The Governor's Smart Communities Awards                         

Outstanding efforts of local communities and their partners is occuring throughout Washington State to create quality communities and this page highlights those successes.

The Governor's Smart Communities Awards - For Outstanding Achievement in Creating Livable and Vibrant Communities 2008 Nomination Instructions and Forms
2008 Nomination Instructions
Categories:
2008 Smart Vision Award Form (Comprehensive Planning) Local governments only are invited to submit nominations in this category.  Entries include adoption or amendment of comprehensive plans, subarea plans, urban design plans, downtown revitalization plans, rural plans, transportation plans, and others.

2008 Smart Choices Award Form (Implementation of a Comprehensive Plan) For local governments and other public sector agencies, nominations are sought that show how well a local plan is being carried out.

2008 Smart Partnerships Award Form (Development Project to Implement a Comprehensive Plan) The private sector is encouraged to enter in this category.  Public-private partnerships also are welcome.  Entries include mixed-use developments, neotraditional development, historic preservation, infill development, affordable housing, and others.
 

Previous winners of the Governor's Smart Communities Awards

The Governor's Smart Communities Awards - For Outstanding Achievement in Creating Livable and Vibrant Communities
2007 Winners:

• Seattle's Broadway Crossing - Public/Private Partnerships: Brought together many elements of the plan to meet the number of needs.  Amazing turnout and support for affordable housing and diversity.
• City of Bellevue - Neighborhood Investment Strategy: This report does the best job of showing how the project ties back to the comprehensive plan.  Clear benefit to those in West Lake Hills neighborhood, but also enhances the city as a whole.
• City of Bothell - Capital Facilities Plan: Public participation in building the plan was key and tied back to the comprehensive plan.  Both the technology used and policy guides are very innovative.
• City of Everett - Downtown Subarea Plan: The scope and approach was great.  It is innovative because they try to look at the economics of future growth.
• City of Oak Harbor - Fort Nugent Park/Community Built Playground: Adequate recreation facilities should be a key goal in all comprehensive plans.  Great leverage and a clear vote of approval in the community.
• City of SeaTac - SeaTac/Airport Station Area Action Plan and South 154th Street Station Area Action Plan: It is innovative in several ways - the interagency collaboration; reacquisition of property owners' roles and rights - but particularly in seeking to capitalize on the opportunity of this transit improvement.
• Tacoma Housing Authority - Salishan Hope VI Redevelopment Project: This program met city plan goals by not reducing density - but also opening parks, improving draingage and adding green space.  Financing is impressive; affordability outstanding.
• Seattle Housing Authority - West Seattle's New High Point: Great project.  Incorporates a lot of growth management act principles.  They have built in housing, and addressed transporatation impacts and environmental issues - can be a model for others.
• Stevens County - Comprehensive Plan: Significant breakthrough in developing the comprehensive plan.  Stevens County deserves recognition for their public participation discussions.

2006 Winners:

• City of Bainbridge Island - Winslow Tomorrow: Emphasis on re-use of existing buildings for housing, businesses and public services fits well with the small business assistance program and transit orientation toward a revitalized downtown.
• City of Bremerton - Comprehensive Plan & Zoning Code Update: the speed with which they matched code to plans is amazing - need more of this.
• City of Redmond - Redmond Comprehensive Plan: Especially good example of incorporating a housing element into a comprehensive plan for the community.
• City of Woodinville - Greenbrier Heights Affordable Housing Community: Clear that affordable housing served as well as open space - and community amenities.
• Jefferson County - Implementing Jefferson County Policy to Support Agriculture While Protecting Fish & Wildlife Habitat: Worked with all stakeholders for a workable solution - not an easy task.
• King County Housing Authority and GGLO - White Center Greenbridge Revitalized Neighborhood: Great redevelopment project integrating many of the aspects of growth management planning, notably trnasporation and housing, into a project that has substantial benefit to the community.
• Snohomish County - Transfer of Development Rights Program (TDR): If successfully implemented, provides a direct, tangible connection between three important goals of the Growth Management Act - conservation of natural resource lands, encouraging new growth in urban areas, and reducing sprawl.

Puget Sound Regional Council Vision 2020 Awards - The Awards recognize inspiring projects, plans, and programs that increase the vitality of the central Puget Sound region and help implement the region's growth, economic, and transportation strategy.

Planning Association of Washington - The program is designed to recognize exemplary planning efforts in the state of Washington; promote quality planning at all levels of government and by the private sector; and increase public awareness of the role of planning in the state.