Outstanding Achievement in County Planning Awards

The submittal deadline has passed.

About the Award

This program is an opportunity for the division to recognize outstanding planning projects from counties around the country at the Division’s business meeting at the APA National Planning Conference. It provides members with the chance to see and learn about development, conservation, government, or environmental projects, where planning has had a positive impact on the outcome. Judges look for innovativeness and quality, and the potential for use in other areas.

2013 Winners

On April 14, 2013, at the County Planning Division's Annual Business Meeting, conducted at the APA National Conference in Chicago, the County Planning Division in conjunction with the National Association of County Planners will present their 2013 Project Awards. This year six awards will be presented: three Awards of Excellence and three Awards of Merit.

An Award of Excellence to The Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission, Florida, in the Best Practices category for the Guide to Creating & Updating Community Plans in Unincorporated Hillsborough County. The Guide crystallizes the rational, roles, process, and structure of newly created community plans and plan updates in urban, suburban and rural contexts.  Planning staff and community use of the Guide is intended to enhance the effectiveness of community plans in shaping ... distinct, vibrant and lasting communities.

An Award of Excellence to Clark County, Washington, in the Special Focus Planning Initiative — Senior Livability category for the Aging Readiness Plan. Affordable and appropriate housing, supportive community features and services, and transportation options help create places where everyone has the opportunity to live independently and participate in civic and social life as they age. The Clark County Aging Readiness Plan assesses the county's readiness to serve as a home for a growing number of older residents. The plan is divided into five elements: healthy communities, housing, transportation/mobility, supportive services and community engagement. Each element identifies challenges residents may face as they grow older and lists strategies to overcome them.

An Award of Excellence to Howard County, Maryland, in the Small Area/Special Area Planning category for the Downtown Columbia Plan. The Downtown Columbia Plan is a 30-year master plan for evolving Columbia's suburban oriented Town Center into a socially, economically and environmentally sustainable urban community. Following an extensive planning and community engagement process, the Howard County Council approved the Downtown Columbia Plan on February 1, 2010, and readopted it in the County's July 20, 2012, general plan update. The Downtown Columbia Plan will guide the mixed-use development of over 13 million feet of retail, commercial, residential, hotel and cultural development.

An Award of Merit to McHenry County, Illinois, in the Best Practices category for the Green Infrastructure Plan.  The McHenry County Green Infrastructure Plan is the result of a comprehensive planning effort to identify, promote, protect, and enhance McHenry County's green infrastructure resource areas.  It was developed with contributions of natural resource and land management experts, municipalities, townships, park districts, and local citizens.  The plan features the first countywide green infrastructure map and offers numerous recommendations for implementation at the regional, community, and neighborhood scale.

An Award of Merit to Sarasota County, Florida, in the Planning Project category for Nathan Benderson Park.  Nathan Benderson Park is located in unincorporated Sarasota County. This county park used by a handful of local fishermen was once an unimproved borrow pit lake originally created to serve road construction needs in the region. Today, it's being transformed into a 600-acre regional park that includes a world-class rowing venue with the potential to attract international visitors to Sarasota County, while still serving the local community.

An Award of Merit to Richland County, South Carolina, in the Grass Roots Initiative category for the 8th Annual Neighborhood Planning Conference. The Richland County Council and the Planning and Development Services Department has made it a priority to address the struggling nature of urban communities and rural neighborhoods throughout the County and created the Neighborhood Improvement Program to address those challenges head-on. "The Neighborhood Planning Conference" emerged from this effort as a grassroots level conference that extends beyond the traditional scope of planning, broadens public understanding of the planning process, provides neighborhood outreach initiatives and fulfills unique educational programs designed for special populations. The 8th Annual Neighborhood Planning Conference provided an unparalleled service to over 200 participants.

See a list of the previous winners

Awards of Excellence and Merit

Eligible planning projects are those completed within the last two years. Projects must fall under one of the following categories:

Planning Project Award: To a specific planning project of unusually high merit conducted by a county that is in the process of being constructed or has been constructed within the last two years. The project should demonstrate "on-the-ground" results that are supported by documentable physical or social change.

Comprehensive Plan Award

Large Jurisdiction: For a comprehensive plan of unusually high merit completed and adopted by a county within the last two years, for, by, or within a jurisdiction with the most recent Census population of 50,000 or more.

Small Jurisdiction: For a comprehensive plan of unusually high merit completed and adopted by a county within the last two years for, by or within a jurisdiction with the most recent Census population of less than 50,000.

Best Practices Award: For a specific planning tool, practice, program, project, or process that is a significant advancement to specific elements of planning. This category emphasizes results and demonstrates how innovative and state-of-the-art planning methods and practices helped to implement a plan. Nominations may include such things as ordinances, regulations, legislation, adopted policy and codes, tax policies or initiatives, growth management or design guidelines, transferable development rights program, land acquisition efforts, public/private partnerships, applications of technology, handbooks, or efforts to foster greater participation in community planning.

Grassroots Initiative Award: For an initiative that illustrates how a community utilized the planning process to address a need that extends beyond the traditional scope of planning. Emphasis is placed on the success of planning in new or different settings. Nominated projects should expand public understanding of the planning process. This could include such efforts as community policing or drug prevention, neighborhood outreach initiatives, programs designed for special populations, rural development, public art or cultural efforts, community festivals, environmental or conservation initiatives, summer recreational initiatives for children, or focused tourism ventures.

Small Area/Special Area Planning Award: This award will go to a small area/special area plan, program, design, or related effort that demonstrates innovative planning principles and measures that create sustainable communities that have lasting value.

Special Focus Planning Initiative — Senior Livability: A current special focus area of the APA Divisions Council is the concept of senior livability and how communities are preparing for an aging population. This award will recognize a county that has incorporated "aging in place" considerations into the planning process and has demonstrated a commitment to involving senior citizens in the planning and implementation process to identify their specific needs.