Awards & Recognition - Award Criteria
Our award recipients are nomitated by a wide range of people including citizens, planners and other officials. Each year, we distribute the criteria under which a nominee should be considered for a specific award. These critera are defined below.
Project of the Year
This award will be made to a project, program or tool, which reflects the highest achievement of community planning efforts. Submissions could be regulations, ordinances or codes, growth management guidelines or ordinances, transferable development rights programs, land acquisition efforts, tax abatement initiatives, or similar efforts.
Project of the Year Criteria
- Originality - The project represents innovative concepts or an appreciable refinement of existing techniques or procedures.
- Transferability - The project demonstrates potential application in other areas or to other projects.
- Quality - The project demonstrates excellence of thought, analysis, writing, graphics, and character of presentation.
- Comprehensiveness - The project demonstrates application of comprehensive planning principles, especially in considering the project's effects on other public objectives.
- Participation- The project incorporates or reflects substantial public participation.
- Project Effectiveness - Proposals embodied in the project have either been carried out or show promise of being carried out.
Plan of the Year
This award will be made to a written plan that is a significant advancement to the science and art of planning. Eligible plans include comprehensive/master plans, housing plans, capital improvement plans, environmental/conservation plans, park and recre¬ation plans, transportation plans, redevelopment plans, economic development plans, or rails to trials plans.
Criteria for Plan of the Year
- Originality - The plan presents a visionary approach or innovative concept within the context of the jurisdiction’s situation. The plan “pushes the envelope” of planning norms.
Transferability - The plan demonstrates potential application in other areas. - Quality - The plan shows excellence of thought, analysis, writing, graphics, and applies ethical planning principles. Comprehensiveness: Planning principles have been observed, especially in consideration of the plan’s effects on other public objectives.
- Participation - The plan incorporates or reflects substantial public participation.
- Implementation: The plan includes a strong element detailing measurable implementation tasks and goals, showing effectiveness in short, medium and long terms.
Citizen Planner of the Year and Board of the Year
(Both Categories)
This award will be made to a citizen planner or board that represents commitment to community betterment and the application of effective planning principles. This category includes members of planning commissions, DRBs, zoning boards, economic development commissions, or other elected or appointed officials and committees. Citizen Planner could also include the more non-traditional roles of citizen activist or neighborhood leader.
Criteria for Planner/Board of the Year
- Support of Planning - The citizen or board demonstrates an obvious and sustained dedication to the continued improvement of the community as a whole through the application of the principles of planning.
- Effectiveness - Because of the citizen’s or board’s dedication, there is a demonstrated improvement in the community as a whole and in the advancement of planning, taking into consideration the sphere of influence this effectiveness has been realized.
Professional Planner of the Year
This award will be made to a professional planner who has demonstrated outstanding contributions to successful planning in Vermont's communities, regions or the state, through distinguished practice, teaching or writing. This person must make his/her living in the practice of planning, either in the public or private sector.
Criteria for Professional Planner of the Year
- Support of Planning - The professional planner's work has demonstrated an obvious and sustained dedication to the continued improvement of his or her community through the application of comprehensive planning principles.
- Innovation - The professional planner's work demonstrates an ability to develop innovative tools or solutions to planning problems.
- Leadership - The professional planner's work demonstrates leadership in successfully addressing a variety of planning issues.
- Effectiveness/Results - The professional planner's has consistently demonstrated the ability to be effective in his or her work, taking into consideration the sphere of influence this effectiveness has been realized.