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Local agencies, Journal reporter recognized by planning association
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American Planning Association, California Chapter Central Section honored the City of Newman, Tulare County Resource Management Agency Planning Branch and Turlock Journal reporter Alex Cantatore with the association’s 2012 Planning Awards.

 

The City of Newman was awarded the Planning Implementation Award - Small Jurisdiction for the “City of Newman Downtown Revitalization Plan.”

 

“The City of Newman’s achievement for implementation of its revitalization plan reflects the city’s efforts for implementing a range of civic objectives in a continuous and sustained manner over many years, especially with changing staff, dozens of stakeholders involved, and multiple city councils,” said Ralph Kachadourian, the California Chapter Central Section director.

 

The Education Project Award was given to the County of Tulare Resource Management Agency Planning Branch for the “Central California 2011 Planning Commissioners Workshop.”

 

“The Planning Branch hosted an educational program and forum for planning commissioners from the numerous cities and counties throughout the Central Valley region,” Kachadourian said. “This workshop was skillfully crafted to support planning commissioners’ understanding of the changing regulatory and procedural landscape of planning and land use affecting the Central Valley by providing an extensive, affordable and entertaining workshop venue.”

 

Journal reporter Cantatore won the Individual Journalist Award for public service reporting on land use and planning issues in the City of Turlock.

 

“The California Chapter Central Section considers the Individual Journalist Award of equal importance to our land use awards, because keeping the general public properly informed on local land use matters is vital to promoting a greater understanding of how land use decisions are made and why they are made,” Kachadourian said. “As a reporter for the Turlock Journal, Mr. Cantatore effectively informed the public of planning issues with easy to read articles that enabled citizens to clearly understand the planning and land use topics he covered.”

 

The American Planning Association, California Central Section Awards program encourages quality and innovativeness in land use planning and increases public awareness of the planning profession through the recognition of outstanding achievements and individuals in the planning field. The 11 county Central Section of the American Planning Association California Chapter is comprised of Fresno, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Mono, Stanislaus, Tulare and Tuolumne counties.

 

“Without employing good planning principles, local development could lead to urban blight, unmanaged sprawl, and less than desirable aesthetics,” Kachadourian said.