We know D.C. Get our free newsletter to stay in the know.
The National Capital Area Chapter of the American Planning Association had its annual wing ding yesterday to honor the best plans and the planners who plan them. The honors skew a bit towards Maryland, but D.C. public and private entities scored a few accolades. Here’s the list:
Outstanding Implemented Project, Program or Tool Award: New York Avenue Metro Financing, NoMa Public and Private Stakeholders. This effort started over a decade ago, and resulted in a brand-new metro stop funded in part by area developers, pumping investment into NoMa.
Frederick Gutheim Award, Leadership by a Professional Planner: Travis B. Parker, District of Columbia Office of Planning. Parker has been heading up the comprehensive zoning rewrite, a monumental task that has already required years of drafting and redrafting hundreds of pages of zoning regulations in response to often conflicting citizen and official input.
Outstanding Neighborhood or Small Area Plan Award: White Flint Sector Plan, Montgomery County Planning Department. The White Flint plan is aimed at turning an auto-oriented suburban node into an urban, walkable, bikeable pleasant place to be.
Distinguished Leadership Award for a Citizen Planner: Ms. Margaret Morgan-Hubbard, CEO, Engaged Community Offshoots, which does urban farming mostly in Prince George’s County.
Outstanding Regional or Comprehensive Plan Award: 2010 Historic Sites and Districts Plan, Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Prince George’s County Planning Department.
Distinguished Leadership Award for an Elected Official: Sharon Bulova, Chairman, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, Chair, Greater Washington 2050 Coalition. Elected chair of the Board of Supervisors in 2009, Bulova supported the plan for the transformation of Tysons Corner as well as construction of the Silver Line, and presided over the Region Forward 2050 study.
Current Topic Award, Innovations in Transportation: Metrorail Bicycle & Pedestrian Access Improvements Study, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. A plan to help people ride bicycles to metro stations.
Benjamin Banneker Award for Outstanding Social Commitment and Community Initiatives: Dr. Royce Hanson, Past Chair, Montgomery County Planning Board.
Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Chapter: Professor Hazel Ruth Edwards, Catholic University.
Jury Award: Creative DC Action Agenda, District of Columbia Office of Planning. Outlines how the arts and culture can be used to stimulate the local economy.
Sherwin Greene Award, Leadership by a Student Planner: Stacie L. West, University of Maryland.
Distinction in Community Outreach and Engagement: Envision Prince George’s, Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Prince George’s County Planning Department. A sweeping plan to improve schools, parks, jobs, healthcare, transportation, business culture, housing, and the arts.