Award Winners
The Small Town and Rural Planning (STaR) Division of APA considers nominations for awards annually. Previous award winners represent small towns and rural areas across the country.
2023
VERNON DEINES AWARD FOR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
Honor Award: City of Sweetwater Comprehensive Plan, Sweetwater, Texas
Merit Award: McCall Local Housing Action Plan, McCall, Idaho
Merit Award: Telluride Community Vision Plan, Telluride, Colorado
JOHN KELLER AWARD FOR PLANNING INITIATIVE
Honor Award: Town of Ballston PDR & Green Energy Program, Ballston, New York
Honor Award: Growing Gowanda, Gowanda, New York
CAROL THOMAS AWARD FOR SMALL TOWN & RURAL PLANNER
Honor Award: Chris Solberg and Rural Resurrection blog
2022
Vernon Deines Award for Comprehensive Plan (Large Jurisdiction)
Honor Award: Butte County Upper Ridge Community Plan, Butte County, California
Merit Award: Age Friendly Summit County Strategic Plan, Summit County, Ohio
Vernon Deines Award for Comprehensive Plan (Small Jurisdiction)
Honor Award: Envision Lebanon, Lebanon, Ohio
Merit Award: Envision Taylor Comprehensive Plan, Taylor, Texas
Merit Award: Recreation at the Intersection of Resilience — Advance Planning and Design in the Face of Wildfire, Mariposa County, California
Merit Award: Parsons Comprehensive Plan, City of Parsons, Kansas
Carol Thomas Award for Small Town & Rural Planner
Honor Award: Kay Dennis, AICP, City of Marianna, Florida, for Hurricane Michael Recovery
Merit Award: Regina P. Pyles, AICP, Central Savannah River Area Regional Commission of Georgia
James A. Segedy Award for Student Project
Honor Award: Samantha Lasher, University of Colorado at Denver — St. Vrain Creek River Restoration Assessment
Merit Award: Elise Chessman, UCLA — Values-Based Engagement for Urban Planning in the Mountain West
2021
Vernon Deines Award for Comprehensive Plan
Honor Award: Town of Ocean View, Delaware's 2020 Comprehensive Plan
Honor Award: Bridgeport Community Revitalization Plan SR173 Corridor, City of Bridgeport, Washington
John Keller Award for Planning Initiative
Honor Award: Athens 2040 Comprehensive Plan, Athens, Ohio
Honor Award: ReEnvision-ing Outreach, Victor, Idaho
Merit Award: Blueprint: Mount Pleasant Zoning Ordinance, Village of Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin
James A. Segedy Award for Student Project
Merit Award: Ri Tobin, University of Nebraska, Lincoln — Rural Community Guidebook: Attracting and Retaining Younger Populations
2020
Vernon Deines Award for Comprehensive Plan (Large Jurisdiction)
Livingston County Master Plan 2018, Livingston County, Michigan
Wayne Onward, Wayne County, Ohio
Vernon Deines Award for Comprehensive Plan (Small Jurisdiction)
Mariposa County Creek Parkway and Mariposa Transportation Center, Mariposa County, California
Carol Thomas Award for Small Town & Rural Planner
Brian Jordan, AICP, City of Fredericksburg, Texas
John Keller Award for Planning Initiative
Merit Award: Ohio's Reinvention Cities Network (RCN)
2019
Vernon Deines Award for Comprehensive Plan (Large Jurisdiction)
Honor Award: Elkhart County Vibrant Communities Action Agenda, Community Foundation of Elkhart County, Indiana
Merit Award: Downtown Kingsport Master Plan, Kingsport, Tennessee
Vernon Deines Award for Comprehensive Plan (Small Jurisdiction)
Honor Award: City of Tomah Downtown Master Plan, Tomah, Wisconsin
Honor Award: Ripley Master Plan, Ripley, Mississippi
Merit Award: City of Williston Economic Development Strategy, Willison, Florida
Merit Award: City of Brighton Comprehensive Plan, Brighton, Michigan
John Keller Award for Planning Initiative
Honor Award: Medfield State Hospital Strategic Reuse Plan, Medfield, Massachusetts
2018
Vernon Deines Award for Comprehensive Plan
Honor Award: Downtown LaCrescent Vision and Strategic Plan, City of LaCrescent, Minnesota
Merit Award: Small Town Tactics: Tactical Urbanism Strategies as a Community Engagement Tool, Town of Avon, Colorado
John Keller Award for Planning Initiative
Honor Award: Plan Brandon! Zoning Code, City of Brandon, Mississippi
Merit Award: Protecting Opportunities for Rural Cannabis Farmers in Washington, Crystal Oliver for Spokane County, Washington
2017
Vernon Deines Award for Comprehensive Plan
Honor Award: Jefferson Township Future Land Use Strategic Plan, Jefferson Township, Ohio, and the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission
Special Project: Mullett River Corridor Study, City of Plymouth, Wisconsin, and MSA Professional Services
Merit Award: City of Webster Master Plan, City of Webster, Florida, and Hoke Design
John Keller Award for Planning Initiative
New Allen Alliance Strategic Investment Plan, New Allen Alliance and Sturtz Public Management Group
Recreation Plan Public Engagement Process, Town of Carbondale, Colorado, Parks and Design Workshop
Carol Thomas Award for Small Town & Rural Planner
First Chief Floyd Green, Rampart Village Council, Alaska
James A. Segedy Award for Student Project
Listening to Bluff Plan, University of Utah Urban Ecology program
2016
VERNON DEINES AWARD FOR AN OUTSTANDING SMALL TOWN OR RURAL PLAN (small jurisdiction)
Morro Bay Sustainability Plan, Morro Bay, California, and Morro Bay Commercial Fisherman's Organization, in collaboration with Lisa Wise Consulting.
VERNON DEINES AWARD FOR AN OUTSTANDING SMALL TOWN OR RURAL PLAN (large jurisdiction)
Bell Boulevard Redevelopment Plan, Cedar Park, Texas, in collaboration with Design Workshop.
MERIT AWARD FOR AN OUTSTANDING SMALL TOWN OR RURAL PLAN
West Central Mountains Economic Development Strategic Plan, West Central Mountains, Idaho, in collaboration with Logan Simpson.
MERIT AWARD FOR AN OUTSTANDING SMALL TOWN OR RURAL PLAN
Regional Livability Plan, North Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, in collaboration with Robert Lussow, NCWRPC & RLP Steering Committee Chair; Ed Wafle, RLP Steering Committee Vice Chair, and Dennis Lawrence, AICP, Executive Director.
John Keller Award for an Outstanding Planning Initiative
Tree Canopy Program, Coconut Creek, Florida, in collaboration with Audubon International.
JAMES A. SEGEDY AWARD FOR AN OUTSTANDING STUDENT PROJECT
Houston, Mississippi, Trailhead, Carl Small Town Center at Mississippi State University.
2015
VERNON DEINES AWARD FOR AN OUTSTANDING SMALL TOWN OR RURAL PLAN
Essence of Athens: A Strategic Plan for Economic Enhancement and Community Competitiveness, Athens, Ohio.
VERNON DEINES AWARD FOR AN OUTSTANDING SMALL TOWN OR RURAL PLAN
Open Space, Parks & Trails Master Plan, Adams County, Colorado.
MERIT AWARD FOR AN OUTSTANDING SMALL TOWN OR RURAL PLAN
Harnessing Huntsville's Potential, Huntsville, Texas.
JAMES A. SEGEDY AWARD FOR AN OUTSTANDING STUDENT PROJECT
Palestine 2040: Honoring the Past — Shaping the Future, City of Palestine, Texas; University of Texas — Arlington Institute of Urban Studies, Project Lead — Julie Wyatt, Project team — Cristine Baril, Jungsoo Kim, Yanikka Lemons, Kukhyoung Kim, and Glenn Showers.
2014
Vernon Deines Award for an Outstanding Small Town or Rural Plan
Newton County 2050 Plan, Newton County, Georgia, Newton County Leadership Collaborative and Center for Community Preservation & Planning.
Vernon Deines Award for an Outstanding Small Town or Rural Plan
Village of Lake Isabella Master Plan, Lake Isabella, Michigan.
John Keller Award for an Outstanding Planning Initiative
New Braunfels Stormwater Management Strategy, New Braunfels, Texas, City of New Braunfels and Design Workshop, Inc. consultants.
James A. Segedy Award for an Outstanding Student Project
Yankeetown — Inglis Adaptive Design: Strategies for Adapting to Coastal Change, University of Florida-Gainesville Dept of Urban and Regional Planning, principal investigator Dr. Kathryn Frank, project manager Michael Volk, students Sean Reiss, Rong Zeng, Jana Rosenbloom, and Kevin Bennett.
Carol Thomas Award for an Outstanding Small Town and Rural Planner
Nathan Johnson, Pine City, Minnesota.
2013
Vernon Deines Award for an Outstanding Small Town or Rural Plan
Pavilion Marketplace Redevelopment Plan, Rothschild, Wisconsin, Village of Rothschild and MSA Professional Services, consultants.
2012
Vernon Deines Award for an Outstanding Small Town or Rural Plan
Mosinee Downtown Development Plan, Mosinee, Wisconsin, Mosinee Area Economic Development Committee and North Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission.
Vernon Deines Award for an Outstanding Small Town or Rural Plan
Downtown Development Guide, Opelika, Alabama, City of Opelika and City Planner Jerry Kelley.
John Keller Award for an Outstanding Planning Initiative
clearzoning® Ordinance, City of Lathrup Village, Michigan, and Clearzoning, Inc., consultants.
2011
Vernon Deines Award for an Outstanding Small Town or Rural Plan
Luna Pier Master Plan, Luna, Michigan, Luna Planning Commission and Monroe County Planning Department.
John Keller Award for an Outstanding Planning Initiative
City of Grinnell, Iowa, Public-private partnerships.
James A. Segedy Award for an Outstanding Student Project
Baptist Master Plan, Greenwood, MS, Mississippi State University.
Carol Thomas Award for an Outstanding Small Town and Rural Planner
Philip Chester, AICP, Town of Lebanon, Connecticut.
2010
Planning Initiative Award
Outstanding Planning Initiative, (John Keller Award) given to an outstanding initiative or program in public education, workshops, ordinances, or enforcement that promotes planning in small towns and rural areas was awarded to Grinnell, Iowa (population 9,106) and Russ Behrens, City Manager, for their public‐private partnerships.
Outstanding Planner Award
Outstanding Small Town and Rural Planner, (Carol Thomas Award) given to an individual in public service, academia or the private sector that has made an outstanding contribution to planning in their community, was awarded to Philip Chester, AICP of the Town of Lebanon, Connecticut (population 7,400).
Outstanding Student Project
Outstanding Student Project, (James Segedy Award) given to an outstanding project by a graduate or undergraduate class or individual that addresses a planning issue facing small town or rural areas, was awarded for the Baptist Master Plan in Greenwood, Mississippi prepared by students at Mississippi State University.
Outstanding Comprehensive Plan
Outstanding Comprehensive Plan or Special Project Plan, (Dr. Vernon Dienes)
Award) given to an outstanding comprehensive plan or special project plan that addresses the development of a neighborhood, community, county or region was awarded to the Luna Pier Michigan Master Plan (population 1,400) prepared as a partnership effort by Randy Mielnik, AICP of Poggemeyer Design Group along with Tad Krear of Land Design Studio, the Luna Pier Planning Commission, Luna Pier City Administrator, and the Monroe County, Michigan Planning Department.
2009
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 Harrison County, Mississippi for its 2030 Comprehensive Plan, which was prepared with assistance from Jennifer Evans-Crowley, AICP, Ohio State University Austin E. Knowlton School of Architecture. 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 Town of Williston, Vermont for its Williston Growth Center, which was prepared with assistance from Lee Nellis, AICP. The plan was a smart growth project. 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 the Virginia Tech Urban Affairs and Planning Graduate Land Use Planning Students for its Implementing the Village Plans: Best Practices and Recommendations for Zoning Virginia. The students were led by Professor Diane Zahm, Student Advisor.
The Carol Thomas Award for Outstanding Small Town or Rural Planner was given to J. Michael Gurnee, AICP, of Dodge City, Kansas for assisting other small town planners, serving as a mentor, and for helping the City of Greensburg, Kansas through its disaster recovery phase and into the rebuilding phase as a sustainable community.
2008
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 is the Town of Avon, Colorado, for the Avon Comprehensive Plan.
The John Keller Award for Outstanding Planning Initiative for a Small Town or Rural Area is given to the Town of Moreland, Georgia, for its Community Outreach efforts for the 2006-2026 Comprehensive Plan.
The James A. Segedy Award for an Outstanding Student Project was given to Ohio State University for its Community Plan for Eastern Harrison County, Mississippi, completed by CRP 852 students Joshua Anderson, Ian Beniston, Ma'ayan Citron, Nathan Leppo, Bridget Troy, Erica Wicks, and Rickie Yeager.
2007
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.