The American Planning Association (APA) has honored comprehensive planning efforts and inspiring individuals with its 2017 National Planning Excellence and Achievement Awards.
APA’s national awards program is a proud tradition established more than 50 years ago to recognize outstanding community plans, planning programs and initiatives, public education efforts, and individuals for their leadership on planning issues. These efforts help create communities of lasting value throughout the country – and around the world.
Each year, APA recognizes outstanding efforts in planning and planning leadership through its National Planning Excellence and Achievement Awards. The two-tier awards are selected through a juried process. Excellence recipients are the highest honor and Achievement Awards recognize areas of specialization with the planning profession.
Five recipients were selected to receive APA’s National Planning Excellence Awards and 12 recipients were selected to receive Achievement Awards. Award recipients will be recognized during APA’s National Planning Conference at a special awards luncheon on Monday, May 8, 2017, in New York City. Read more about the 2017 award recipients, access images and supplemental materials.
2017 National Planning Excellence Recipients
- National Planning Excellence Award for Planning Pioneers
- Lawrence P. Witzling, PhD, AIA, ASLA—Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- National Planning Excellence Award for a Planning Landmark
- Montgomery County’s Agricultural Reserve –Montgomery County, Maryland
- Pierre L’Enfant International Planning Excellence Award
- Bhubaneswar Smart City Plan – Odisha, India
- Advancing Diversity & Social Change in Honor of Paul Davidoff
- Near Northside Quality of Life (QLA) 2015 – Houston, Texas
- Daniel Burnham Award for a Comprehensive Plan
- Plano Tomorrow Comprehensive Plan – Plano, Texas
National Planning Achievement Awards
The Achievement Awards are a way for the awards jury to recognize good planning work and are similar to an honorable mention.
- National Planning Achievement Award for a Best Practice | Gold
- Urban Development Areas and Technical Assistance Grant Program – Commonwealth of Virginia
- National Planning Achievement Award for a Best Practice | Silver
- Placemaking for an Aging Population: Guidelines for Senior-Friendly Parks – Los Angeles, California
- National Planning Achievement Award for a Best Practice | Silver
- Historic Fort Ord Regional Urban Design Guidelines – Monterey Bay, California
- National Planning Achievement Award for a Best Practice | Silver
- Plan 2020: The Bicentennial Plan for Indianapolis – Indianapolis, Indiana
- National Planning Achievement Award Economic Development Planning | Gold
- Wynwood Neighborhood Revitalization District – Wynwood, Miami, Florida
- National Planning Achievement Award for Environmental Planning | Gold
- Colorado Resiliency Framework – State of Colorado
- National Planning Achievement Award for Environmental Planning | Silver
- Millvale Ecodistrict Pivot Plan – Millvale, Pennsylvania
- National Planning Achievement Award for a Grassroots Initiative | Gold
- Huerta del Valle Community Garden – Ontario, California
- National Planning Achievement Award for Implementation | Gold
- Arlington County’s Smart Growth Journey – Arlington County, Virginia
- National Planning Achievement Award for Public Outreach | Gold
- The Game of Floods – Marin County, California
- National Planning Achievement Award for Transportation Planning | Gold
- Bicycle Master Plan Stress Map – Montgomery County, Maryland
- National Planning Achievement Award for Urban Design | Gold
- Austin Historic Cemeteries Master Plan – Austin, Texas
“Good planning is not just preparing the community for the future, but engaging the residents in the discussions and decision-making that will impact their lives,” said W. Shedrick Coleman, AIA, 2017 chair of APA’s Awards Jury. “This year’s award recipients advanced the planning profession by more thoroughly engaging all residents in the planning process.”
