Excellence in Small Town and Rural Planning

Small Town and Rural Planning Division Planning Awards

The categories are:

Carol Thomas award for small town and rural planner

Given to an individual in public service, academia or the private sector that has made an outstanding contribution to planning in their community.

Vernon Deines Award for Comprehensive Plan or Special Project Plan

Given to an outstanding comprehensive plan or special project plan that addressed the development of a neighborhood, community, county or region.

John Keller Award for Planning Initiative

Given to an outstanding initiative or program in public education, workshops, ordinances, or enforcement that promotes planning in small towns and rural areas.

James A. Segedy Award for Student Project

Given to an outstanding project by a graduate or undergraduate class or individual that addresses a planning issue facing small town or rural areas.

STaR Award Winners for 2024

Vernon Deines Award for Outstanding Small Town or Rural Plan — Large Jurisdiction

Honor — Buncombe County 2043: Our Voices, Our Vision, Buncombe County, North Carolina

Honor — Envision Washoe 2040, Washoe County, Utah, in cooperation with Logan Simpson

Vernon Deines Award for Outstanding Small Town or Rural Plan — Small Jurisdiction

Honor: Youngsville 205, Town of Youngsville, North Carolina Merit — Springfield Township Master Plan. Springfield Township, Michigan Merit — Summit County Rail Trail Corridor Plan. Summit County, Utah

John Keller Award for Planning Initiative

Honor: Community-Based Land Use Planning Through Geodesign, Coppermine Chapter of the Navajo Nation and Arizona State University

Honor: Motherlode ADU, Counties of Amador, Calaveras, Mariposa, and Nevada (California), and Community Planning Collaborative

Merit: Shaping Aspen's Built Environment: Instilling Community Values and Climate Resiliency in Development, City of Aspen, Colorado, in cooperation with Design Workshop

Merit: Bringing Back Main Street Downtown Revitalization Initiative and Roundtable, Houston Galveston Area Council, Texas

Merit: Our Summit Community Visioning Plan, Summit County, Utah, in cooperation with Logan Simpson

Merit: Renewable Energy Overlay Zone Model, Chris White, Planning Director, Bedford County, Tennessee

James Segedy Award for a Student Project

Honor: Darke County 2023 Comprehensive Plan, CRP 6190 Studio Course, The Knowlton School, Ohio State University

Carol Thomas Award for Small Town and Rural Planner

Honor: Michelle Groenevelt, AICP; Community and Economic Developer, City of McCall, Idaho Merit — Eric Young, County Planner, Washoe County, Nevada

Questions

For further information, contact Mary Howard at (518) 929-5866 or mthdwh8000@yahoo.com

Previous Awards Recipients

Previous Small Town and Rural Planning Division Award recipients