Department honored for its work on community engagement, transportation and long range planning, and advancing diversity and social equity.
WHEATON, MD – The Montgomery County Planning Department , part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) , has won four awards from the American Planning Association’s (APA) National Capital Area and Maryland chapters for the Pedestrian Master Plan , the Mapping Segregation Project, the Great Seneca Plan: Connecting Life and Science , and the Fairland and Briggs Chaney Master Plan .
“Montgomery Planning is honored to receive these regional awards from the esteemed American Planning Association, and to be recognized by our peers for producing outstanding work,” said Montgomery Planning Director Jason Sartori. “I’m extremely proud of the many staff members who worked on these projects that exemplify the interdisciplinary expertise of our planners and our thoughtful and innovative approaches that make our department a perennial industry leader.”
APA National Capital Area Chapter Planning Excellence Award in Transportation: Pedestrian Master Plan
APA National Capital Area Chapter Planning Excellence Award in Advancing Diversity and Social Equity: The Mapping Segregation Project
APA Maryland Chapter Planning Award for Community Engagement/Education: The Great Seneca Plan: Connecting Life and Science
APA Maryland Chapter Planning Award for Long Range Planning: Fairland and Briggs Chaney Master Plan
APA National Capital Area Chapter awards
The APA’s National Capital Area Chapter (APA-NCAC) Chapter Planning Awards recognize outstanding community plans, programs and initiatives, public engagement, and individual planners and leadership throughout Washington, DC, Prince George’s County, and Montgomery County. Learn more about the awards , which were handed out at APA-NCAC’s annual conference on October 11 at the Washington Hilton.
Planning Excellence Award in Transportation: Pedestrian Master Plan
The Pedestrian Master Plan is a pioneering and paradigm-shifting document developed by Montgomery Planning’s Countywide Planning and Policy Division. A first of its kind in Montgomery County, the plan comprehensively examines pedestrian-related infrastructure and policies, and provides visionary, data-driven, and equity-focused approaches to systemically improve the pedestrian experience countywide. Read more about the plan .
From the APA-NCAC: This award recognizes outstanding achievements in transportation planning that demonstrate innovation, effectiveness, and a commitment to enhancing mobility, safety, and accessibility. Celebrating projects and initiatives that have significantly improved transportation systems, this category honors efforts that promote efficient, accessible, and environmentally responsible travel options. The recipient’s work exemplifies best practices in integrating transportation planning with broader community goals, enhancing connectivity, and advancing the quality of life for all residents.
Planning Excellence Award in Advancing Diversity and Social Equity: The Mapping Segregation Project
The Mapping Segregation Project is a fascinating and revealing look at racially restrictive covenants and how discriminatory housing practices shaped communities in the downcounty area of Montgomery County (properties within the Capital Beltway). Montgomery Planning’s Historic Preservation Office conducted land record and plat analysis of all neighborhoods and subdivisions recorded prior to 1953. Using primary source materials, staff determined which neighborhoods were constructed with or later adopted racially restrictive covenants. These findings are illustrated on an interactive online map .
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From the APA-NCAC: This award honors an individual, project, group, or organization that promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion. The nominated effort demonstrates a sustained commitment to advocacy by addressing the concerns of women or minority groups through specific actions or contributions within the planning profession or through planning practice.
APA Maryland Chapter awards
The Maryland Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA MD) and the Maryland Planning Commissioners Association (MPCA) co-sponsored the APA Maryland/MPCA Planning Awards to recognize outstanding planning work in jurisdictions across the state. Learn more about the awards , which were handed out on October 21 during the 2024 APA MD/MPCA Joint Conference at Turf Valley Resort in Ellicott City.
Community Engagement/Education Award: Great Seneca Plan: Connecting Life and Science
Montgomery Planning’s Midcounty Planning Division developed the Great Seneca Plan: Connecting Life and Science , a master plan focused on the economic competitiveness of the Life Sciences Center, a thriving hub that is host to a diverse population and leading life sciences, medical, and educational institutions and organizations along the I-270 Corridor. Robust community engagement and meaningful participation in the planning process were critical to crafting the plan recommendations. Planning staff’s engagement strategy focused on meeting people where they are. Read the plan’s community outreach and engagement report .
From the APA MD/MCPA: This award recognizes planning work that creatively and comprehensively involves stakeholders, particularly underrepresented groups, in the local, regional, or state planning process. Beyond engagement alone, efforts deserving recognition in this category demonstrate how community input was used to develop responsive and representative plans or projects.
Long Range Planning Award: Fairland and Briggs Chaney Master Plan
The Fairland and Briggs Chaney Master Plan establishes a vision for future growth and development along Columbia Pike (U.S. 29) to set the stage for public- and private-sector investment to improve quality of life for all and create a greater sense of place and inclusion in a part of the county that was past due for much needed support and resources. The plan, developed by Montgomery Planning’s Upcounty Planning Division, offers recommendations to rectify past planning and policy decisions that stunted growth in this area decades ago and to move toward a more socially and culturally connected community that embodies racial equity and social justice. Visit the plan’s website for more plan information and resources.
From the APA MD/MCPA: The Long Range Planning Award honors comprehensive or sub area planning advancing sustainable development, resilience, or equity. Efforts deserving recognition in this category should exemplify complex analysis, broad stakeholder engagement, creative and leading-edge strategic thought, and mechanism for plan implementation, assessment, accountability, and adjustment.
For updates and link to press release, see here: https://montgomeryplanning.org/?p=59062