities, develop strategies and projects to address them, and pursue available funding opportunities to take hazard mitigation projects from concept to reality. In 2025, advancements in technology and climate modeling tools, along with a growing understanding of risk, will help design professionals and municipalities develop more effective strategies for hazard preparedness and mitigation. So what does a hazard mitigation plan look like, and what tools can we use in 2025 to enhance these plans moving forward?
The blueprint for these types of plans is relatively simple, but successful execution is often complex. Key steps include:
• Defining project goals and objectives and identifying stakeholders
• Identifying feasible hazards
• Assessing community and municipal vulnerabilities
• Adapting to changing conditions
• Recommending mitigation and adaptation measures
Defining Goals, Objectives, and Stakeholders
The first step for any successful project should be to clearly define goals, objectives, and key stakeholders. Examples of goals for a hazard mitigation plan are:
• Reduce the frequency and severity of flooding in a neighborhood in a given municipality.
• Identify the biggest hazards of concern for municipal operations.
• Identify how natural hazards are expected to change in a county over the next 50 years.
• Evaluate ways to adapt a community’s infrastructure to projected climate change to help target capital improvement investments.
Clearly defined goals allow the project team to seek out the appropriate data, tools, and project stakeholders required for a successful hazard mitigation plan. It is especially important to identify project stakeholders that will either be affected by the implementation of your goals or are integral to achieving these goals. Municipal leaders, residents, local businesses, nonprofit organizations, and religious institutions all play important roles during emergency situations and should be consulted during plan development.
Community input ensures that the plan addresses local realities and priorities, and consultants can then help refine objectives and provide technical expertise.
Identifying Hazards
Identifying potential hazards is a foundational step in hazard planning. Hazards can be natural—such as floods, hurricanes, or wildfires—or man-made, including dam failures, gas line explosions, or industrial accidents. Determining the frequency, magnitude, and spatial threat of these hazards requires thorough analysis using historical data from trusted sources like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as well as local records. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and other mapping tools also play a pivotal role in evaluating hazards. These tools provide insights into land cover, vulnerability zones, and spatial patterns, enabling planners to anticipate where individual hazards are likely to have the most significant impact.
The cascading effects of multiple hazards must also be understood. Natural hazards can be standalone events, or they can create a “domino effect”—for instance, a drought might trigger wildfires, or flooding may trigger a dam failure. GIS and other mapping tools are effective in helping to identify cascading hazards and the areas that could potentially be affected.
Assessing Vulnerabilities
Once hazards are identified, the next step is to assess vulnerabilities within the community. This involves evaluating populations, infrastructure, and natural habitats at risk from identified hazards. Engaging with local stakeholders through interviews and workshops provides valuable insights into vulnerabilities.
Advancements in technology and climate modeling tools, along with a growing understanding of risk, will help design professionals and municipalities develop more effective strategies for hazard preparedness and mitigation.
Additionally, reviewing hazard mapping tools like FEMA flood zone maps and Coastal Erosion Hazard Area (CEHA) data ensures a grounded and comprehensive analysis of risks. GIS and other mapping tools are important for identifying vulnerable populations and critical facilities, identifying important natural habitats, and creating an inventory of these vulnerable assets. One of the most common ways to quantify vulnerable assets is to compare their monetary value; however, it is recommended that public input and important natural areas be weighed heavily against a pure assessment of monetary value.
Adapting to Change
The hazard landscape is dynamic, influenced by climate change, technological advancements, and development patterns. Conducting climate hazard assessments using tools like the NOAA Climate Explorer helps communities predict how climate change will alter hazard frequency and intensity. Similarly, understanding new infrastructure developments or technological changes can inform how hazards are mitigated or amplified in specific areas.
For example, development along tidally-influenced shorelines may require protective measures, such as structure elevation, dune nourishment, or even managed retreat. Other areas, such as inland developments near streams or rivers, may require flood mitigation solutions like floodplain expansion or structure elevation and floodproofing. Technological advances may also provide innovative solutions (e.g., early warning systems or resilient building materials) to mitigate risks.
Recommending Mitigation and Adaptation Measures
The culmination of hazard planning is the development of actionable mitigation and adaptation strategies. These measures can include:
• Capital Improvement Projects: Physical projects like expanding floodplains, upgrading heating and cooling systems, or relocating high-risk infrastructure.
continued on page 6
The figure above shows the inventory of critical facilities (both public and private) in individual municipalities throughout Schoharie County, New York.
Feature, continued from page 5
• Institutional Controls and Legislation: Policy changes such as steep slope construction restrictions, floodplain ordinances, or expanded coastal hazard zones.
• Climate-Adaptive Infrastructure: Forwardthinking designs that accommodate projected climate conditions, such as parks that double as flood storage areas or phased restrictions on developments in sea level rise zones.
Recommendations should be grounded in data and developed in collaboration with stakeholders. They should also identify potential funding sources, balancing immediate needs with long-term sustainability.
Looking Forward
In 2025, hazard planning is not just about responding to today’s risks but anticipating tomorrow’s challenges. Hazard plans should seek to target public funding toward projects that enhance residents’ day-to-day lives while also protecting lives, property, and habitat during emergency events. Capital improvement projects, institutional controls
and legislation, and climateadaptive infrastructure should all be sized to accommodate the hazard events of both today and tomorrow. By leveraging advanced tools, fostering community collaboration, and prioritizing adaptive strategies, municipalities can create plans that protect their residents, improve their communities, and build resilience for decades to come.
Natural disasters are becoming more frequent and severe each year, causing significant environmental and financial damage both in the United States and globally. As these challenges intensify, ensuring our communities are prepared for climate-related events is more critical than ever.
Hazard planning is not just about responding to today’s risks but anticipating tomorrow’s challenges.
Discover how LaBella is delivering solutions to safeguard our communities now and for the future by scanning the QR code:
The figure above shows the proposed floodplain storage area for Jasper-Troupsburg High School in New York. LaBella evaluated multiple current and projected storm scenarios after the school experienced flooding as the result of Tropical Storms Fred and Debby in 2021 and 2024, respectively.
Project Feature
Lake Lure Hurricane Relief
In September 2024, Hurricane Helene, a Category 4 storm, made landfall in the Big Bend area of Florida’s Gulf Coast and traveled north throughout Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina, bringing intense rainfall and flooding that devastated communities along its path. In western North Carolina, the Town of Lake Lure—and neighboring Chimney Rock Village— experienced unprecedented amounts of damage and loss.
The Town of Lake Lure owns and operates the 100-year-old Lake Lure Dam, which typically maintains lake levels within a few inches of normal pool elevation, even during a 100-year upstream flood.
However, during Hurricane Helene, the inflow of floodwaters overwhelmed the dam’s normal spillways, raising the lake level more than eight feet above normal and overtopping seven of the dam’s ten emergency ‘barrels.’
As a result, the Town’s wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), located approximately 1,600 feet downstream of the dam, was flooded and rendered inoperable. The influent pump station for the WWTP, situated in the shadow of the dam, had its above-ground portions completely destroyed. Once the floodwaters began receding, LaBella was onsite with the Town, working alongside the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality to determine recovery plans.
Replacing this critical infrastructure was paramount to protecting public health and the environment. To provide an immediate solution, a suitable emergency pump was purchased and installed within a week of the storm. In the weeks following, LaBella designed a replacement triplex submersible pump station. Due to communication challenges caused by the storm, the Town requested that LaBella act on its behalf throughout the design process to procure equipment, source materials, and coordinate with the contractor previously engaged for damrelated work. Within seven weeks, the new pump station was nearly operable, pending final connection by the power company.
From left to right: the first photo shows the pump station operating normally before Hurricane Helene, the second depicts the devastation caused by the hurricane, and the third shows the newly installed pump station.
Project Feature
Reimagining Police Training for the Modern Era
The Niagara County Law Enforcement Academy (NCLEA), jointly operated by the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office and the Niagara Falls Police Department and in partnership with SUNY Niagara, provides training to new and current law enforcement and corrections officers, as well as potential recruits.
Recognizing the limitations of outdated and impractical prior training sites, a new state-ofthe-art law enforcement training facility was designed and constructed on the SUNY Niagara campus in Sanborn, New York, to better prepare officers for modern policing challenges.
In November 2024, NCLEA celebrated its 50th anniversary with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new, two-story, 15,000-square-foot police training academy designed by LaBella Associates.
The first-floor features three sitdown classrooms with movable walls to accommodate varying class sizes. Adjacent to the classrooms is a use-of-force training simulator room, equipped with a virtual reality simulator to help officers train in de-escalating scenarios they may encounter on patrol.
The second floor houses a physical, reality-based training space that presents different real-world scenarios using a customizable building floor plan with movable walls. Additionally, a combat training room with padded floors and walls provides a dedicated space for defensive tactics training.
The new NCLEA facility is an invaluable asset for regional law enforcement and creates unique opportunities for SUNY Niagara students pursuing degrees in criminal justice.
The Niagara County Law Enforcement Academy project recently received the Project of the Year Award in the Structures < $5 Million category from the American Public Works Association New York Chapter Western Branch.
Source: Police1.com
Photo courtesy of the Niagara County Public Information Office.
Planning
Turning Plans Into Action: Strategies for Effective Implementation
By Norabelle Greenberger, AICP | Senior Planner
Effective planning is essential for community growth and development, but a successful plan is one that translates into tangible outcomes. All too often, communities invest time and resources into detailed plans, only for them to sit idle due to a lack of follow-through.
To overcome this challenge, communities must rethink the planning process itself, embedding implementation from the very start. This proactive approach—focusing on early action, strong partnerships, accountability, and long-term ownership—can ensure that plans not only inspire but also deliver meaningful and long-lasting results.
Key Strategies for Proactive Implementation
Treat Planning and Implementation as a Continuous Process
Implementation should not be viewed as a separate phase that follows planning. Instead, it should begin simultaneously and continue through to and after plan adoption. For example, if a community gathers feedback from an early plan survey that shows the need for improved park programming, working to address that gap can start while the plan is still being finalized, rather than waiting until the end of the planning process. Communities should also actively pursue funding opportunities while planning is underway.
Many grant programs favor applicants who can demonstrate readiness to act, making it advantageous to align applications with ongoing planning efforts.
Secure Planning Funding With Built-In Implementation Funding
A funding model that ties planning to implementation ensures continuity and avoids the pitfalls of plans that lack the resources to move forward.
Programs like the New York State Department of State Local Waterfront Revitalization Program or Tennessee’s Department of Environment & Conservation Brownfield Redevelopment Area Grant Program provide both planning and implementation funding to empower communities to transform ideas into completed projects.
The New York State Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) program follows a “planthen-act” process that begins with developing a vision for the future and ends with funding to see those projects realized. The City of Batavia (pictured above) received DRI Round II funding and recently completed building improvements using those funds.
Ensure Partnerships and Buy-In
Engaging stakeholders, local organizations, and potential funding contributors during the planning phase, especially those that would be engaged in executing any recommendation from a plan, creates a foundation for collaboration. These relationships can be leveraged for shared expertise, funding, and implementation support. Their early involvement also ensures that the strategies are practical and aligned with their capabilities. This buy-in reduces resistance to implementation and fosters a sense of ownership over the plan’s outcomes.
Establish an Implementation Champion
Plans must include a clear framework for ongoing leadership and action after adoption. That framework will vary for each community and plan, depending on scope and capacity. In some committees, implementation can be championed by an existing board, committee, or department, while others might benefit from extending the responsibilities of a plan advisory committee to transition to an implementation committee.
Create Processes for Accountability
Accountability is essential for successful implementation. While assigning ownership of specific initiatives to organizations or individuals ensures that progress continues, creating mechanisms, such as regular check-ins or annual reports, sustains momentum over time. Communities should establish metrics, timelines, and reporting requirements to track progress. Transparency in these processes builds trust with stakeholders and ensures that the plan stays on track.
Effective implementation starts during the planning process, not after. By embedding implementation strategies into planning, fostering strong partnerships, ensuring buy-in from implementers, establishing accountability mechanisms, and creating frameworks for longterm momentum, communities can achieve meaningful outcomes.
Combining this proactive approach with funding models that tie planning to implementation guarantees that every plan becomes a living, evolving blueprint for success.
Communities that embrace these strategies can turn their visions into vibrant realities, fostering growth and resilience for years to come.
Lake Champlain-Lake George Regional Planning Board’s Forward Together Plan
One example of effective implementation is the Lake Champlain–Lake George Regional Planning Board’s (LCLGRPB) Forward Together Plan. This award-winning economic resiliency plan was developed for a five-county region in New York State comprised of Clinton, Essex, Hamilton, Warren, and Washington counties. The plan focuses on understanding the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the region’s economy, identifying forwardlooking strategies to support local
businesses, and exploring market opportunities for growth. Under the leadership of the LCLGRPB, member communities and organizations are actively working together to address shared needs across this diverse geography. To learn more, scan the QR code:
Transportation
Speed Limit Reduction: How to Establish Safe Speeds in Your Community
By Jesse Vogl, AICP | Principal Transportation Planner
Excessive speed contributes to countless roadway fatalities and serious injuries every year, leaving a lasting impact on communities nationwide. Despite advances in vehicle safety and infrastructure design, speeding remains a critical factor in preventable crashes. Establishing appropriate speed limits is one of the most effective tools communities can use to promote safe driving behavior and save lives. However, changing existing speed limits involves navigating a complex process that blends regulatory and engineering expertise.
Here, we explore the importance of safe speeds, the regulatory framework for establishing speed limits, and proven methods for determining appropriate limits. Drawing on our experience supporting municipalities in reducing speed limits, we address key questions to help guide your community toward safer streets.
To that end, the U.S. Department of Transportation adopted the Safe System Approach as the guiding paradigm for addressing roadway safety. One key objective of the Safe System Approach is to establish safer speeds, which offer benefits such as improved visibility, additional driver reaction time to avoid collisions, and minimized impact forces during crashes—ultimately increasing the likelihood of survival.
Lower speed limits are a proven safety countermeasure. Data from the Town of Irondequoit, New York, shows a 10% reduction in fatal crashes and a 7% reduction in injury crashes following the
Why Are Safe Speeds Important?
Nationally, the number of fatal and serious injury crashes has remained substantially unchanged in recent decades, highlighting the need for new approaches to safety that provide an effective transportation system for all users.
Town’s reduction of its speed limit from 35 miles per hour (mph) to 30 mph in 2018.
Other studies have shown that a 5-mph reduction in posted speed limits has contributed to reductions in fatal and injury crashes as high as 50% in urban areas and 40% in rural areas.
What Is the Process to Establish Speed Limits?
Speed limits are set by state and local governments; therefore, the process to establish them varies by jurisdiction. According to the federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, which serves as
the national standard for signage, striping, traffic signals, and more, speed limits generally fall into two categories.
The first category is statutory speed limits, which are maximum allowed speeds for a given type of roadway, established by state law. The second category is speed zones, which establish alternative speed limits based on engineering studies.
The ability to establish a speed zone may be delegated from the state to a county or municipality. For example, the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law allows towns and counties to petition the New York State Department of Transportation to set speed limits as low as 25 mph after completing an engineering study.
What Methods Are Used to Set Appropriate Speed Limits?
There is no single “right” speed limit for a given roadway. Instead, the established speed limit should reflect the context and character of the roadway and its users. Guidance from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) recommends that speed limits be related to crash risk, provide a reasonable basis for enforcement, be fair in the context of traffic law, and be accepted as reasonable by a majority of road users. This approach strikes a balance between safety, travel time, and feasibility of enforcement.
Several methods are commonly used to identify speed limits that meet the above criteria. An engineering approach may establish speed limits based on observed operating speeds, with adjustments for traffic and infrastructure conditions.
Alternatively, an expert systems approach uses computerized models—such as USLIMITS2, developed by FHWA—to simulate the judgment of speed limit experts.
The injury minimization approach establishes speed limits according to anticipated crash types and expected impact forces.
Another streamlined approach for urban areas involves setting speed limits based on the density of conflict points and the level of activity on major streets.
The Journey Toward Safer Streets
Establishing safer speed limits is a vital step toward reducing roadway fatalities and creating transportation systems that prioritize the safety of all users. The process requires balancing technical expertise, community context, and regulatory frameworks. By understanding the importance of safe speeds, navigating the complexities of speed limit regulations, and utilizing datadriven methods to set appropriate limits, municipalities can take meaningful action to improve road safety.
As communities continue to adopt the Safe System Approach, collaboration among stakeholders—including engineers, policymakers, and residents—will be crucial to ensure that speed limits reflect the needs of all road users. Whether through statutory adjustments, engineering studies, or innovative modeling tools, the journey toward safer streets starts with a commitment to change.
Data Intelligence
Mapping Memories: Modernizing Cemeteries Using GIS Technology
By Rebecca Smith, GISP | Associate Vice President, Senior GIS Professional & Greg Coniglio, GISP | Senior GIS Professional
Cemeteries are more than final resting places. They are cultural landmarks honoring loved ones and preserving the legacies of historical figures, war veterans, and others whose stories shape our collective history. In recent years, these spaces have also become destinations for “tombstone tourists,” drawn to their architectural beauty, landscaped grounds, artistic monuments, and unique photography opportunities.
The bridge between preserving our history and meeting the needs of the present lies in mapping. Mapping is a practical necessity for cemeteries; however, many cemeteries still rely on traditional paper records and hand-drawn maps, leaving them vulnerable to inaccuracies and inefficiencies.
By integrating Geographic Information System (GIS) technology, cemeteries can transition from outdated systems to powerful digital platforms that safeguard records, streamline operations, and engage the public in meaningful new ways.
Challenges to Maintaining a Cemetery’s Information
Maintaining essential business data through outdated recordkeeping and mapping methods presents several concerns for cemeteries, including:
• Vulnerability of Paper Records: Paper records are highly susceptible to deterioration, loss, or damage. Environmental threats such as floods and fires, along with mishandling or misplacement,
make it increasingly difficult to maintain accurate burial records over
• Limited Records Search Capabilities: Locating specific burial sites in a traditional system requires manual searches through books, card catalogs, or paper maps—a timeconsuming process prone to errors. Without digital tools, cemetery staff and visitors must rely on physical maps and walking the grounds to locate plots, complicating efforts to find burial sites or notable cemetery features efficiently.
• Inefficient Cemetery Grounds and Burial Plot Management: Without centralized digital mapping, managing burial plots and
Accessible via web browsers and mobile devices, interactive GIS-based online mapping tools allow users to quickly locate graves or other points of interest, such as monuments, famous burial sites, or unique vegetation.
time.
planning for future use becomes cumbersome. Outdated records increase the risk of errors, such as misallocated plots, and hinder the ability to efficiently track availability or plan for future expansions.
The Role of GIS in Cemetery Mapping
GIS technology, paired with modern data management tools, offers a transformative solution—ensuring critical records are preserved for future generations while streamlining daily operations. So, how can a cemetery get started?
Data Collection and Management
To develop and implement a GIS program for a cemetery, several key components are required. At its core, this includes a digital map, a digital database of burial records, and optionally, digital media such as photographs to provide additional visual details of important cemetery features (e.g., headstones, monuments, vegetation).
• Digital Mapping: The most accurate cemetery maps are created through professional surveys, which capture plot boundaries and photograph headstones. Alternatively, old paper maps can be scanned, georeferenced to align with real-world coordinates, and digitized into GIS data. For cemeteries without prior mapping, GIS specialists can still create digital maps, especially for uniform plot layouts. For example, a section measuring 40 plots wide by 80 plots long can be mathematically modeled to construct plots.
Surveys of headstones can further refine these maps, ensuring accuracy even in the absence of prior documentation.
• Digital Database Conversion: In addition to digitally mapping plot locations, burial data must be converted into a structured database format. Using tabular data software, such as Microsoft Access or Excel, enables seamless integration with GIS for efficient searching and visualization. Cemeteries with existing digital records can streamline this process. For those still using paper records, manual transcription is possible in small cemeteries, while larger cemeteries can benefit from intelligent document processing (IDP) platforms like ABBYY Vantage, which use state-of-the-art artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to automate largescale data conversion processes. AI-driven tools can significantly reduce the time and cost of transitioning to a digital system, ensuring a faster, more efficient conversion.
Mapping Solutions and Spatial Analysis
Once a cemetery has developed its digital map and database, it can implement a GIS solution to share information with the public. Platforms like ArcGIS Online, developed by the Environmental Systems Research Institute (Esri), offer robust features to enhance accessibility and engagement, including:
• Navigable Online Maps: Accessible via web browsers and mobile devices, these interactive maps allow users
to zoom, toggle layers, easily locate graves or other areas of interest, and view related information or photos.
• Advanced Search and Data Filtering: GIS-based online mapping tools offer advanced search capabilities that help users quickly find grave sites by name, date of death, section, and other criteria. Users can refine results with filters and view precise map locations for easier visit planning.
• Beyond Burial Information: While burial data is central to a GIS program, mapping additional features such as monuments, famous burials, unique vegetation, and office buildings enhances the visitor experience and supports cemetery operations. This information can be further enriched with descriptive narratives, photographs, and other media.
Benefits of GIS Cemetery Mapping
Implementing a GIS program for cemetery mapping offers significant, long-term benefits in three key areas:
• Improved Record Keeping and Data Management: Moving to digital record storage ensures information is safe from physical damage. Additionally, cloud-based GIS systems provide secure, off-site storage and easy access to data from a single authoritative source. Both staff and the public can turn to this centralized system for the most current and accurate information.
continued on page 16
Data Intelligence, continued from page 15
• Operational Efficiency: GIS streamlines processes like plot sales, displaying availability on color-coded maps that update in real time. These maps can also be accessed online, allowing prospective buyers to explore options independently, saving time for both staff and visitors. Additionally, GIS tools support efficient grounds maintenance by aiding in vegetation management, planning, and scheduling.
• Public Engagement and Accessibility: GIS enhances visitor experiences by enabling easy grave location searches, freeing staff for other duties.
Online tools extend access beyond business hours, allowing users to explore burial sites, monuments, and other features independently. Platforms like Esri’s ArcGIS StoryMaps can further engage visitors with guided tours, showcasing a cemetery’s historical and cultural significance.
Bridging the Past and Present Using GIS Technology
GIS technology offers cemeteries an invaluable opportunity to address long-standing challenges while embracing their roles as places of remembrance and community significance.
Transitioning from paper records to dynamic digital platforms ensures the preservation of vital information, optimizes daily operations, and enhances visitor experiences. Tools like Esri’s ArcGIS Online and AI-powered data conversion make these advancements accessible to cemeteries at any stage of modernization.
By leveraging GIS, cemeteries can honor their history while adapting to modern needs, creating enduring spaces that celebrate heritage, foster community engagement, and remain cherished cultural landmarks for generations to come.
While professional surveys create the most accurate cemetery maps, old paper maps can be scanned, georeferenced to align with real-world coordinates, and digitized by GIS specialists into precise digital plot layouts.
By leveraging GIS, cemeteries can honor their history while adapting to modern needs, creating enduring spaces that celebrate heritage, foster community engagement, and remain cherished cultural landmarks for generations to come.
Project Feature
Modernizing Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery With Digital Technology
The Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery is a 165-acre historic cemetery and certified arboretum overlooking the Hudson River in Poughkeepsie, New York. Like many historic cemeteries, the site’s data was largely paperbased, and there was a need to bring new technology and best practices into the cemetery’s operations.
LaBella converted legacy data into a digital format, authored web maps, and created a dynamic web and mobile application to enhance the visitor experience and staff workflows. Our Data Intelligence team worked with our Survey & Mapping group to create a GIS base map of sections, plots, and lots. These were used in conjunction with the cemetery’s
historic section maps to identify section and plot numbers. We also utilized drone technology to capture high-resolution aerial imagery to further assist in the mapping and development of the GIS application.
The application is hosted on Esri’s ArcGIS Online platform and built using the ArcGIS Experience Builder application. The application allows users to navigate a walking tour, learn about notable trees, navigate the grounds, and will eventually allow for a burial records search. In addition to the public-facing application, LaBella is configuring additional maps and tools for internal use to help the cemetery staff manage the sales process.
How does your experience complement and expand LaBella’s existing landscape architecture services?
Before joining LaBella, I led RPK Landscape Architecture in Rochester, NY, where I focused on creating landscapes that enhance quality of life and support community and environmental well-being.
Expanded Service
Offering
LaBella’s Landscape Architecture Group is Growing!
LaBella’s Landscape Architecture group continues to expand and evolve, delivering innovative and impactful solutions for clients across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Southeast regions. The team, which includes experts in park and recreation design, urban planning, and residential landscape architecture, currently boasts 18 professionals, with plans to expand to more than 20 in 2025.
This growth includes the addition of Ryan Kelly, PLA, a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience as a landscape architect. His portfolio spans luxury residential projects, social impact spaces, and nature-based solutions, making him a valuable asset to our team. We sat down with Ryan to discuss his new role and the group’s future direction.
My expertise in land use, zoning codes, adaptive reuse, restorative landscapes, and historic preservation enables me to solve complex challenges across projects of all scales. These areas of expertise complement LaBella’s diverse service offerings, helping us provide more comprehensive, customized solutions to our clients.
What makes LaBella’s Landscape Architecture team unique?
Our strength lies in our local presence and regional reach along the East Coast, which allows us to connect directly with communities, ensuring our designs reflect their unique character and needs. As our team grows, we’ve expanded
our expertise in landscape architecture, arboriculture, horticulture, and parks and recreation. We also leverage LaBella’s multidisciplinary network to integrate services such as infrastructure planning, grant writing, and construction oversight, ensuring that every project is both innovative and achievable.
What landscape architecture trends are emerging in the municipal sector?
Municipal design is increasingly prioritizing community well-being and environmental sustainability. Trends include creating parks and recreation spaces that promote active lifestyles, encourage social connections, and foster inclusivity for diverse populations.
Climate resilience is a tremendous focus of landscape architecture right now. Tools such as green infrastructure and urban forestry are no longer just desirable but rather essential
to addressing challenges like stormwater management, shoreline stabilization, and urban heat islands. These approaches reflect a growing recognition of the vital role public spaces play in improving environmental health and enhancing the overall quality of life in communities.
Are there any services the Landscape Architecture team is planning to add or expand in 2025?
In 2025, LaBella plans to increase its focus on funding solutions for municipal clients. Led by Michael Cocquyt, CPRP, Senior Program Manager, our team will assist municipalities in identifying and securing grants and other resources to bring their visions to life. Mike’s experience as a former municipal implementer gives us a unique insight into how municipalities execute their projects. This expanded focus aligns with our ongoing commitment to designing projects that are creative yet feasible for our clients.
What are some of the Landscape Architecture group’s long-term goals for municipal services?
The public space needs of our communities are constantly evolving, and our Landscape Architecture group is committed to staying ahead of these changes. Our long-term goals include designing creative, resilient, and sustainable solutions that are feasible to fund, construct, and deliver.
Beyond providing innovative designs (the “what”), we aim to support municipalities through every step of the process, including securing funding, navigating approvals, and overseeing construction (the “how”). By prioritizing functionality, beauty, and community impact, we strive to remain a trusted partner in shaping transformative public spaces for future generations.
Project Feature
Revitalizing a Community and Honoring a Fallen Law Enforcement Officer
Union Square Park was created to address the lack of open public space in the City of Hornell, New York’s downtown area. LaBella completed conceptual plans through construction drawings to transform a former dry-cleaning store and vacant lot site into the new Union Square Park. Designed with public gatherings in mind, the project features multiple spaces that are linked together by an integrated walkway network.
A 1,000-square-foot stage was constructed to host various community events. A power supply was installed to serve vendors, including food trucks. Green space with trees and shrubs around the concrete plaza will serve to host festivals, farmers markets, and other events. An at-grade water feature and fountain create a vibrant and distinctive attraction for residents and visitors alike and can be lit at by a specially designed LED lighting system.
Walkways connect the various use areas and special features, including a memorial monument to the fallen policeman Daniel Swift, who was killed in the line of duty on October 24, 1973. The project also includes a lighted park entry sign, ornamental pedestrian lighting, seasonally attractive accent plantings, and site furniture.
The Niagara County Law Enforcement Academy, jointly operated by the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office and the Niagara Falls Police Department and in partnership with SUNY Niagara, provides training to new and current law enforcement and corrections officers, as well as potential recruits. Learn more about this project on Page 8.
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