Asheville is the most sustainability-conscious city in the Southeast — and North Carolina just gave developers a huge incentive. State law SL 2023-137 exempts permeable surfaces from impervious calculations. That means permeable pavers literally create more buildable area on your site.
For over 25 years, Smarter Scapes LLC has been Nashville’s leading hardscaping contractor. We bring that same expertise to Asheville — mechanical permeable paver installation for commercial parking lots, plazas, fire lanes, loading docks, sidewalks, and driveways.
Call (615) 356-0139 for a free consultation or book a Discovery Call online.
NC’s 2023 law exempting permeable surfaces from impervious calculations is a game-changer. In a mountain city where buildable land is precious, permeable pavers let you build more on less.
Regulatory authority: City of Asheville Stormwater Services
NC Phase II MS4 permit. Buncombe County stormwater ordinance requires post-construction controls. The French Broad River watershed creates additional water quality mandates.
Stormwater fees: Impervious-based stormwater fee with credit program for green infrastructure
Green infrastructure: Asheville’s commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship drives green infrastructure adoption. NC state law SL 2023-137 explicitly exempts permeable surfaces from impervious surface calculations.
Blue Ridge Mountains — 38″ annual rainfall in the city, but surrounding mountains can receive 60″+. Mountain storms create rapid runoff events in steep terrain.
Our Permeable Interlocking Concrete Pavement (PICP) systems deliver infiltration rates of 400–2,400 inches per hour when newly installed — handling the heaviest rainfall events while traditional pavement floods.
Smarter Scapes specializes in mechanical PICP installation — machine-placed pavers that go down faster, more consistently, and at lower cost than hand-laid alternatives. We’re one of the only contractors in the Southeast offering true mechanical installation.
| Product | Manufacturer | Infiltration Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aqua Bric® | Belgard | 500+ in/hr | Clean modular commercial surfaces |
| Eco-CityLock® | Keystone | 500+ in/hr | Heavy vehicular — parking lots, fire lanes |
| Blu | Techo-Bloc | 570 in/hr | Modern multi-piece commercial systems |
We also install full lines from Unilock (Eco-Optiloc™, Dura-Flow™), Belgard (Eco Dublin®, Eco Cobble®), Techo-Bloc (Aquastorm at 2,395 in/hr — the highest in the industry), and Keystone (Eco-CityLock L-10 for mechanical herringbone patterns).
All products meet ASTM C936 standards — minimum 8,000 PSI compressive strength, ≤5% water absorption, 50 freeze-thaw cycles.
Permeable pavers aren’t just residential — they’re engineered for the heaviest commercial use:
The #1 commercial application. Permeable paver parking lots eliminate the need for retention ponds, French drains, and catch basins. Your stormwater management IS your pavement surface. That means more buildable area, lower site development costs, and ongoing stormwater fee reductions.
Create ADA-compliant public spaces that manage stormwater without visible drainage infrastructure. Joint widths ≤½” meet ADA Section 302.3. Slip-resistant surfaces tested per ANSI A326.3.
Vehicular-rated pavers (3⅛” / 80mm thick) handle emergency vehicle loads. Keystone Eco-CityLock L-10 is specifically designed for heavy vehicular mechanical installation.
Commercial-grade driveways that never puddle, never crack from freeze-thaw, and last 30-50 years.
Key Asheville projects and areas where permeable pavers make the most impact: South Slope brewery district, River Arts District, Biltmore Village, RAD developments, Downtown hotel corridor, Tunnel Road commercial strip.
Most permeable paver contractors hand-lay every unit. We don’t.
Mechanical installation uses specialized equipment to place pavers in pre-assembled layers — up to 8,000 square feet per day (vs. 500-800 by hand). This means:
We’ve invested in the equipment and training that 99% of hardscaping contractors haven’t. It’s our competitive advantage — and your cost advantage.
Permeable pavers are more than a surface — they’re a complete engineered stormwater management system:
Smarter Scapes proudly serves Asheville and the surrounding communities:
Based in Nashville, we deploy crews to Asheville for commercial projects. Our mechanical installation capability means we complete projects in a fraction of the time — minimizing your travel cost per square foot.
Ready to build smarter in Asheville? Let’s talk about your project.
Phone: (615) 356-0139
Online: Book a Discovery Call
Email: info@smarterscapesllc.com
Our PICP systems infiltrate 400-2,400 inches per hour when newly installed. Blue Ridge Mountains — 38″ annual rainfall in the city, but surrounding mountains can receive 60″+. Even after years of use, properly maintained systems maintain well above the minimum 10 in/hr threshold.
Yes. All our commercial pavers meet ASTM C936 — minimum 8,000 PSI compressive strength (3x stronger than poured concrete). Vehicular-rated pavers are 3⅛” thick and rated for heavy truck traffic.
PICP is stronger (8,000+ PSI vs. 2,000-3,000 for pervious concrete), lasts longer (30-50 years vs. 15-20), and is maintainable — if infiltration drops, joint aggregate can be vacuumed and replaced. Pervious concrete can’t be restored once clogged.
Yes. Joint widths ≤½” meet ADA Section 302.3. Surface tolerances (±⅛” lippage) exceed ADA Section 303.2 requirements. All surfaces are slip-tested per ANSI A326.3.
PICP handles freeze-thaw better than ANY alternative. The open-graded stone base can’t hold water by capillary action, so there’s nothing to freeze and expand. All our pavers pass 50+ freeze-thaw cycles per ASTM C936. They also require less de-icing salt — the permeable surface drains meltwater instead of pooling it.
We serve the entire Middle Tennessee region and beyond — Asheville at ~260 mi is well within our service range. For large commercial projects, our mechanical installation efficiency means we complete jobs faster, making travel cost-effective.
Smarter Scapes LLC — Nashville’s Premier Hardscaping Contractor
425a 36th Ave N, Nashville, TN 37209 | (615) 356-0139 | smarterscapesllc.com
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