diff --git a/src/applications/osgearth_city/osgearth_city.cpp b/src/applications/osgearth_city/osgearth_city.cpp
index cd024abb57..fbadc477c2 100644
--- a/src/applications/osgearth_city/osgearth_city.cpp
+++ b/src/applications/osgearth_city/osgearth_city.cpp
@@ -67,13 +67,13 @@ main(int argc, char** argv)
     osg::ArgumentParser arguments(&argc,argv);
 
     // create the map.
-    Map* map = new Map();
+    osg::ref_ptr<Map> map = new Map();
 
-    addImagery( map );
-    addElevation( map );
-    addBuildings( map );
-    addStreets( map );
-    addParks( map );
+    addImagery( map.get() );
+    addElevation( map.get() );
+    addBuildings( map.get() );
+    addStreets( map.get() );
+    addParks( map.get() );
 
     // initialize a viewer:
     osgViewer::Viewer viewer(arguments);
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ main(int argc, char** argv)
     viewer.setSceneData( root );
 
     // make the map scene graph:
-    MapNode* mapNode = new MapNode(map);
+    MapNode* mapNode = new MapNode(map.get());
     root->addChild( mapNode );
 
     // zoom to a good startup position
@@ -124,13 +124,12 @@ void addBuildings(Map* map)
 {
     // create a feature source to load the building footprint shapefile.
     OGRFeatureSource* data = new OGRFeatureSource();
-    data->setName("buildings");
+    data->setName("buildings-data");
     data->setURL(BUILDINGS_URL);
-    data->options().buildSpatialIndex() = true;
 
     // a style for the building data:
     Style buildingStyle;
-    buildingStyle.setName( "buildings" );
+    buildingStyle.setName( "default" );
 
     // Extrude the shapes into 3D buildings.
     ExtrusionSymbol* extrusion = buildingStyle.getOrCreate<ExtrusionSymbol>();
@@ -179,13 +178,13 @@ void addBuildings(Map* map)
     // tile radius = max range / tile size factor.
     FeatureDisplayLayout layout;
     layout.tileSize() = 500;
-    layout.addLevel( FeatureLevel(0.0f, 20000.0f, "buildings") );
 
     FeatureModelLayer* layer = new FeatureModelLayer();
     layer->setName("Buildings");
     layer->setFeatureSource(data);
     layer->setStyleSheet(styleSheet);
-    layer->options().layout() = layout;
+    layer->setLayout(layout);
+    layer->setMaxVisibleRange(20000.0);
 
     map->addLayer(layer);
 }
@@ -230,14 +229,15 @@ void addStreets(Map* map)
     // to determine the tile size, such that tile radius = max range / tile size factor.
     FeatureDisplayLayout layout;
     layout.tileSize() = 500;
-    layout.maxRange() = 5000.0f;
 
     // create a model layer that will render the buildings according to our style sheet.
     FeatureModelLayer* layer = new FeatureModelLayer();
+    layer->setName("Streets");
     layer->setFeatureSource(data);
     layer->options().layout() = layout;
     layer->setStyleSheet(new StyleSheet());
     layer->getStyleSheet()->addStyle(style);
+    layer->setMaxVisibleRange(5000.0f);
 
     map->addLayer(layer);
 }
diff --git a/src/osgEarth/FeatureModelLayer b/src/osgEarth/FeatureModelLayer
index a4457bd1b5..4fdd95dfec 100644
--- a/src/osgEarth/FeatureModelLayer
+++ b/src/osgEarth/FeatureModelLayer
@@ -69,6 +69,10 @@ namespace osgEarth
         void setStyleSheet(StyleSheet* value);
         StyleSheet* getStyleSheet() const;
 
+        //! Set the dislpay layout (optional)
+        void setLayout(const FeatureDisplayLayout& layout);
+        const FeatureDisplayLayout& getLayout() const;
+
         void setAlphaBlending(const bool& value);
         const bool& getAlphaBlending() const;
 
diff --git a/src/osgEarth/FeatureModelLayer.cpp b/src/osgEarth/FeatureModelLayer.cpp
index 76560da0e2..acab53dd32 100644
--- a/src/osgEarth/FeatureModelLayer.cpp
+++ b/src/osgEarth/FeatureModelLayer.cpp
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 
 using namespace osgEarth;
 
-#define LC "[FeatureModelLayer] "
+#define LC "[FeatureModelLayer] \"" << getName() << "\": "
 
 #define OE_TEST OE_NULL
 
@@ -106,11 +106,14 @@ FeatureModelLayer::init()
 
 void FeatureModelLayer::dirty()
 {
-    // feature source changed, so the graph needs rebuilding
-    _graphDirty = true;
-
-    // create the scene graph
-    create();
+    //// feature source changed, so the graph needs rebuilding
+    //_graphDirty = true;
+
+    //// create the scene graph
+    //if (isOpen())
+    //{
+    //    create();
+    //}
 }
 
 Config
@@ -159,6 +162,18 @@ FeatureModelLayer::getStyleSheet() const
     return options().styleSheet().getLayer();
 }
 
+void
+FeatureModelLayer::setLayout(const FeatureDisplayLayout& value)
+{
+    options().layout() = value;
+}
+
+const FeatureDisplayLayout&
+FeatureModelLayer::getLayout() const
+{
+    return options().layout().get();
+}
+
 void
 FeatureModelLayer::setCreateFeatureNodeFactoryCallback(CreateFeatureNodeFactoryCallback* value)
 {
@@ -260,9 +275,9 @@ FeatureModelLayer::create()
 {
     OE_TEST << LC << "create" << std::endl;
 
-    if (_graphDirty)
+    //if (_graphDirty)
     {
-        if (getFeatureSource() && getStyleSheet() && _session.valid())
+        if (isOpen() && getFeatureSource() && getStyleSheet() && _session.valid())
         {
             _session->setFeatureSource(getFeatureSource());
 
@@ -278,7 +293,7 @@ FeatureModelLayer::create()
 
             if (status.isError())
             {
-                OE_WARN << LC << "INTERNAL ERROR intializing the FMG" << std::endl;
+                OE_WARN << LC << "ERROR intializing the FMG: " << status.toString() << std::endl;
                 setStatus(status);
             }
             else
diff --git a/src/osgEarth/LayerReference b/src/osgEarth/LayerReference
index b6b85b8248..544ae580d3 100644
--- a/src/osgEarth/LayerReference
+++ b/src/osgEarth/LayerReference
@@ -77,14 +77,22 @@ namespace osgEarth
                 if (typedLayer)
                 {
                     typedLayer->setReadOptions(readOptions);
-                    const Status& fsStatus = typedLayer->open();
-                    if (fsStatus.isError())
+                    const Status& layerStatus = typedLayer->open();
+                    if (layerStatus.isError())
                     {
-                        return fsStatus;
+                        return layerStatus;
                     }
                     _layer = typedLayer.get();
                 }
             }
+            else if (_layer && !_layer->isOpen())
+            {
+                const Status& layerStatus = _layer->open();
+                if (layerStatus.isError())
+                {
+                    return layerStatus;
+                }
+            }
             return Status::OK();
         }