Awards
2026 Awards Gala
An evening of inspiration
Northern is delighted to announce the highly anticipated event, the 2026 Awards Gala, a celebration of the exceptional individuals, projects, and plans shaping the future of planning across the region.
Date: Thursday, September 17, 2026
Time: 6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Location: Fluid510, 1544 Broadway, Oakland
This year’s Awards Gala honors outstanding recipients whose innovation, excellence, and leadership are moving the planning field forward. Come celebrate, connect, and be inspired alongside colleagues and community members who share your passion for great places.
Ticket prices:
- APA Member: $81.88, incl. $6.88 Fee
- Under-represented/Emerging Professionals Member: $49.87, incl. $4.87 Fee
- Students: $12.51, incl. $2.51 fee; must be enrolled for at least 1 semester in the current or previous school year.
- Non-Member/General admission: $103.22, incl. $8.22 Fee
- Under-represented/Emerging Professionals Non-member: $71.21, incl. $6.21 Fee
Transportation
We’re committed to making the event accessible to everyone. The venue is conveniently located ~0.1 miles south of the 19th Street Oakland BART station at 1900 Broadway, Oakland, CA, 94612, near Thomas L. Berkley Way. Street parking is available, and several parking lots are located within walking distance of the venue. For drivers, carpooling is highly encouraged.
Questions? Reach out to Carlina Rose, Awards Program Director, at [email protected].
We can’t wait to celebrate with you!
2026 Northern Planning Award Winners
Each year, the Northern bestows Planning Awards to honor the most outstanding efforts in planning in the Section. The jury was impressed with the high quality of applications across the board. After careful deliberation, the results are in and we are excited to share them with you!
Elizabeth “Libby” Tyler, FAICP, Northern Director, bestowed the following Special Recognition Awards:
| Awards Category | Organization | Project | Award: Excellence | Merit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academic | UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies, and UCLA Center for Neighborhood Knowledge | The Implications of Freeway Siting in California | Excellence |
| Communications Initiative and Outreach | City of Berkeley, Planning and Development Department | Corridors Zoning Update | Excellence |
| Communications Initiative and Outreach | Association of Bay Area Governments | Welcome Home! Resources | Merit |
| Daniel Burnham Award for a Comprehensive Plan | City of San Carlos Community Development Department | San Carlos Downtown Specific Plan and Downtown Streetscape Master Plan | Merit |
| Implementation | City of Oakland, BART, Alameda County, Laney College, Metropolitan Transportation Commission, Association of Bay Area Governments, Alameda County Transportation Commission, Caltrans, Oakland Housing Authority, East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation, Strada Investment Group | Lake Merritt Station Area Plan Implementation | Merit |
| Planning Agency Award (public sector) | City of Martinez Planning Division | City of Martinez Planning Division | Excellence |
| Planning Excellence | Caltrans District 4, Division of Transportation Planning | Vision 980 | Excellence |
| Planning Excellence | City and County of San Francisco, Planning Department | Family Zoning Plan | Merit |
| Resilience and Sustainability | PlaceWorks and California State Parks, Santa Cruz District | Big Basin Redwoods State Park Facilities Management Plan | Excellence |
| Resilience and Sustainability | City of Marina, Community Development Department, Planning & Development Services | City of Marina Local Coastal Program (LCP) Coastal Hazards and Sea Level Rise Update | Merit |
| Transportation Planning | West Contra Costa Transportation Commission | Richmond Parkway Transportation Plan | Excellence |
| Transportation Planning | City of Santa Cruz, Public Works Department | Santa Cruz Rail Trail Segment 7 | Merit |
| Urban Design | BART, City of Berkeley, Berkeley Housing Authority, BRIDGE Housing, East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation, Insight Housing, AvalonBay Communities | North Berkeley BART Transit-Oriented Development | Excellence |
| Urban Design | San Francisco Planning Department | San Francisco Design Standards | Merit |
Thank you to our jury!
The Northern Board would like to extend a huge thank you to our panel of jurors for taking the time to review each application thoroughly and for engaging in thoughtful deliberation. The 2026 jury consisted of:
- Taylor Bateman, Community Development Director for the City of Scotts Valley
- Wilson Tam, Transportation Planning Manager for the City of San Jose
- Hilary Nixon, Deputy Executive Director at the Mineta Transportation Institute
- Uttara “Tara” Ramakrishnan, Urban Designer for the City of Berkeley
- Kenya Wheeler, Principal Planner at the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency
