Outstanding Planning Project Awards

The following categories are for group achievement and may be made to a planning agency, planning team or firm, community group, or local authority. There are no restrictions based on size or jurisdiction.

Outstanding Planning Project Award…for a Plan

To a written plan that is a significant advancement to the science and art of planning. This could include comprehensive plans, housing plans, capital improvement plans, environmental/resource conservation plans, park and recreation plans, transportation plans, reuse or redevelopment plans, economic development plans, rails to trails plans.

Criteria:

Originality. How does the plan present a visionary approach or innovative concept within the context of the jurisdiction's situation? To what extent does this expand the envelope of accepted planning principles?

Transferability. How does this plan provide a potential application for others? To what extent is the wider application of this plan's components in the interest of the planning process?

Quality. To what extent does the plan show excellence of thought, analysis, writing, graphics, and applying ethical planning principles? How were available resources used in a well-conceived and appropriate format?

Comprehensive. How have planning principles been observed, especially in consideration of the plan's effects on other public objectives? To what extent does the plan include elements important to the local community?

Public Participation. To what extent was the plan based on a strong public participation component; How far did the effort go to solicit input from those who have been left out historically? How has the plan accomplished "buy in" from the public sector?

Implementation. To what extent does the plan include a strong element detailing measurable implementation tasks and goals? How effective is the plan in short, medium, and long terms?

Outstanding Planning Project Award …for a Project/Program/Tool

For a project, program or tool that is a significant advancement to the cause of planning. This category emphasizes results and demonstrates how a project, program or tool implemented a plan. The submissions could be regulations and codes, growth management guidelines or ordinances, transferable development rights programs, land acquisition efforts, public/private partnerships, tax abatement initiatives, technology, or project that encourage participation by those who do not typically participate in setting community agendas.

Criteria:

Originality. To what extent are creative and innovative ideas used to address a demonstrated need or problem? How have these ideas expanded the envelope of accepted planning principles and led to a greater level of success?

Transferability. How does the submission provide an example for others? To what extent is the wider application of this submission's components in the interest of the planning process?

Quality. To what extent does the submission show excellence of thought, analysis, writing, graphics, and applying ethical planning principles? How were the available resources used in a well-conceived and appropriate format to produce results?

Comprehensiveness. How have planning principles been observed, especially in support of other public objectives? To what extent does the submission produce results for other programs important to the local community?

Public Participation. How has the submission encouraged public participation to address the demonstrated need or problem? To what extent has the submission included those left out of similar efforts in the past?

Results. How has the submission addressed the need or problem that prompted its initiation? How have these results made a difference in the lives of the people affected?

Outstanding Planning Project Award …for a Special Community Initiative

For an initiative that illustrates how the community or jurisdiction utilized the planning process to address a need outside the normal sphere of planning initiatives. This category emphasizes the success of planning in non-traditional settings. It seeks to recognize those noteworthy efforts as a means to expand attitudes regarding the appropriateness of the planning process. This could include efforts aimed at community policing or drug prevention, neighborhood outreach, programs designed for specialized populations, public art, community festivals, summer recreational initiatives for children, or focused tourism ventures.

Criteria:

Innovation. To what extent has the initiative been used previously to address the need identified in the nomination: How has the use of the planning process in this context expanded the envelope of accepted planning principles?

Transferability. How does the initiative provide an example for others? To what extent is the wider application of this initiative in the interest of the planning process?

Role of Planners. To what extent did planners play a role in introducing the planning process to this non-traditional setting? How does the success of this effort increase the importance of planners and the planning process?

Collaboration. To what extent did collaboration between leadership and competing interest lead to implementation? How and when was the affected population brought into the planning process for this initiative?

Comprehensiveness. To what extent have planning principles been observed? How was this process communicated to those who ultimately made the decision?

Education. How has the initiative encouraged those who approved other uses of the planning process to rethink their opinions? To what extent has the initiative affected those beyond the immediate sphere of the initiative's influence?

Results. To what extent has the initiative addressed the need or problem it was designed to meet? How have these results made a difference in the lives of the people in the jurisdiction?

"Bricks and Mortar" Project Award

In order to promote the use of appropriate planning principals by the development community, the "Bricks and Mortar" Project Award has been created. It is the objective of this award to publicly recognize successful projects constructed by private developers in Michigan and to encourage cooperation between planners and private developers.

The program is open to projects of all classifications, commercial, industrial or residential. They may include large scale developments such as PUDs, Shopping Centers, Industrial Parks, Residential subdivisions or site condominiums, or large mixed use projects. They may also include small scale projects such as adaptive reuse of a structure, an urban infill development or other small commercial, industrial or residential projects.

Criteria:

Public Participation. Special attention to community planning issues such as extensive involvement with the public and community officials-evidence through special meetings or progressive changes to the original proposal in response to community/public issues.

Design. Unique design that accomplishes one or more of the following:

• Preserves key, natural features (wetlands, views, shoreline, woodlands, agricultural lands, etc.) that are typically lost in such a development
• Provides affordable housing
• Revitalizes urban area or reuse of buildings
• Development of a brownfield or "abandoned" site
• Integration of uses
• Use of new planning techniques not yet common in Michigan
• Unusual architectural and site design elements to harmonize elements within the project and the surrounding neighborhoods

Transferability. Successful project that has applicability to other areas in Michigan

Outstanding Student Project Award

The Outstanding Student Project Award honors an individual student or team in a planning program for outstanding performance and who have made significant, positive contributions to comprehensive community planning in Michigan.

Criteria:

Innovation. Creative application of planning concepts or techniques, encouragement of debate or critical thought.

Applicability. Demonstration of a learning process, consideration of practical factors.

Quality. Excellence of thought, analysis, writing and graphics.

Comprehensiveness. Observation of planning principles, balance, consideration of a broad range of public and private objectives.