CCOG for LAT 243 Winter 2025


Course Number:
LAT 243
Course Title:
Landscape Business Operations
Credit Hours:
3
Lecture Hours:
20
Lecture/Lab Hours:
20
Lab Hours:
0

Course Description

Requirements for beginning and operating a landscape/horticultural business. Licensing requirements, basic bookkeeping systems, insurance, liability and legal requirements, state regulations, marketing, and promotional ideas. Audit available.

Addendum to Course Description

Certifications, business name registration, employer responsibilities, types of business organizations, bond requirements, tax reporting and sales will be covered in this course.

Intended Outcomes for the course

Students will develop a business plan in compliance with Federal, State and local requirements. The business plan will include estimated revenue needed to sustain the business, identify the source of the revenue, and estimate expenses.

Outcome Assessment Strategies

This is a graded course. Basis for grades are written exams, participation in class discussions, creation of a written business plan and obtaining information from landscape business owners and representatives.

Course Content (Themes, Concepts, Issues and Skills)

1.0 COMPLIANCE
    1.1.0 Landscape Contractors License
        1.1.1 Exclusions to license
        1.1.2 Work experience requirements
        1.1.3 Schooling allowed as experience
        1.1.4 Self employment allowed as experience
        1.1.5 Certified Landscape Technician used as
            experience
        1.1.6 Exam categories and requirements
        1.1.7 Type of work license allows
        1.1.8 Licensing agency
    1.2.0 Landscape Business License
        1.2.1 Requirements of bond and insurance
        1.2.2 Limitations of license
        1.2.3.Licensing agency
        1.2.4 Complaint procedure
        1.2.5 License fees
        1.2.6 Duration of license
    1.3.0 Building Contractors License
        1.3.1 License exclusions
        1.3.2 Type of work allowed with license
        1.3.3 Landscaping exclusion
        1.3.4 Tree pruning specialty license
        1.3.5 Fees
    1.4.0 Nursery License
        1.4.1 Exclusions to license
        1.4.2 Individuals required to have the license
        1.4.3 Fees
        1.4.4 Licensing agency
        1.4.5 License renewal
    1.5.0 City business licenses
        1.5.1 Licensing agencies
        1.5.2.All Metro License
    1.6.0 Pesticide Operator and Applicator licenses
        1.6.1 Operator License
            a. Insurance requirements
        1.6.2. Applicator License
            a. Exam requirements
    1.7.0 PUC License
    1.8.0 Seed Dealers License
    1.9.0 Business name registration
        1.9.1 Situation where required
        1.9.2 Agency where name is registered
    1.10.0 Tax reporting and withholding
        1.10.1 Federal Income tax
            a. Employers responsibility
            b. Estimated tax reporting
            c. Self employment tax
        1.10.2 State of Oregon income tax
            a. Employers responsibility
            b. Estimated tax reporting
        1.10.3 Workers Compensation
            a. Employers responsibility
        1.10.4 Oregon state Unemployment tax
            a. Employers responsibility
            b. Self employed individuals tax amount
        1.10.5 Federal Unemployment Tax
            a. Employers responsibility
        1.10.6 Tri-met business tax
        1.10.7 County Business Personal Tax
        1.10.8 OSHA workers safety requirements
2.0 BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS
    2.1.0 Sole proprietor
    2.2.0 Partnership
    2.3.0 Corporations
        2.3.1 Subchapter C
        2.2.2 Subchapter S
    2.4.0 Limited Liability Company
    2.5.0 Tax advantages and disadvantages of business
        organizations
    2.6.0 Business liability issues
    2.7.0 Business tax deductions allowed depending on type
        of organization
    2.8.0 IRS Section 179 deduction
3.0 DEFINITION OF EMPLOYER
4.0 DEFINITION OF EMPLOYEE
5.0 DEFINITION OF SUB-CONTRACTOR
6.0 BONDING REQUIREMENTS
    6.1.0 Surety bonds
    6.2.0 Performance bonds
7.0 CONTRACTS
    7.1.0 Situations where contracts are required
    7.2.0 Minimum standards for written contracts
8.0 COLLECTION OF DEBTS
    8.1.0 Construction liens
        8.1.1 Requirements for Information Notice to Homeowner
        8.1.2 Lien limitations
        8.2.3 Procedure for filing of lien
    8.2.0 Small claims court
    8.3.0 Civil court
        8.3.1 Judgments and duration of judgments
    8.4.0 Collection agencies
9.0 PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
    9.1.0 Legal
    9.2.0 Financial
    9.2.0 Bookkeeping and payroll
10.0 BOOKKEEPING SYSTEMS
    10.1.0 One write checking
    10.2.0 Accounting software
    10.3.0 Cash accounting
    10.4.0 Accrual accounting
    10.5.0 Calendar year
    10.6.0 Fiscal year
11.0 PROFIT AND LOSS STATEMENTS
    11.1.0 Financial statements
12.ADVERTISING:
    12.1.0 Methods and media
    12.2.0 Portfolios
13.0 INSURANCE
    13.1.0 Mandatory insurance
    13.2.0 Where recommended
14.0 PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
    14.1.0 Oregon Association of Nurserymen
    14.2.0 Oregon Landscape Contractors Assn.
    14.3.0 Association of Northwest Landscape Designers
    14.4.0 Homebuilders Assn.
15.0 SALES
16.0 CUSTOMER RELATIONS
17.0 EMPLOYEE RELATIONS
18.0 BUYING/SELLING LANDSCAPE BUSINESS
19.0 CAPITALIZATIION
    19.1.0 Borrowing money
    19.2.0 Small Business Administration