(A) Definitions.
(1) "Contact hour" - a contact hour is at
least fifty minutes of participation in an approved course or
activity.
(2) "Qualified/certified"
- shall mean activities approved for contact hours by any of the organizations
in this rule.
(3) Approved
providers: the imprimatur of any of these organizations in this rule shall
constitute official acceptance by the board:
(a) Landscape architects continuing education
system;
(b) American society of
landscape architects;
(c) Council
of landscape architect registration boards;
(d) Ohio landscape architects
board;
(e) Urban land
institute;
(f) American nursery and
landscape association
(g) American
planning association;
(h) National
society of professional engineers;
(i) National recreation and parks
association;
(j) American institute
of architects;
(k) Agencies of the
state or federal government offering training programs in landscape
architecture;
(l) Coursework in
landscape architecture at a university or college;
(m) Other related technical/professional
societies or organizations, including local, state or regional affiliates,
chapters, components or sections whose programs have been certified by any of
the above organizations.
(4) "Structured educational activities" -
organized educational activities in which at least seventy-five per cent of an
activity's content and instructional time must be devoted to subject matter
related to the practice of landscape architecture, including seminars, classes,
workshops, conferences and the like, and provided by qualified individuals or
organizations, whether delivered by direct contact or distance learning, and
performed outside the normal performance of one's occupation.
(B) General requirements.
(1) Contact hours.
Every landscape architect shall complete a minimum of
twenty-four contact hours of continuing education prior to the end of each
renewal period.
(2) Health,
safety and welfare hours.
A minimum of sixteen of the twenty-four hours shall be
structured health, safety and welfare hours as defined in this rule.
(3) Continuing education required
to renew or restore.
The completion of these hours shall be a condition of renewal
of the landscape architect's registration.
An application for renewal or restoration of a license may not
be submitted unless the continuing education requirement has been completely
fulfilled or the registrant has been exempted from the continuing education
requirement by the board.
(C) Exemptions.
A landscape architect may be exempt,
upon board review and approval, from the continuing education requirement in
any of the following situations:
(1)
Newly licensed
by exam.
Landscape architects newly licensed by examination by the state
of Ohio are exempt from the continuing education requirements for their initial
period of licensure only. This exemption does not apply to reciprocal
registrants.
(2)
Military duty.
A licensee
A landscape architect may be exempt from some or all of
the continuing education requirements of this rule if the landscape architect
is subject to the provisions of rule
4703:1-1-07
of the Administrative Code. The landscape architect
must seek exemption from the board in accordance with rule
4703:1-1-07
of the Administrative Code using the prescribed form and attach all paperwork
to be considered.
(3)
Unable to practice.
A
The landscape architect may
be exempt from some or all of the continuing education requirements of this
rule if the landscape architect has experienced a physical disability,
illness, or other extenuating circumstances that,
which in the board's judgment, temporarily or
permanently prevents the landscape architect from completing the
requirements. Upon filing a request with the board on
the form prescribed, the
The landscape
architect may be excused from some or all of the
continuing education requirements
shall provide
supporting documentation for the board's review and approval.
(4)
A
The landscape
architect
is permanently exempted from the continuing
education requirements of this rule if the landscape architect has been
granted emeritus status by the board.
(D) Content requirements.
Acceptable activities include those that increase the landscape
architect's knowledge and/or understanding of technical or professional
subjects and contribute directly to the improvement of the landscape
architect's professional knowledge and competence to practice landscape
architecture.
(1) Health, safety and
welfare topics
Health, safety and welfare topics as those topics in which at
least seventy-five per cent of the subject matter applies the principles of
mathematical, physical, and social sciences in consultation, evaluation,
planning, design (including, but not limited to the preparation and filing of
plans, drawings, specifications, and other contract documents), and
administration of contracts relative to projects principally directed at the
functional and aesthetic use and preservation of land.
Acceptable subject matter includes:
(a) Building codes;
(b) Code of ethics;
(c) Codes, acts, laws and regulations
governing the practice of landscape architecture;
(d) Construction administration, including
construction contracts;
(e)
Construction documents;
(f) Design
of environmental systems;
(g)
Environmental processes and analysis;
(h) Erosion control methods;
(i) Grading;
(j) Horticulture;
(k) Irrigation methods;
(l) Land planning and use;
(m) Landscape preservation, landscape
restoration and adaptive reuse;
(n)
Lateral forces;
(o) Natural hazards
- impact of earthquake, hurricane, fire or flood related to site
design;
(p) Pedestrian and
vehicular circulation;
(q) Planting
design;
(r) Resource conservation
and management;
(s) Roadway design
principles;
(t) Site accessibility,
including Americans with Disabilities Act standards for accessible site
design;
(u) Site and soils
analysis;
(v) Site design and
engineering, including materials, methods, technologies and
applications;
(w) Site security and
safety;
(x) Storm water management,
surface and subsoil drainage;
(y)
Structural systems considerations;
(z) Surveying methods and techniques as they
affect landscape architecture;
(aa)
Sustainable design, including techniques related to energy
efficiency;
(bb) Use of site
materials and methods of site construction;
(cc) Vegetative management;
(dd) Wetlands;
(ee) Zoning as it relates to the improvement
and/or protection of the public health, safety and welfare of the
public;
(2) The
following topics are not considered health, safety and welfare topics:
(a) Accounting/financial planning;
(b) Basic autoCAD;
(c) Expanding a design professional's
business;
(d) General office
management;
(e)
Insurance;
(f) Laws related to
arbitration, mediation, liens, real estate, real estate development;
(g) Limiting the design professional's
liability;
(h) Marketing and public
relations;
(i) Personal
development;
(j) Project management
related to profitability and maximizing fees;
(k) Risk management;
(l) Succession planning.
(E) Methods for fulfilling
continuing education requirements.
A landscape architect may earn the required contact hours by
any of the following methods, except that credit shall be awarded only once in
a renewal period for the same program with the same content:
(1) Attending a graduate or undergraduate
level course at an accredited institution of higher learning where academic
credit is granted and the content meets the requirements set forth in paragraph
(D) of this rule. Credit: twelve continuing education credits for each one hour
of academic credit received.
(2)
Attending a course, program, seminar, conference, workshop or similar event
where it is presented, sponsored, or approved by: an accredited institution of
higher learning, a professional organization, and has been qualified/certified
as defined in this rule. Credit: one hour of continuing education credit for
each hour of actual contact time of instruction provided.
(3) Teaching, on a part-time basis, a
graduate or undergraduate course in landscape architecture in a landscape
architecture program which is part of an accredited institution of higher
learning. Credit: twelve hours of continuing education credit for each one hour
of academic credit provided by the course, except that the maximum credit may
not exceed more than fifty per cent of the required continuing education credit
of the renewal period.
(4)
(5)(4)
Authoring relevant published papers, articles, or books. Credit: one hour per
paper, article or book.
(6)(5) Receiving a patent
award. Credit: one hour per patent award.
(7)(6) Actively
participating in professional or technical societies serving the landscape
architecture profession. Not eligible for health, safety and welfare credit.
Credit: one hour per renewal period.
(F) Records to be maintained by the landscape
architect.
Each landscape architect shall, in addition to information
submitted to the board, maintain written records acceptable to the board of all
continuing education courses or programs undertaken.
Records shall be made available at any time to the board upon
written request for review and audit.
Records shall be maintained for six years.
Records may be requested at any time in connection with an
investigation or enforcement proceeding.
Failure to provide the requested information in the time frame
established by the board shall constitute cause for disciplinary action by the
board and may be cause for fines, reprimand, suspension revocation or denial of
the application for renewal of the landscape architect's registration.
Appropriate records shall consist of the following:
(1) Certificate of attendance or completion;
(2)
(3)(2)
Transcripts/records of credits maintained by providers who may qualify/certify
such credits and activities.
(4)(3) Other documentation
acceptable to the board and which verifies the content, date, and duration in
hours of the course or event.
(G) Audit.
Upon request, each landscape architect shall provide proof of
satisfying the continuing education requirement. Failure to provide the
requested information in the time frame established by the board shall
constitute cause for fines, reprimand, suspension, revocation or denial of the
application for renewal of the landscape architect's registration.
(H) Disallowance.
If the board disallows one or more continuing education
activities claimed, the landscape architect has up to sixty days after the
notification to substantiate the original claim or to complete other continuing
education activities sufficient to meet the minimum requirements.
(I) Landscape architect shall
attest to compliance.
Every landscape architect shall attest, in the manner
prescribed by the board, to the landscape architect's meeting of the
requirements as described herein. Said attestation shall accompany the renewal
application.
(J)
Falsification.
Any landscape architect falsifying the records of the landscape
architect's continuing education activities shall be subject to disciplinary
action by the board.
(K)
Appeal.
A landscape architect shall have the right to appeal any
refusal by the board to accept continuing educational activities for credit
under these requirements. This appeal shall be
conducted in accordance with Chapter 119 of the Revised Code, and shall
include the presentation of evidence supporting the landscape architect's
contention that the activity meets the requirements of this rule.
(L) Requirements for lapsed and
reinstating applicants.
A landscape architect whose license has lapsed, and who desires
to reinstate that license, must submit, with the reinstatement application,
proof of completion of twenty-four hours of continuing education within the
twenty-four months prior to the date the application is received.