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STEW/stew NMBM Infrastructure Guidelines for Nature Reserves and Open Spaces – 280607 June 2007

INFRASTRUCTURE GUIDELINES:

NATURE AREAS AND NATURAL OPEN SPACES OF NELSON MANDELA BAY

FINAL DRAFT JUNE 2007



Introduction The primary purpose of these guidel ines is to direct the development of infrastructure within the nature reserves and undeveloped publ ic open spaces of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipal i ty in order to maintain the visual, aesthet ic, cultural and biodivers ity features and values of these areas. The ult imate object ive being to maintain the current qual i ty and divers ity of these s ites, yet s imultaneously improve the ut i l isat ion thereof, for the benef it of present and future generat ions.

The detai led object ives of these guidel ines are:

• To specify pr inciples and appropriate approaches to the planning of infrastructure in these areas;

• To specify design cr i ter ia for appropr iate infrastructure that promote structures that are sympathet ic to the surrounding environment;

• To ident i fy and recommend best-pract ise “green” technology and construct ion methods; and

• To specify standardised templates for a l l s ignage within these areas.

The guidel ines have been written with a cradle to grave approach in mind, which has shaped the structure of the document, which begins at the infancy of the planning and design stage of infrastructure and cont inues through to maintenance elements. However, the guidel ines should be read as a col lect ive whole, rather than as separate sect ions. This divis ion into the var ious headings and sub-headings is effected as a means to easy referencing:

1. Architectural design;

2. Alterat ions and addit ions to exist ing bui ld ings;

3. Landscaping;

4. Infrastructure;

5. Contractor ’s regulat ions and qual i ty control

6. Maintenance guidel ines;

7. Green pract ices; and

8. Signage.

The pr imary purpose of establ ishing infrastructure in nature reserves and open spaces is three-fo ld:

• To faci l i tate awareness and education regarding the value (biological, economic, recreat ional, spir i tual, and aesthet ic) of the natural and cultural environment within which the area is located;

• To increase revenue generated from these areas in order to faci l i tate their appropr iate long-term management of the area; and



• To provide tert iary social services to the cit izens of, and vis i tors to, the areas (e.g. recreat ion, sport ing, cultural etc.).

However, the document has not been drafted to provide a framework for the overal l management of the Nelson Mandela Bay Munic ipal i ty ’s nature areas for biodivers ity conservat ion and eco-tour ism purposes, but rather to guide the planning and development of appropr iate infrastructure in nature reserve and open spaces in a focussed and c lear ly speci f ied manner. Consequent ly, this document should be viewed as the f irst of a suite of tools that a im to faci l i tate the sustainable management and use of the Nelson Mandela Bay Munic ipal i ty ’s nature reserves and green open spaces. Addit ional tools wi l l therefore need to be developed in the future to address issues such as vis i tor and infrastructure carrying capacity, revenue streams, and the faci l i tat ion of park use and custodianship.

Infrastructure Planning and Design Philosophy

Creat ing guidel ines for a nature reserve deals with the quest ion of order or disorder at the most basic and essent ia l level. Despite the seemingly vast and wi ld nature of the natural environment, i t never gives the impress ion of chaos. This order in nature is immeasurable because of the var iety of shapes, forms, patterns and movements that exist within i t .

By creat ing “place” and “space” through the design and construct ion of bui ldings and infrastructure, humans attempt to generate an understandable order within the vastness of nature. In this manner, the order that wi l l apply to the creat ion of bui ld ings in nature reserves wi l l be an order of geometry and s impl ic ity.

Through structure, repet i t ion and al ignment, as wel l as the use of sel f-s imi lar e lements and methods of construct ion, an order and sense of regulari ty is created within a series of bui ld ing. From this fo l lows the necess ity to restr ict the scale, height, materia ls and f in ishes used on these bui ld ings and structures in order to create a specif ic character that is v isual ly pleasing, coherent and recognizable.



Use vegetation to improve climatic extremes

1. Architectural design guidelines 1.1. The Site Site analysis

• A detai led analysis of the si te must be done indicat ing relat ion to other bui ld ings, or ientat ion, exist ing vegetat ion, contours, s lopes, access, views etc.;

• The s ite analys is must be submitted with sketch plans and working drawings to re levant authori t ies.

General practices

• Where possible, bui ld on a part of the s ite that has previously been affected or disturbed;

• Orientate bui ldings in reference to the natural environment and reference to the sun (refer to solar manipulat ion);

• Place bui ld ings to fo l low contour

l ines ( land formation);

• Design reta ining wal ls, storm water and other e lements to minimize possible soi l erosion around the bui lding;

• Use vegetat ion to improve c l imat ic

extremes.

Align buildings with contours



Use stone walls

Building / development platform • The bui ld ing platform entai ls the placement

of bui ld ing – how the bui ld ing “s i ts” on s ite;

• A two dimensional platform wi l l contain the maximum space that a new bui lding or bui ldings wi l l take up;

• Where possible, bui ldings must be placed on the parts of land which are in the worst

condit ion (needs repair);

• Al l new designs must preferably make use of stone wal ls, i f i t is not possible, use at least a stone pl inth;

• Histor ical precedents must guide the design

of new bui ld ings: main bui ldings must be sol id, decks and attachments can be treated di f ferent ly.

Building envelope - scale

• After calculat ing the space of the new bui ld ings and the impact on the environment, the bui lding platform must be developed to a three dimensional space that must inc lude the posit ioning of the bui ld ings in relat ion to the contours, the reta ining wal ls or any other measures needed to minimize the impact of storm water;

• The bui lding envelope must also indicate what measures have

been taken to reduce the scale of the bui ld ing in the landscape by drawing sect ions through the s ite (e.g. stepping of bui ld ing down contours);

• A height restr ict ion of 4.5m taken from the highest point of

the exterior wal l of the proposed bui lding on the s i te to the top of a parapet or highest point of a f lat roof or 4.5m to the middle point of a pitched roof.

Plastered brickwork wall with stone plinth



Long narrow buildings preferred to bulky or circular buildings

Organic forms allowed

Break building up into smaller parts

Building form

• Break bui lding up in smal ler parts to minimize visual impact;

• Maximum width of a block to be 7.6m, in specia l cases bui ld ings l ike conference centres may be wider, but preference must be given to longer narrow bui ld ings above rectangular bui ld ings;

• Try to avoid square or round spaces

and bulky bui ldings;

• Organic forms are not excluded, but c ircular bui ld ings must be avoided;

• When a bui ld ing is broken up into

blocks, the blocks must be roofed individual ly, with lower roofs over connect ing structures;

• Al l forms must be direct ly attached

to the ground – no st i l ts permitted with the except ion of external decks and viewing structures (e.g. bird sanctuar ies), where environment requires i t (waterholes, forest areas, marshlands, pedestr ian walkways etc.).

1.2. Architecture General

• Design proposals must show an understanding and sensit iv ity towards the natural environment;

• Use combinat ions of natural and environmental fr iendly mater ia ls l ike t imber, natural stone and plaster work painted in natural colours. Avoid facebrick and textured plaster f in ishes;

• Avoid use of foreign architecture l ike Swiss chalet-type architecture,

Tuscan-type architecture, and A-frames etc. Other types of architecture that are excluded are the Cape Dutch sty le, Victor ian bui ldings with decorat ions and plastered bui ld ings with decorated gable ends;

• Al l construct ion and bui lding methods to comply with Nat ional

Bui ld ing Regulat ions (NBR).



Maximum angles and overhangs

Maximum angles for thatch roofs

Roofs • Roof angles

o Flat corrugated iron roofs must be concealed behind parapet wal ls;

o Concrete s labs can be exposed but must have an upstand beam where exposed to conceal waterproofing;

o Slabs to have brown stone-chip

covering minimum 5cm thick to conceal waterproof ing;

o Pitched roofs to have maximum

pitch of 30º;

o Thatch roofs may have a pitch of 45º;

o Hipped ends preferred to gables;

o Perimeter eaves/overhangs to

project minimum 500mm and maximum of 750mm if thatch is used.

• Roof mater ia ls o Thatching; o Painted or powder coated

corrugated iron sheet ing in charcoal, black and grey colours;

o No blue, green or red roofs a l lowed;

o No ref lect ive colours permitted; o No f ibre-cement sheeting; o No t i led roofs.

• Fascias, bargeboards etc. o Avoid fascias and bargeboards,

but i f used, match the colour of roof mater ia l

• Gutters and down pipes o Aluminium or galvanized gutters

and downpipes in colours to match roof colour;

o PVC gutters and downpipes.

Conceal flat roofs behind parapets

Upstand beams to flat roofs



Retaining walls in 1m increments with max 2m height

Use low walls as seating

Use low walls to create positive spaces around buildings

Walls • External bui ld ing wal ls

o Natural stone preferred (no stone c ladding);

o No “Smartstone” products a l lowed;

o No fabr icated stone, or chipped and stained plaster al lowed;

o Plastered smooth and painted with earthy colours;

o When wal ls are plastered they must have pl inths of natural stone;

o Maximum 4m wal l height permitted in a s ingular vert ical plane – i f h igher, add natural stone base to break up vert ical i ty;

o No facebr ick or pre-fabricated concrete wal ls al lowed;

o Exposed concrete work a l lowed in l imited areas.

• Dividing wal ls (e.g. boundary-type wal ls)

o Preferably of natural stone; o Plaster and paint in a earthy

colour is acceptable – to match bui ldings and structures c lose by;

o No face-br ick or pre-fabricated wal ls.

• Retaining wal ls – try to avoid where ever possible

o Step retaining wal ls in 1m increments;

o Maximum height to be 2m; o Materials: stone gabions, natural

stone, plaster and paint to match nearby structures;

o No terraforce al lowed.

• Low wal ls o Where possible, use low si t t ing-

wal ls as boundary markers and as part of the landscaping design around bui ld ings, and integrate them with the design of the new bui lding;

o Use the s it t ing wal ls to create posit ive outdoor spaces that has a view or look onto act iv i ty;

o Add these wal ls in a sensit ive way around exist ing bui ldings;



Plaster surrounds allowed

o Indigenous trees to be planted in c lose proximity to these wal ls to create shaded seat ing areas.

• Colours o Where not indicated specif ica l ly, earthy textured colours are

preferred; o No br ight or ref lect ive colours al lowed.

Chimneys

• Black metal pipe with cowl; • May be of stone i f bui ld ing has other stone elements; • Comply with Nat ional Bui ld ing Regulat ions (NBR); • Height may exceed bui ld ing envelope restr ict ion; • Plastered chimneys al lowed as sculptural elements - paint in earthy

colours. External floors and patios

• Timber deck or t imber plast ics; • Earth coloured t i les; • Natural stone (e.g. s late); • Simple concrete f in ishes: no texturing or patterned concrete f inishes.

Inlays of stone, t i les or natural materials accepted.

Doors and Windows • Natural t imber frames; • Aluminium frames in charcoal

a l lowed; • uPVC windows al lowed in darker

colours (no greens, white etc); • No imitated t imber frames al lowed; • Plaster surrounds al lowed around

windows and doors – painted in earthy colours;

• Al low generous opening sect ions for windows and cross vent i lat ion as far as poss ible;

• No square windows al lowed; • If possible, create windows with a

v iew of natural e lements; • Use vert ical ly proport ioned

openings. Pergolas and Carports

• Natural t imber structures preferred; • If steel structures are used, paint to match roof colours; • If masonry columns used – plaster and paint in colours above; • Natural stone columns al lowed; • Use roof ing materials as above; • Where possible, use vegetat ion as shading rather than structures or

metal sheet ing.



Use horizontal and vertical combinations – avoid diagonal lines

Patios and decks • Pat ios and decks can maximize space and help with the c l imate

control of bui ldings. Outdoor spaces must be treated as part of the architectural scheme and create a continuity of the outdoors to the indoor spaces;

• Timber plast ic preferred ( low maintenance), but natural t imber is a lso al lowed.

Balustrades

• Natural t imber structures preferred or t imber plast ics; • If exist ing steel balustrading, paint to match bui ld ing (dark colours); • No pre-cast moulded concrete columns or columns with histor ical

references permitted; • Glass panels

permitted; • No decorat ive

elements permitted; • Use hor izontal l ines

in combinat ion with vert ical posts;

• Avoid diamond and z igzag and other patterns.

Terraces and paving

• Materials o Natural stone; o Clay brick pavers (red, brown, grey); o No concrete brick pavers; o Cobbles (colours in charcoal and grey colours); o Crushed stone; o Moderate use of concrete s labs al lowed; o Concrete blocks that a l lows grass to grow through (not on

south s ide of bui ld ings and permanent ly shaded areas).

• Colours o Natural earthy colours in darker shades

• Driveways o Concrete pavers with grass al lowed; o Asphalt surfaces to be avoided; o Cobbles and clay pavers in darker colours.



Ponds to be sunk into ground or have stone surround

Conceal satellite dishes behind parapets

Ponds and swimming pools • Finish in dark or

earthy colours; • Must be ful ly

sunk into natural ground, or have natural stone surround i f above surface;

• Pumps to be hidden appropr iately;

• When fencing required, fo l low balustrade guidel ines – natural t imber and t imber plast ics preferred.

Miscellaneous items

• TV aer ia ls and satel l i te dishes to be concealed in roofs or behind parapet wal ls;

• Plumbing to be concealed in ducts; • Solar panels to be al igned with north

fac ing roof s lopes or on angles i f concealed by parapet wal ls;

• No decorat ive items such as mouldings,

f in ia ls etc. permitted. 1.3. Scale and Visibility of buildings

• Fol low guidel ines regarding bui lding envelope (Sect ion 1.1);

• Focus on horizontal ly proport ioned bui ldings rather than vert ical scale (no double storeys);

• Break large bui ldings into smal ler e lements and roof indiv idual ly;

• Avoid large areas of roof cover ing; • Vert ical structures l ike water towers,

antennas etc. should Be hidden behind vegetat ion or exist ing structures;

• Connect smal l outbui ld ings ( l ike generator rooms) to larger bui ld ings or hide behind vegetat ion or t imber screens.

Conceal solar panels if not aligned with roof slope



Group and link buildings to create positive spaces

Create entrances from communal public areas and orientate buildings north

Steps allowed for wheelchair access when ramp is also available

Roof buildings individually

1.4. Placement of buildings General

• Group bui ld ings together; • Create posit ive communal

spaces between bui ldings; • Place group of bui ldings as

c lose to the main entrance as possible;

• Where appropr iate, l ink bui ldings as descr ibed in guidel ines.

Function

• Funct ions must be relevant to each specif ic nature reserve;

• General funct ions can include a guard house, ablut ions, informat ion centre, off ices re lated to the park, store rooms and viewing structures;

• Vis itor re lated funct ions that can be appropr iate inc lude a tea garden, conference centre and an interpretat ion centre (exhibit ion space).

Orientation

• Orientate bui ldings North as far as possible;

• Entrances into bui ld ings to be from a communal publ ic area and as far as poss ible.

1.5. Accessibility for disabled Parking

• Leave minimum one parking bay for disabled persons c lose to faci l i t ies.

Stairs and steps

• Stairs only a l lowed when ramp is also provided;

• Maximum 3 steps al lowed into bui lding with 1050mm landing between each step, maximum height of step = 150mm.



Raised walkways in sensitive areas can also be used as wheelchair routes

Dimensions for passages

Ramp dimensions and angles

Ramps • No ramps

to be steeper than 1:8;

• 6m maximum length of ramp between landings;

• Provide non-sl ip str ips on ramps;

• Provide handrai ls a long ramps; • Ramps to be minimum 1,2m wide.

Passages

• Passages to be minimum 1,2m wide;

• Al low minimum 1,3m where a wheelchair user must make a 90 deg turn off passage.

Toilets • Provide one wheel-chair

fr iendly toi let per toi let block for disabled people;

• Design must accommodate a 1,6m turning c irc le in toi let cubic le;

• Door of toi let to open outwards; • Provide grab-rai ls as per

regulat ions. Wheelchair friendly route

• Al low for at least one route per nature reserve that is wheelchair fr iendly (minimum 1600mm wide).

1.6. Safety and security Guards/Rangers

• Guards and rangers patrol l ing the park preferred to secur ity at entrances

Lighting • Provide l ight ing at entrances of nature reserves;; • Provide f i t t ings that direct l ight down along paths connect ing parking

areas and bui ldings.



Use combination of materials in contemporary furniture designs

Use low fences instead of galvanized steel palisades

Admission

• Develop a f i l ter-system where cars are only al lowed in demarcated parking areas with main recreat ional areas c lose by, and only hik ing routes and mountain bike routes further into the reserve;

• Create access gates to maintenance routes used by staff; • Signage must be c lear regarding the opening t imes of the nature

reserve and the rules and regulat ions.

1.7. Furniture

Low walls planters • Al l low wal ls and

planters to be of natural stone or plastered br ick in dark natural colours – wal ls to be designed to be used as s it t ing wal ls as far as possible.

Benches and seats and picnic tables • Use combinat ions of natural mater ia ls and

concrete to create contemporary furniture Light fittings

• Use l imited designs and l ight ing types to create coherence between elements;

• Light to be directed downwards as far as possible (no direct l ight);

• Limited use of upward directed l ight al lowed - directed upwards in trees or next to structures of importance for specia l night t ime events;

• Use contemporary l ight f i t t ings; • Avoid globe-shaped luminaires that shine l ight

in a l l d irect ions. Fences

• Use low planted hedges, low stone wal ls and low t imber or t imber plast ic fences;

• Avoid galvanized steel pal isades. Rubbish bins

• Use concrete and stone combinat ion rubbish bins in contemporary designs

Tree guards

• Use tree guards to protect new trees

Use contemporary light fittings that direct light downwards



Concept design of a pavilion based upon the guidelines, which could serve as a multi-purpose facility, including an interpretive centre

A close-up view of the pavilion



An aerial view of the pavilion

A side view of the pavilion



An oblique view of the pavilion

A rear view of the pavilion



2. Alterations and additions to existing buildings Use the architectural guidel ines in a creat ive way to make contemporary addit ions and/or a lterat ions to exist ing bui ldings (paint colours, roof ing mater ia l etc.). Refer specif ical ly to sect ion 1.2 Architecture, and sect ion 1.5 Disabled people when renovat ing or upgrading exist ing bui ld ings.

3. Landscaping guidelines

Landscape character • Preserve as much of the unique qual i t ies of the exist ing landscape as

possible; • Maintain as much of the indigenous vegetat ion as possible; • Do not al low plant ing of a l ien species; • Rehabi l i tate and restore disturbed vegetat ion around new bui ldings

and structures. Conditions

• A landscape plan at a minimum scale of 1: 100, for rehabi l i tat ion and landscaping of each bui ld ing or structure, must accompany al l architectural drawings;

• The landscape plan must indicate al l grading, retaining, terracing etc. i f such is required by the design;

• Al l p lants, species, spacing and approximate s izes of such must be indicated and an inventory of species (only indigenous al lowed) to be used must accompany the landscape plan;

• Al l storm water handl ing, pipel ines, paving, storage and refuse areas, pergola ’s, screening, water features, fences, s i tt ing wal ls, and other structural e lements must be indicated on the landscape plan.

Restrictions

• May vary between projects, but a general landscaping intervent ion of a maximum of a 5m radius from the bui ld ing would apply;

• No declared invasive a l ien plants, inc luding trees, shrubs and grasses wi l l be permitted;

• No temporary storage structures l ike “wendy-houses” permitted; • Clear al l invasive al ien vegetat ion from landscaping area.

Hard landscaping

• Hard landscaping i .e. br ick paving, t i l ing etc. around new structures must be kept to a minimum;

• Soften elements l ike retaining wal ls by us ing them as planters. Plant species

• Rehabi l i tate as much of the indigenous plant mater ia l as poss ible and propagate use of or iginal indigenous plant mater ia l as far as possible;



• Department of Water Affa irs and Forestry ’s Waterwise Gardening Programmes should be supported as far as poss ible when plant ing indigenous plants.

4. Infrastructure guidelines

Roads • Asphalt roads only on main vehicular routes; • Paved roads preferred; • Make provis ion for storm water and prevent soi l eros ion along roads

as far as poss ible; • Service roads to have paved entrances, which must be gated, and

steps must be taken to prevent soi l erosion. Walkways and hiking and mountain bike trails

• Entrances of hik ing tra i ls and mountain bike trai ls should be treated in a permanent mater ia l e.g. paved or ra ised t imber walkways or t imber-plast ic walkways for about 10m into the trai l ;

• Signage is important at entrances of park, p icnic areas, walkways etc. and must display information regarding t imes that nature reserve is open, distance of hikes and maps of trai ls;

• Take measures to prevent soi l eros ion along paths and walkways; • Use ra ised boardwalks in areas where vegetat ion is sensit ive.

Parking

• Where possible, break up parking in smal ler lots or have parking on the verge of the road, instead of large parking lots;

• Paving and concrete pavers with grass preferred; • Plant trees indigenous to speci f ic nature reserve in parking areas to

minimize radiat ion.

5. Construction

The construct ion guidel ines seek to l imit the impact of the construct ion phase on the natural environment, v is it ing tour ists and neighbours to the nature areas. The pr imary impacts that need to be mit igated against are as fol lows: • Ecological; • Aesthet ic; • Erosion; and • Nuisance (e.g. dust and noise).

Impacts

• Construct ion impacts should not exceed any levels deemed as causing an unacceptable level of:

o Disturbance or degradat ion to important habitats and/or species as to be determined by a suitably qual i f ied Environmental Assessment Pract i t ioner(EAP); and

o Nuisance to v is it ing tour ists, neighbouring occupants of land, or important res ident faunal species.



Environmental Procedures • As required by the Nat ional environmental Management Act (NEMA)

Environmental Impact Assessment Regulat ions (2006), an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) must be f inal ised and approved pr ior to the commencement of any s i te c lear ing or infrastructure development within a protected area;

• An Environmental Management Plan (EMP) must be developed for the construct ion and maintenance of al l proposed infrastructure pr ior to commencement;

• An environmental control off icer must be appointed to faci l i tate and oversee adherence to the EMP with regard to on- and off-s ite act iv i t ies (“cradle to grave” principle);

• An independent and appropriately qual i f ied and exper ienced environmental auditor must be appointed to undertake periodic (e.g. monthly) inspect ions to ver i fy whether the EMP and other legal condit ions associated with the development are being adhered to;

• Al l construct ion staff (e.g. contractors) must undergo tra ining with regard to the EMP specif icat ions pr ior to the in i t iat ion of construct ion.

Construction Methods Excavation, management of topsoil, vegetation and other materials

• The exact extent of the construct ion s ite and proposed areas for c learing must each be c lear ly staked out, and no construct ion vehic les or s i te c lear ing may be al lowed outs ide of these s ites;

• Removal of vegetat ion must only occur immediately prior to construct ion commencing and as per the EIA and EMP specif icat ions;

• Al l c leared vegetat ion, inc luding Species Specia l Concern (SSC) that are rescued pr ior to s ite c lear ing, must be managed according to the EIA and EMP specif icat ions;

• Excavat ion act iv it ies and c lear ing must be restr icted to areas of construct ion;

• Excavated mater ia l must be dumped in stockpi les in an area designated by the ECO;

• Disturbed soi ls around construct ion areas must be suff ic ient ly compacted and planted with removed indigenous plant mater ia l to reduce the eros ion potent ia l;

• Excess excavated mater ia l must not be al lowed to accumulate on any s ite re lated to the development;

• Al l topsoi l removed must be stockpi led in demarcated areas and watered dai ly (depending on the length of t ime between removal and replacement of topsoi l) in order to prevent drying and wind erosion;

• Topsoi l must be placed such that i t wi l l not be washed away by storm water or rainfa l l or blown away by wind; and

• Topsoi l shal l be replaced immediately after construct ion has been completed and should be anchored us ing grass and small shrubs that are indigenous to the immediately surrounding area (as determined by a suitably qual i f ied and experienced botanist;

• The ECO must designate an area where concrete batching is to take place;



• Concrete and cement batching must not be permitted outs ide this designated area;

• Cement mixers must be placed on trays and no cement mixing wi l l take place on the soi l surface or permeable surfaces; and

• Cement bags must be disposed of as waste at a l icensed waste disposal fac i l i ty.

Labour and Equipment

• Emphasis must be placed on maximising the ut i l isat ion of labour and small equipment;

• Large construct ion vehic les/equipment (e.g. plant) must only be used where absolutely necessary

• Vehicular and pedestr ian access for construct ion workers must be restr icted to the construct ion s i te and other appropr iate parts of the protected areas alone, as determined by the ECO, so as to avoid interfer ing with the exper ience of v is it ing tour ists in the protected area;

• Noise levels shal l be l imited to less than 70 dB(A) at the immediate boundary of the construct ion site;

• Construct ion shal l only occur between the hours of 8:00 am and 5:00 pm, from Monday to Fr iday and 8:00 am and 13:00 pm on Saturdays (but may be further restr ict depending on the vis i tor-usage of the protected area). NO work on Sundays;

• The use of radios, televis ion sets and other such equipment by workers shal l be control led and noise levels kept to a level that is deemed by the ECO to not const i tute a disturbance to neighbouring res idents, res ident fauna and vis it ing tour ists;

• The use of jackhammers and compressors must be l imited as far as pract ica l ly possible;

Health and Safety

• A complaints record must be kept to record any complaints lodged due to noise or other forms of disturbance or nuisance;

• Suitable measures must be taken to control dust ar is ing from stockpi les, bare surfaces and transportat ion of mater ia ls;

• Potent ia l dust control measures, including the cover ing of stockpi les, dampening of surfaces on windy days and the use of straw, must be implemented; and

• Vehic le speeds are to be l imited to 40km/hr. • It must be the contractor ’s responsibi l i ty to implement a health and

safety plan to the sat isfact ion of the author it ies; • Pedestr ian access to al l construct ion s ites must be restr icted; and • The proper health and safety regulat ions must be appl ied to al l

subcontractors and staff.

Waste and Pollution Management • Al l waste mater ia ls must be removed from the site on a regular basis

(dai ly for organic and weekly for inorganic mater ia ls) and disposed of at an appropriate registered waste s i te;



• Animal proof portable bins must be used for the storage of sol id waste; and

• Hazardous waste (e.g. used oi ls) shal l be separated from general wastes, stored separately in appropr iate containers and disposed of at a l icensed hazardous waste disposal faci l i ty or cert i f ied recycl ing faci l i ty;

• Excess excavated mater ia l shal l not be al lowed to accumulate on s ite; • Al l construct ion waste shal l be disposed off at a registered waste

disposal s ite; and • No routine maintenance of earth moving equipment and vehic les shal l

occur on s ite.

Fire Management • No f i res are permitted on s ite; • Smoking shal l not be permitted in those areas that pose a f ire hazard.

Such areas inc lude areas where vegetat ion is such that a f i re may spread rapidly e.g. vegetat ion stockpi les and fynbos;

• A f i re off icer shal l be appointed by the contractor who shal l be responsible for co-ordinat ing rapid, appropriate responses in the event of a f i re;

• Suff ic ient f i re-f ight ing equipment shal l be maintained on s i te at a l l t imes;

Environmental Damage

• No wi ldl i fe may be removed from the s ite or surrounding areas unless approved by the ECO in conjunct ion with the appropr iate permits obtainable from the Eastern Cape Departments of Economic Development and Environmental Affa irs (DEDEA) and/or Water affairs and Forestry (DWAF);

• No hunt ing, k i l l ing, capturing or snar ing of wi ld l i fe may occur on the s ite or the surroundings, the contractor shal l assume responsibi l i ty in this regard for a l l h is employees and sub-contractors.

• The construct ion f i rm or any other responsible party should be held l iable for any non-conformances as specif ied in the EIA or EMP; and

• Any environmental damage caused during the construct ion phase should be rect i f ied by such party via rehabi l i tat ion or restorat ion measures as recommended by a suitably qual i f ied EAP.



6. Contractor’s regulations and quality control General principles

• The Protected Area Manager, Investor (pr ivate partner), Architect, Contractor, and ECO are al l responsible for qual i ty control;

• Only adequately tested and SABS approved mater ia ls, technology, and construct ion methods may be used;

• Only architectural plans that ful ly comply with these Guidel ines may be approved;

• Al l construct ion must comply with the above guidel ines; • The f inal result of the development and operat ion of infrastructure

with the nature areas must be such that the qual ity of the natural environment (water, habitats, a ir etc.) is not s ignif icant ly negat ively affected in any way;

• Regular and systematic inspect ions of a l l infrastructure must be undertaken to ensure that i t remains in an optimal aesthet ic and working state; and

• An ISO 14001 Environmental Management System (EMS) must be establ ished for a l l nature reserves, with part icular emphasis on infrastructure and tour ism amenit ies.

Construction signs

• Bui lders board must be erected on commencement of work and indicate bui lders name, te lephone number, and i f desired, the architects name and engineer;

• No advert is ing boards al lowed (e.g. plumber / e lectr ic ian etc). Storing of construction material

• If stor ing faci l i t ies are required, the bui lders shed must be placed where interference on the s ite have occurred before;

• The shed must be neat and no to as l i t t le damage to the natural environment as possible;

• No mater ia l to be placed on the roads; • Stack al l construct ion mater ia l neat ly on the s ite.

Erosion control and protection of fauna and flora

• No person may ki l l , injure or catch any wi ld creatures including birds, mammals and rept i les;

• No person shal l cut, pick or destroy any natural vegetat ion. Excavations and excavated material

• Any excavat ion exceeding 1m in depth from natural ground level, must receive immediate pr ior i ty in terms of cast ing to ensure the stabi l i ty of such excavat ion;

• Cast other excavat ions as soon as poss ible after trenches has been dug to prevent erosion;

• Use sandbagging and retaining systems to prevent unnecessary erosion and subsidence.

Major concrete works

• Concrete trucks may not c lean their trucks in the park; • Clean up any concrete spi l lage and areas where concrete was mixed

immediately.



Work hours • As determined by specif ic park pr ior to construct ion.

Delivery/construction vehicles and speed limits

• No horse and trai ler, long trucks or heavy duty transport (distance between wheel axes exceeding 6m) al lowed;

• Roof trusses or re inforc ing needing transportat ion as per truck above must have permiss ion pr ior to entry;

• No trucks transport ing sand, stone aggregate or ready mix concrete in excess of 6 cubic meters al lowed;

• Al l vehicular access must be handled in such a way that minimum damage is caused to the area surrounding the bui ld ing s i te and fauna and f lora;

• Al l speed l imits of the park to be adhered to at a l l t imes; • Parked construct ion vehic les may not obstruct roads or cause damage

to the natural vegetat ion. Behaviour

• Al l construct ion workers to behave in a work- l ike manner; • Behaviour must not disturb vis i tors to the park or any other

act ivi t ies; • It is the responsibi l i ty of the contractor or his managers to control

behaviour and noise generated by construct ion workers and ban disrupt ive or disrespectful workers from the park.

Fires

• No Fires whatsoever a l lowed on bui ld ing s ite or around the si te; • A f i re hydrant must be kept on the s ite.

Litter control

• A waste bin must be provided on site on commencement of construct ion;

• Litter must be picked up at the end of each working day and placed in the bin;

• Any l i t ter spread outs ide the s ite to be picked up regular ly; • A 2m high shade c loth fence must be instal led along the per imeter of

the s i te to prevent windblown l i t ter – instal l the fence as c lose to the new structure as possible and prevent damage to the natural environment as far as poss ible. A s ingle, maximum 4m wide entrance wi l l be permitted (c lose entrance with 2m high shade cloth at the end of each day;

• Clear s ite of a l l l i t ter and bui ld ing scraps part icular ly on Fr iday afternoons;

• Place l i t terbins or screened refuse col lect ion area within fenced area; • Al l l i t ter and bui ld ing refuse created by the construct ion to be

removed from the park at the contractors expense; • No burning of l i t ter or rubbish permitted on s ite.

Security, Access and damage

• No workers wi l l be permitted to enter or leave on foot; • Bui lders and contractors must br ing and fetch workers each day; • Workers must be col lected and dropped at the construct ion s ite;



• No workers would be al lowed to walk around the park dur ing working hours of construct ion per iod;

• Any damage to kerbsides or roads must be f ixed on the cost of the contractor;

• If generators are used, i t is the responsibi l i ty of the contractor to c lean up any damage caused by oi l leakage or other damage and reinstate the natural environment;

• The contractor must ensure ant a l l sub-contractors, and employees engaged in this contract are aware and abide by the rules as stated here.

Toilet facil ities

• A chemical to i let must be provided on si te and kept in working order for the durat ion of the construct ion per iod and only be removed after f inal c lean up;

• Use of f lush to i lets not a l lowed due to construct ion mater ia ls being f lushed and result ing in ser ious blockages;

• Workers must ut i l ise chemical to i let provided on s ite.

Final Clean up • When the construct ion work is concluded, the contractor shal l restore

a l l pavements, roadways, verges, ditches, drainage channels or other street furniture to their or ig inal condit ion;

• The ent ire construct ion s i te must be c leared of a l l construct ion debr is and refuse and al l temporary fencing, toi lets, s ite off ices, storage faci l i t ies etc.;

• Al l the works and the s ite must be inspected by the project manager. Insurance

• The contractor must take out at i ts own expense publ ic l iabi l i ty assurance of any c la im for damages ar is ing from the acts or omiss ion of i t or i ts employees or agents;

• The contractor must indemnify the NMBM of any c la ims for damages ar is ing from the construct ion by taking out such a contract.

Supervision

• The contractor, a supervisor or foreman must be appointed to control the s ite and deal with any problems that might ar ise concerning al l of the above.



7. Maintenance guidelines Regular maintenance is essential and can prevent higher repair costs at a later stage:

• Keep out damp and let a ir in; • Regular and systematic inspect ions; • Taking of immediate steps when defects are not iced.

Roofs

• Make sure that the exist ing roof structure is sound and watert ight; • When replacing roofs, use suggested roof ing mater ials as per

guidel ines; • Protect roofs against corros ion by suitable preparat ion, pr iming if

necessary, pre-coat ing and paint ing in approved colours; • Repaint every 6 to ten years and fol low manufacturer ’s instruct ions

careful ly; • Do not leave corrugated iron unpainted.

Walls

• Invest igate and treat structural problems l ike cracking immediately; • Repair cracks in plaster, because they can lead to retent ion of damp; • Cracks can be worsened by plant growth in soft br ickwork and mortar:

eradicate i f persists; • Ensure that ra inwater-goods from roof are watert ight to prevent water

from running on wal l surfaces for prolonged per iods: check for blocks and leakages regular ly;

• Treat r is ing damp in wal ls to prevent deter iorat ion;

Joinery

• Retain and repair windows and doors, architraves etc. wherever possible;

• Use replacements with the same proport ions, sty le and detai l ing;

• Do not replace decayed f loor boards with concrete: i t may encourage r is ing damp in wal ls;

• An appropriate f in ish is paint: external jo inery should be painted with oi l-based gloss enamel to a suitable colour.



8. Green Practices Various opt ions exist to reduce the potent ia l environmental impacts of the construct ion and operat ion of infrastructure, part icular ly within nature areas, v ia the appl icat ion of appropr iate technologies and systems dur ing the design phase and throughout the l i fespan of a development. Such options are often also more cost-effect ive in the long-term.

Electricity

• Electr ic ity should be provided via the exist ing Munic ipal e lectr ic i ty gr id or solar panels l inked to a battery system, depending on the s ite specif ic environmental impacts thereof;

• Generators are the least preferred opt ion due to noise and odour impacts;

• Energy-eff ic ient appl iances must be instal led and ut i l ised where appropriate (e.g. for l ight ing, vent i lat ion etc.)

Ventilation

• Venti lat ion should be maximised via architectural design (e.g. high cei l ings etc.);

• Fans should be ut i l ise fans where necessary; • The use of a ir condit ioners should be l imited to c ircumstances where

these are absolutely necessary. Water Management

• Al l waste must be recycled to the greatest pract ica l extent possible (a range of appropr iate waste disposal opt ions must be invest igated for each development node);

• Rain water should be col lected from hard structures (bui ld ings and roads) via a col lect ion system;

• Such col lect ion systems should incorporat ion bypass systems to accommodate storm f low condit ions (e.g. heavy f low down roads);

• Grey water should be col lected, subjected to pr imary treatment where necessary and/or possible (e.g. v ia a pond system) and re-used for landscaping purposes;

• Only “green detergents” should be permitted for a l l c leaning purposes.

Sewage Management

A wide variety of sewage management technologies are nat ional ly and internat ional avai lable. At present water-borne systems and sept ic tanks are the most predominant forms of waste water management in the Municipal i ty, but neither of these approaches are without environmental impacts. In l ight of the varying feasibi l i ty of the dif ferent opt ions avai lable due to di f ferent geohydrological character ist ics of the nature areas and the reach of the exist ing waste water infrastructure system in the Munic ipal i ty, a f ixed approach cannot be appl ied.

Consequent ly, a var iety of forms of sewage management are highl ighted below, including their strengths and weaknesses, in order to inform and faci l i tate further invest igat ion into the most appropr iate option for each area.















9. Signage

The signage guidel ines have been developed in order to maximise the effectiveness of information transfer to users of the nature areas, to ensure that all signage is aesthetically pleasing and sympathetic to the surrounding environment, and to maintain and strengthen the Nelson Mandela Bay brand. In order to achieve these objectives it is recommended that all signage within the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality’s nature areas be developed in a manner that is consistent with the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Corporate Identity Guidelines and the guidelines mentioned below.

These guidelines have been developed in a consistent manner with the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Corporate Identity Guidelines and have sought to provide additional consideration to the issues of aesthetics and information transfer with the context of natural and/or conservation areas.

Furthermore, i t is recommended that an Information Kiosk or interpretive centre be constructed at the entrance site of each nature area, which should include both a directional map of the area and various informative and interpretive signage. An Information Kiosk or Interpretive Centre would serve as a means to inform the public about the area, in addition to providing an accessible and reliable place for such information.

Colour and font

The corporate colour palette of the NMB brand is as follows:

yellow (C –15;M – 40;Y – 100;K – 0);

red (C – 20;M – 100;Y – 100;K – 25); and

blue(C – 100;M – 50;Y – 0;K – 15).).

Three different types of signage are typically found within nature areas, namely directional, informative and interpretive signage. Each of these types of signage have been assigned an appropriate colour based on the purpose of the type of signage, the NMB brand colours, and the typical location of such signage with a nature area. These categories and colours are as follows:

Directional signage

Background colour of this category is blue (C – 62; M – 25;Y – 8;K – 0). An example of this category is a map of area.

Informative signage:

Background colour of this category is yellow (C –11; M – 24;Y – 58; K - 0). An example of this category is restroom signage.

Interpretative signage

Background colour of this category is green (C –62; M – 7;Y – 53; K – 0). An example of this category is information on specific flora or fauna found in an area.

• All three divisions need to be readable, and function as a means to communicate key messages to the users of the nature areas. The colours used are a slightly softer tone than the NMB brand to ensure that the signage blends in with the environment, yet continues to promote and strengthen the NMB brand.



• The font applied throughout the signage is Century Gothic, bolded for headings, regular for normal text.

Recommended Material

• The material used for the signage must be long lasting, particularly in light of the extreme weather experienced in Nelson Mandela Bay. The recommended materials are Chromadex or Aluminium.

The front end of signage: Chromadex is the most favourable material to use, for the following reasons:

• It is easily changeable; • It is a local material, which is easily accessible; • It is zinc plated and powder coating and lasts for up to 15 years; • It is cheaper than aluminium, which is double the cost. 2mm Aluminium sheeting is a more durable material to use, but the cost of this material is very high. Both materials are supplied with an anodised aluminium frame, which cannot rust.

Vinyl on signage

• Vinyl used on both materials is Cast Vinyl, which lasts up to 7-10 years • This vinyl is specifically designed for outdoors. • Vinyl easy changeable.

Mounting of signage • Recommended mounting of signage is uni-rail mounting e.g. Back mounting of

standard traffic signs. This mounting is aesthetically pleasing, as it does not show where poles and signage are fitted together; and

• The polls used for the signage can either be wooden or galvanized. The wooden polls are recommended for aesthetic reasons.





















Queries or Comments I f you have any quer ies or comments regarding these guidel ines, please contact: Warr ick Stewart SRK Consult ing Email : [email protected] Tel: 041 5811911 or Monica Jones The Matr ix Urban Designers and Architects Email : monica@thematr ixcc.co.za Tel: 041 5821073

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