2007 Award Winners

The STAR Division recognized four excellent plans and planners at its 2007 Annual Business Meeting and Reception in Philadelphia on April 16th. The winners were selected from numerous nominees based on their quality, innovation, effective results, public participation, transferability, collaboration and long-term sustainability and use of smart growth principles. The nominees were judged by a four-person jury consisting of Dave Gattis (City of Benbrook, Texas), Paul Bednar (Paul Bednar Planning & Design, Ltd, Illinois), Leanne Harter (Story County, Iowa), and Jon Sevald (Sherburne County, Minnesota).

The award recipients were:

The Vernon Deines Award for Outstanding Small Town or Rural Plan is given to an outstanding comprehensive plan or special project plan. This year's recipient was the City of Adrian, Michigan for its 2006 Comprehensive Plan, which was prepared with assistance from Birchler Arroyo Associates, Inc. The jury was impressed by the Plan's overall quality, innovation, transferability and use of smart growth principles.

The John Keller Award for Outstanding Planning Initiative for a Small Town or Rural Area was given to Oliver Township, Michigan for its Utility Grid Wind Energy Exclusion Zone, which was prepared with assistance from the Spicer Group. The plan seeks to balance the competing interests of expanding wind energy while protecting agricultural lands and natural resources. The jury was impressed by its innovative approach and its transferability to other areas facing the same issues.

The James A. Segedy Award for an Outstanding Student Project was given to Ohio State University for it Pineville, Mississippi Community Plan. The students, led by Professor Jennifer Evans-Cowley, assisted Pineville in its first planning effort to incorporate citizen input, and this following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. The students were able to convey planning concepts in laymen's terms and encouraged smart growth and LEED concepts to the rural community.

The Carol Thomas Award for Outstanding Small Town or Rural Planner was given to Professor William J. Kelley of Eastern State University for his role in assisting small towns in the Pacific Northwest while developing future planners to serve in these same communities and others.

The awards jury acknowledges the other outstanding nominations and is encouraged by the excellent work being done on our small town and rural communities. Look for a Call for Nominations for the 2008 Awards later this year.