The new Fire Station is located within an existing neighborhood and is an important addition both visually and functionally to the community. The landscape design for El Cajon Fire Station 8 was coordinated in 2005 with the City of El Cajon Parks Division. Their criteria for the project was to develop a low maintenance, water conserving landscape and demonstration garden. Garbini & Garbini has created a sustainable planting design that is both simple in nature and striking in appearance.

The design relies on a limited plant palette that utilizes native, adaptive and drought tolerant species that naturally displays bold forms, clear lines and dramatic colors. The landscape design incorporates a permanent low maintenance groundcover. This groundcover consists of cobble and decomposed granite indigenous to the El Cajon area. By using cobble as mulch, less water is lost to runoff and evaporation. Innovative irrigation and drainage solutions were incorporated into the design. Downspouts from the Fire Station allow water to sheet drain from the roof into a cobble area and sheet flow over the decomposed granite reducing the need for storm drains. Relatively small areas of the site receive irrigation. The irrigation system uses a remote access controller. The controller allows the City of El Cajon Parks Department to monitor the City's irrigation systems remotely and is a great water conservation tool.

This project was designed and coordinated as part of the overall Parks Department program to reduce the requirement for water, minimize maintenance and create a visual asset in the community. This project demonstrates how a municipal building can rise above a strictly utilitarian function to inspire the community to conserve water and natural resources.

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