Award winners

APA California Northern Section Awards Winners

Each year, the Northern Section 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!

Current awards winners

Awards CategoryOrganizationName of ProjectAward (Excellence/Merit)
AcademicUCLA Institute of Transportation StudiesAssessing Public Outreach about Slow Streets in San FranciscoExcellence
AcademicUCLA Institute of Transportation StudiesUsing Data Science for Equity at SFMTAMerit
Best PracticesCommunity Planning CollaborativeMother Lode ADUExcellence
Best PracticesRincon ConsultantsNapa Sonoma Collaborative, 4LEAF, and Rincon Consultants/Housing ConnectMerit
Communications InitiativeCity of ConcordCity of Concord/Planning Division/Concord Community AcademyExcellence 
Comprehensive Plan – Large JurisdictionCommunity Planning CollaborativeMoffett Park Specific PlanExcellence  
Comprehensive Plan – Small JurisdictionDyett & Bhatia, Urban and Regional PlannersNapa 2040 General Plan (General Plan Update)Merit
Economic Planning and DevelopmentCity of BerkeleyZoning Amendments for Berkeley BusinessExcellence
Economic Planning and DevelopmentLexington PlanningOld Town Newark Specific PlanMerit
Hard-Won VictoriesCity of WatsonvilleDowntown Watsonville Specific PlanExcellence
Opportunity/ EmpowermentCity of Oakland – Planning and Building DepartmentTeam: City of Oakland Planning and Building Department, Dyett and Bhatia, Deeply Rooted Collaborative/Oakland 2045 General Plan Update Phase 1Excellence
Planning Agency (public sector)City of CampbellCity of Campbell PlanningExcellence
Public OutreachTown of Corte MaderaTown of Corte Madera Housing Element Update (2023 – 2031)Excellence
Public OutreachDudekUnderrepresented Communities Technical Assistance Program: Communication, Engagement, Facilitation, and Technical Assistance for Tribal Governments, Unrepresented Communities, and Small Socially Disadvantaged FarmersMerit
Resilience and SustainabilityWRTReimagine San Geronimo: A Vision FrameworkExcellence
Resilience and SustainabilityRincon Consultants, Inc.Sonoma County Carbon Inventory and Sequestration Potential StudyMerit
Transportation PlanningCity of San PabloCity of San Pablo Contra Costa College Mobility Hub PlanExcellence
Transportation PlanningFehr & PeersCity of San Jose / San Jose Downtown Transportation PlanMerit
Urban DesignCMG Landscape ArchitectureSan Francisco Civic Center Public Realm PlanExcellence
Urban DesignDyett & BhatiaSonoma Developmental Center Specific PlanMerit

In addition to the aforementioned awards, the Northern Section Director bestowed the following special recognition awards:

  • Special Recognition Award: Emerging Planner – Carlina Rose
  • Special Recognition Award: Mid-Career Planner – Omar Masry, AICP
  • Special Recognition Award: Distinguished Planner – Darcy Kremin, AICP

The Northern Section 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. Our 2024 Jury was comprised of:

  • Anne Hersch, AICP, Land Use Planning Manager, City of Berkeley
  • Audrey Maria Zagazeta, Chief Executive Officer, Circlepoint
  • Kim Walton, Senior Transportation Planner, San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency
  • Timothy Rood AICP, LEED AP, Community Development Director, City of Hercules
  • Veronica Tam, Owner, Veronica Tam and Associates

Save the Date: Awards Gala 

Congratulations to all of the winners and thank you to everyone who applied. We look forward to seeing you at our Awards Gala, where our 2024 APA California – Northern Section Awards recipients will be celebrated. The Gala will tentatively be held on September 12th, 2024. More information will be shared once it becomes available. If you, or someone you know, is interested in helping to plan the Awards Gala, please contact Danae Hall at awardssubmissions@norcalapa.org

Past award winners

    Advancing diversity and social change

    • 2023 Award of ExcellenceCalifornia High-Speed Rail, San Jose to Merced Project Section, Environmental Justice Community Improvement Planning and Engagement Process. California High-Speed Rail Authority
    • 2020 Award of Excellence — City of Salinas – Alisal Vibrancy Plan.
      Created with equity at its core, it is an action-oriented, community-driven plan to alleviate and reverse decades of neglect and underinvestment, and it is an opportunity to improve the quality of life for residents by building upon the social and cultural wealth of the Alisal. See the Plan.
    • 2019 Award of Excellence — L. Robert Ulibarri, AICP
    • 2018 Award of Merit, Social and Environmental JusticeSanta Cruz’s Climate Adaptation Outreach Campaign, City of Santa Cruz Climate Action Program

    Best practices

    • 2023 Award of ExcellenceCity of Emeryville 2023-2031 Housing Element. City of Emeryville and PlaceWorks
    • 2023 Award of Merit — Antioch Commercial Infill Housing. City of Antioch and PlaceWorks
    • 2022 Award of Excellence — Milpitas Planning Tools for Housing. Team: City of Milpitas and Metta Urban Design
    • 2021 Award of Excellence — Innovation in Oakland. Team: Darin Ranelletti, City of Oakland | MTC/ABAG, Ada Chan | Urban Planning Partners, Lynette Dias and Meredith Rupp
    • 2021 Award of Merit — What’s behind recent transit ridership trends in the Bay Area? Team: UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies, Research team: Brian D. Taylor, FAICP; Evelyn Blumenberg, Jacob L. Wasserman, Mark Garrett, Andrew Schouten, Hannah King, Julene Paul, and Madeline Ruvolo | Metropolitan Transportation Commission, Supervisory staff: Alix Bockelman and Kenneth Folan
    • 2020 Award of Excellence — VTA’s BART Silicon Valley Phase II Transit Oriented Community PlaybooksTeam: VTA / Perkins and Will / Strategic Economics / Kimley Horn / Nelson Nygaard / BKF Engineers / CHS Consulting
      The Playbooks present a holistic, phased road map for the Cities of San José and Santa Clara to leverage this once-in-a-century public investment and elevate the station areas to become dense, equitable, and resilient urban centers. See the playbooks.
    • 2019 Award of Excellence — San Mateo County Second Unit Center,  21 Elements | Home for All | San Mateo County
    • 2019 Award of Merit — Albany Residential Design Guidelines — Albany Planning & Zoning Commission | Albany Planning Department
    • 2018 Award of Excellence SB 1000 Implementation Toolkit, California Environmental Justice Alliance (CEJA) and PlaceWorks
    • 2018 Award of Merit — City of Mountain View Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) Program, City of Mountain View
    • 2017 Award of Excellence — City and County of San Francisco Transportation Sustainability Program
    • 2017 Award of Merit — City of Richmond Zoning and Subdivision Regulations
    • 2017 Award of Merit — City of Berkeley Measure U1
    • 2016 Award of Excellence — Redwood City Community Benefits Program
    • 2016 Award of Merit — California Department of Food and Agriculture Statewide Plant Pest Prevention and Management Program
    • 2014 Award of Excellence — 21 Elements / Grand Nexus Study, San Mateo County
    • 2013 Award of Excellence — Berkeley Downtown Area Project – City of Berkeley Planning and Development Department
    • 2012 Award of Excellence — SJSU / VTA Collaborative Research on Transit Oriented Development Residential Parking, San José State University (SJSU); and Santa Clara Valley Transit Authority (VTA)
    • 2012 Award of Merit — Bay Regional Park District Wildfire Hazard Reduction and Resource Management Plan, East Bay Regional Parks District; and LSA Associates, Inc.
    • 2011 Award of Excellence – San Francisco Better Streets Plan, City of San Francisco Planning Department
    • 2011 Award of Merit — Richmond Heritage Homes Design Guidelines, City of Richmond; and Opticos Design, Inc.
    • 2010 Award of Excellence — Envision San José 2040: Phase I and II Community Engagement Program, City of San José, Department of Planning, Building and Code Enforcement
    • 2009 Award of Excellence — California Pedestrian Safety Assessments Program, Fehr & Peers, Inc.; and UC Berkeley Institute of Transportation Studies
    • 2008 Award of Excellence — 23rd Street Specific Plan, City of San Pablo
    • 2008 Award of Merit — MacArthur BART Access Feasibility Study, City of Oakland, City of Oakland; and Fehr & Peers

    Comprehensive plan – large jurisdiction

    • 2023 Award of ExcellenceSan José Diridon Station Area Plan. City of San José, Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, The SWA Group
    • 2023 Award of Merit — El Camino Real Specific Plan, City of Sunnyvale. City of Sunnyvale and M-Group
    • 2022 Award of Excellence — City of Santa Rosa, Downtown Station Area Specific Plan Update. Team: City of Santa Rosa and Dyett and Bhatia
    • 2021 Award of ExcellenceTasman East Specific Plan. Team: City of Santa Clara | Ensemble/Rethink Development | Related California | Holland Partner Group | Summerhill Apartment Communities | St. Anton Communities | Greystar Development
    • 2020 Award of Merit — City of Hayward – Downtown Specific Plan.Team: City of Hayward & Lisa Wise Consulting, Inc.
    • 2019 Award of Excellence — Central SoMa Plan — San Francisco Planning Department
    • 2018 Award of Excellence — Propel Vallejo, General Plan 2040, City of Vallejo
    • 2012 Award of Excellence — The Envision San José 2040 General Plan, City of San José, Department of Planning, Building and Code Enforcement; City of San José, Department of Transportation; City of San José, Office of Economic Development; City of San José, Department of Housing; San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission; and California Department of Transportation
    • 2012 Award of Merit — The City of Fremont General Plan Update, City of Fremont
    • 2011 Award of Merit — Santa Clara Station Area Plan, City of Santa Clara; City of San José; Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority; and Dyett & Bhatia
    • 2008 Award — Marin Countywide Plan, County of Marin

    Comprehensive plan – small jurisdiction

    • 2023 Award of ExcellenceSouth San Francisco 2040 General Plan. City of South San Francisco
    • 2023 Award of Merit — City of Alameda 2023-2031 Housing Element. City of Alameda
    • 2022 Award of Excellence — San Rafael General Plan 2040. Team: Barry Miller, FAICP, project manager, primary author; City of San Rafael, BAE Urban Economics, Communities in Collaboration, Opticos Design, Fehr and Peers, PlaceWorks
    • 2022 Award of Merit — Sausalito 2040 General Plan Update. The Sausalito General Plan benefits from an optional element focused on the waterfront, sea-level rise, preservation of marine industries, and rehabilitation of its historic waterfront industrial area. Team: City of Sausalito; M-Group, FirstCarbon Solutions, Economic and Planning Systems, Parisi Transportation Consultants, BKF Engineers, Mott MacDonald
    • 2022 Award of Merit — Milpitas 2040 General Plan. Team: City of Milpitas and De Novo Planning Group
    • 2021 Award of Merit — City of Gilroy 2040 General Plan and Program Environmental Impact Report. Team: Mintier Harnish: Jim Harnish and Brenton Gibbons, AICP | City of Gilroy: Stan Ketchum, Julie Wyrick, AICP, Cindy McCormick | EMC Planning Group: Teri Wissler Adam | Hexagon Transportation: Jeff Elia | Applied Development Economics: Doug Svensson
    • 2020 Award of Excellence – East Whisman Precise Plan. Team: City of Mountain View / Raimi +Associates / Community Design + Architecture / Strategic Economics/ Fehr & Peers / Siefel Consulting / David J Powers and Associates / Schaaf + Wheeler
    • 2019 Award of ExcellenceVallco Town Center Specific Plan — City of Cupertino | Opticos Design
    • 2019 Award of Merit — Alameda Marina Master Plan — KTGY Architecture + Planning | Alameda Marina Development | Bay West Group
    • 2018 Award of Excellence Belmont General Plan Update, Belmont Village Specific Plan, and Climate Action Plan, City of Belmont, Dyett & Bhatia
    • 2018 Award of Merit — Redwood City El Camino Real Corridor Plan, City of Redwood City, Dyett & Bhatia
    • 2017 Award of Excellence — City of San Leandro 2035 General Plan Update
    • 2017 Award of Merit — East Palo Alto General Plan Update and Westside Area Plan
    • 2016 Award of Excellence — City of Mountain View El Camino Real Precise Plan
    • 2016 Award of Merit — South San Francisco Downtown Station Area Specific Plan
    • 2014 Award of Excellence — Windsor Station Area / Downtown Specific Plan, Town of Windsor
    • 2014 Award of Merit — Mill Valley 2040 General Plan, City of Mill Valley
    • 2014 Award of Merit — Petaluma Smart Stations TOD Master Plan and SmartCode, City of Petaluma
    • 2014 Award of Merit — Woodside 2012 General Plan and Residential Design Guidelines, Town of Woodside
    • 2013 Award of Excellence — Berkeley Downtown Area Project – City of Berkeley Planning and Development Department
    • 2012 Award of Merit — City of Redwood City General Plan, City of Redwood; Hogle-Ireland, Inc.; Strategic Economics; and Fehr & Peers
    • 2011 Award of Merit — Trinidad Westhaven Integrated Coastal Water Management Plan, City of Trinidad; and Streamline Planning Consultants
    • 2010 Award of Merit — Emeryville General Plan, City of Emeryville; and Dyett & Bhatia
    • 2010 Award of MeritIntegrated San Carlos 2030 General Plan and Climate Action Plan, City of San Carlos; Design, Community & Environment; Dyett & Bhatia and Pacific Municipal Consultants
    • 2009 Award — Milpitas Transit Area Specific Plan, City of Milpitas; and Dyett & Bhatia
    • 2008 Award — Redwood City Downtown Precise Plan, City of Redwood City

    Academic award

    • 2023 Award of ExcellenceGraduate Urban Planning Capstone Studio Students, San Jose State University: Guadalupe River Park User Survey and Recommendations for the Future of the Park. San Jose State University, Dept. of Urban & Regional Planning.
    • 2023 Award of Merit — Downtown Campbell Vision Plan. City and Regional Planning Department, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
    • 2022 Award of Excellence — Homelessness in Transit Environments. Team: UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies: Anastasia Loukaitou-Sideris (PI) Professor; Associate Dean of the School of Public Affairs. Research team: Jacob L. Wasserman, Hao Ding, Ryan Caro
    • 2021 Award of ExcellenceAlum Rock Avenue Community Assessment, San Jose State University Master of Urban Planning Program. Graduate Students in the San Jose State University Masters of Urban Planning Program Capstone Studio: Fall 2019 and Spring 2020
    • 2021 Award of MeritAccess Denied? Perceptions of new Mobility Services among Disabled People in San Francisco. Maddy Ruvolo | UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies | UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs | San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency | Senior and Disability Action
    • 2020 Award of Excellence — San Jose State University, Graduate Student Urban Planning Team, Fall 2018/Spring 2019. Team: Instructors Rick Kos, AICP & Jason Su / Graduate Urban Planning Capstone Studio Team in Fall 2018/Spring 2019.
    • 2018 Award of Excellence —Newark Old Town Urban Design Concept Plan
    • 2017 Award of Excellence – East Santa Clara Street Urban Village Planning, Community Assessment Report
    • 2016 Award of Excellence — San José State University Department of Urban and Regional Planning – Greater Washington: Voices of the Community Report
    • 2014 Award of Excellence – Urban Design Visions for Milpitas – California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo Community Design Lab
    • 2014 Award of Merit Spartan-Keyes Neighborhood Assessment and Community Engagement Report, San José State University
    • 2012 Planning Achievement Award — Lawrence Berkeley National Lab’s Second Campus Economic Impact Analysis, Karen Chapple, Ph.D., UC Berkeley
    • 2011 Planning Achievement Award — Healthy By Design: A Public Health and Land Use Planning Workbook, Sonoma State University Center for Sustainable Communities, Department of Environmental Studies and Planning; Sonoma County Department of Health Services; Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District; and Sonoma County Medical Association Alliance Foundation
    • 2010 Planning Achievement Award, Academic — Alviso Community Assessment. Graduate Planning Students in UrbP-201 (Fall 2008) and UrbP-203 (Spring 2009), San José State University, Urban and Regional Planning Department
    • 2009 Planning Achievement Award — Do Central Business District Redevelopment Investments Have a Positive Influence on Surrounding Neighborhoods?, Amy Fauria, San José State University
    • 2008 Planning Achievement Award — San José EcoPark, Urban Planning 260 Graduate Students, San José State University’s Urban and Regional Planning Department

    Economic and planning development

    • 2023 Award of ExcellenceShared Spaces Program. City and County of San Francisco
    • 2022 Award of Merit — East Side Innovation District Vision Plan. The City of San Carlos East Side Innovation District is an excellent example of economic development planning using a unique planning methodology and strategy to revitalize an aging industrial commercial district into a transformative 21st-century mixed-use, innovation-economy-focused neighborhood. Team: City of San Carlos and Perkins & Will Consultants
    • 2020 Award of Merit — City of Sand City / Sand City Vibrancy PlanTeam: City of Sand City / EMC Planning Group /Applied Development Economics
    • 2019 Award of Merit — Priority Area 1 Specific Plan  — City of Brentwood | De Novo Planning Group
    • 2019 Award of Merit — Albany Residential Design Guidelines — Albany Planning & Zoning Commission | Albany Planning Department
    • 2016 Award of Merit Alameda County Ashland and Cherryland Business District Specific Plan and Code Update

    Hard-won victory

    • 2023 Award of ExcellenceMarin County 6th Cycle Housing Element. County of Marin and MIG, with VTA Associates
    • 2023 Award of Merit — City of Albany San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan. City of Albany
    • 2021 Award of Excellence — Concord Hills Regional Park Land Use Plan. Team: East Bay Regional Park District | PlaceWorks, Inc.
    • 2020 Award of Excellence — Northern Waterfront Initiative Strategic Action Plan. Team: Contra Costa County Department of Conservation and Development & Craft Consulting
    • 2019 Award of Excellence — City of Santa Rosa Resilient City Development Measures Ordinance, City of Santa Rosa, Planning Division
    • 2019 Award of Merit — Mill Valley Lumber Yard Adaptive Reuse Project — Matt and Jan Mathews |Christopher Raker | Mark Rhoades | Michael Heacock| David Parisi
    • 2018 Award of Merit – Palo Alto Comprehensive Plan, City of Palo Alto, PlaceWorks
    • 2017 Award of Excellence –  City of Willits Main Street Corridor Enhancement Plan
    • 2016 Award of Merit – City of Vacaville General Plan
    • 2011 Planning Achievement Award of Excellence — Candlestick Park, Hunters Point Naval Shipyard Phase II EIR, City and County of San Francisco Planning Department; City and County of San Francisco Redevelopment Agency; City and County of San Francisco Office of the City Attorney; and PBS&J, an ATKINS Company
    • 2011 Planning Achievement Award of Merit — City of Oakland Zoning Update, City of Oakland Strategic Planning Division; and Barry J. Miller, AICP
    • 2010 Planning Achievement AwardVisitacion Valley Design for DevelopmentSan Francisco Redevelopment Agency; Visitacion Valley Planning Alliance; San Francisco Planning Department; and Van Meter Williams Pollack, LLP
    • 2009 Planning Achievement AwardDo Central Business District Redevelopment Investments Have a Positive Influence on Surrounding Neighborhoods?, Amy Fauria, San José State University
    • 2008 Planning Achievement Award San José EcoPark, Urban Planning 260 Graduate Students, San José State University’s Urban and Regional Planning Department

    Resilience and Sustainability

    • 2023 Award of ExcellenceFormer Roddy Ranch Habitat Restoration and Public Access Plan. East Bay Regional Park District and East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservancy
    • 2023 Award of MeritCity of Milpitas Climate Action Plan. City of Milpitas and Ascent
    • 2022 Award of Excellence — San Francisco Bay Trail Risk Assessment and Adaptation Prioritization Plan. Team: East Bay Regional Park District and WRT
    • 2021 Award of ExcellenceLower Russian River Trail Feasibility Study. Team: Sonoma County Regional Parks | Alta Planning + Design | W-Trans | Green Valley Consulting Engineers | Miller Pacific Engineering Group | Alta Archaeological Consulting | Peter Baye | Rachel Kamman
    • 2020 Award of Excellence – Collect & Connect – Resilient South City. Team: Hassell / Deltares / Goudappel / Lotus Water / Civic Edge / Idyllist / Hatch / Page & Turnbull / Brown and Caldwell / San Bruno Mountain Watch / South San Francisco Historical Society / San Mateo Youth Leadership Institute
    • 2020 Award of Merit —Judge John Sutter Regional ShorelineTeam: East Bay Regional Park District & Caltrans
    • 2019 Award of Excellence — Santa Clara Valley Agricultural Plan — County of Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority
    • 2019 Award of Merit — Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Climate Action Plan —Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District
    • 2018 Award of Merit – Living Community Patterns, SF Planning/Living Future Institute
    • 2017 Award of Excellence — Mission Creek Sea Level Rise Adaptation Study
    • 2017 Award of Merit — San Francisco Better Roofs Ordinance
    • 2016 Award of Excellence – Vallco Town Center Specific Plan
    • 2016 Award of Merit — San Jose/Santa Clara Water Pollution Control Plant Master Plan
    • 2014 Award of Excellence – Camp Pico Blanco Scout Reservation Conservation Plan, EMC Planning Group
    • 2014 Award of Merit – Nanhu New Country Village Master Plan, Skidmore Owings Merrill
    • 2012 Award of Excellence — Treasure Island and Yerba Buena Island Design for Development. Treasure Island Community Development; and Perkins+Will
    • 2012 Award of Merit – Concord Reuse Project, City of Concord; and Arup
    • 2011 Award of Excellence – Martial Cottle Park Master Plan, Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department; City of San José; Design, Community & Environment; State of California Parks and Recreation Department; Santa Clara County Open Space Authority; Santa Clara Valley Water District; and Mr. Walter Cottle Lester
    • 2011 Award of Merit – Union City Climate Action Plan, City of Union City; and AECOM
    • 2010 AwardCity of Berkeley Climate Action Plan, City of Berkeley
    • 2009 Award of Excellence — San Mateo County Sustainable Green Streets and Parking Lots Design Guidebook, San Mateo Countywide Water Pollution Prevention Program; Nevue Ngan Associates; and Sherwood Design Engineers
    • 2009 Award of Merit — San Carlos Climate Action Plan, City of San Carlos; and PMC World
    • 2008 Award of Excellence –—Tapping the Potential of Urban Rooftops – Rooftops Resource Assessment, City of Oakland; and Design, Community & Environment
    • 2008 Award of Merit — Local Action Plan for Climate Protection, City of Alameda

    Transportation planning

    • 2023 Award of ExcellenceState Route 37 Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study and Guidebook. CalTrans and ICF
    • 2023 Award of Merit California Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) Pivot. California SHSP Steering Committee and Executive Leadership
    • 2022 Award of Excellence — Rancho San Antonio Multimodal Access Project. The project planned and implemented a series of TDM strategies to promote greener modes of transportation, reduce parking demand and traffic congestion, and maintain equitable access for both local and regional visitors to Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District’s most visited preserve — a popular community asset and major regional attraction with 700,000 annual visitors. Team: Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District and IBI Group
    • 2022 Award of Merit — San Mateo County Alternative Congestion Relief and TDM Plan. Team: San Mateo County Transportation Authority and WSP
    • 2021 Award of Excellence — Redwood City Citywide Transportation Plan (RWCmoves). Team: City of Redwood City | Fehr & Peers | CDM Smith | Bottomley Design & Planning | Wendy Silvani Consulting
    • 2021 Award of Merit — Richmond Ferry to Bridge to Greenway Complete Streets Plan. Team: City of Richmond | PlaceWorks, Inc. | Toole Design Group | CSW/ST2 Engineering | Bike East Bay
    • 2019 Award of Excellence – Elimination of Minimum Parking Requirements Citywide — Office of San Francisco Supervisor Jane Kim | San Francisco Planning Department
    • 2019 Award of Merit Safe Routes to Schools Safety Assessments — City of Fremont | Fremont Unified School District | Alta Planning + Design
    • 2018 Award of ExcellenceBerkeley Bicycle Plan, City of Berkeley, Alta Planning + Design
    • 2018 Award of Excellence – West Contra Costa High-Capacity Transit Study, West Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee
    • 2018 Award of Merit – SR 68 Scenic Highway Plan Transportation Agency for Monterey County, Caltrans, Kimley Horn, Kittelson and Associates, Pathways for Wildlife
    • 2017 Award of Merit  The Emeryville Greenway
    • 2014 Award of Excellence – Monterey Bay Sanctuary Trail Network Master Plan, Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission
    • 2014 Award of MeritWalkFirst, City and County of San Francisco

    Urban design

    • 2023 Award of MeritSan Benito County Zoning Code Update, ADU Design Handbook/ Construction Drawing Templates. Interwest Consulting Group
    • 2022 Award of Excellence — San José Citywide Design Standards and Guidelines. Team: City of San José, Urban Planning Partners, Inc., Van Meter Williams Pollack LLP
    • 2022 Award of Merit — City of Dublin Downtown Preferred Vision. Team: City of Dublin, Urban Field, ELS Architects, Keyser Marston Associates, Retail Real Estate Resources, SWA Landscape Architects, BKF Engineers, Kimley Horn
    • 2022 Award of Merit — San José Berryessa BART Urban Village Plan. This is one of the first high-density, mixed-use commercial developments near a BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) station in the Bay Area. The approved plan will accommodate up to 14,000 jobs, 4.2 million square feet of commercial space, and 5,100 dwelling units on a combination of both publicly and privately-owned land. Team: City of San José; Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, Fehr and Peers, TS Studio, Barbara Goldstein & Associates
    • 2021 Award of Excellence — Balboa Reservoir Design Standards and Guidelines. Team: PYATOK architecture + urban design | Van Meter Williams Pollack, LLP, Architecture/Urban Design | GLS Landscape/Architecture
    • 2021 Award of Merit — Livermore Downtown Core Revitalization. Team: RRM Design Group | City of Livermore
    • 2020 Award of Excellence – San Jose Downtown Design Guidelines and Standards. Team: City of San Jose / Skidmore, Owings & Merrill / Leila Hakimizadeh / John Beutler / Timothy Rood / Ellen Lou
    • 2020 Award of MeritPotrero Power Station Design for Development. Team: Associate Capital / Perkins and Will / CMG
    • 2019 Award of ExcellencePier 70 Project — Brookfield Properties | Port of San Francisco | SITELAB urban studio
    • 2019 Award of MeritWindsor Civic Center Visioning Plan — City of Windsor, WRT
    • 2017 Award of Excellence –  San Francisco Bay Trail Design Guidelines & Toolkit
    • 2014 Award of Merit Ocean Street Area Plan, City of Santa Cruz

    Grassroots initiative

    • 2021 Award of Excellence — Rebuilding Downtown Santa Clara Team: Reclaiming Our Downtown | Santa Clara Parade of Champion | Old Quad Resident Association
    • 2018 Award of Excellence — Pop-Up Care Village, SITELAB urban studio and Lava Mae
    • 2017 Award of Excellence –  StreetAir
    • 2013 Award of MeritRavenswood / 4 Corners Transit Oriented Development Specific Plan, City of East Palo Alto
    • 2012 Award of Excellence — Central Market Economic Strategy, City and County of San Francisco; and AECOM
    • 2012 Award of Merit – Developing the Seedbed for Arcata’s Emerging Entrepreneurs, City of Arcata; and Greenway Partners, Inc.
    • 2011 Award of ExcellenceOakland International Boulevard Transit-Oriented Development Plan, City of Oakland; Raimi+Associates; Sargent Town Planning; and TransForm
    • 2009 Award of ExcellenceChinatown Economic Action Plan, EDAW|AECOM; UC Berkeley Planning Department; San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Economic Development; and San Francisco Office of Small Business
    • 2008 Award of ExcellenceSolano Transportation Authority’s Safe Routes to School Plan, Solano Transportation Authority

    Planning and health

    • 2021 Award of Merit — Lillian Commons – Morgan Hill Medical Campus. Team: EMC Planning Group – Michael Groves, AICP, and Elizabeth King, Principal Planner/Designer
    • 2020 Award of Excellence – Integrating Health in All Policies Framework into the City of Santa Cruz. Team: City of Santa Cruz / Former Mayor Martine Watkins / Sustainability and Climate Action Manager Dr. Tiffany Wise- West
    • 2020 Award of Merit —Judge John Sutter Regional Shoreline. Team: East Bay Regional Park District & Caltrans
    • 2019 Award of Excellence — Santa Clara Valley Agricultural Plan — County of Santa Clara | Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority
    • 2019 Award of Merit — Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Climate Action Plan —Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District
    • 2018 Award of Merit – City of Vallejo Healthy Community General Plan Element, City of Vallejo and Center for Sustainable Communities, Sonoma State University
    • 2017 Award of Excellence — Santa Clara County Health Element

    Planning Agency (public sector)

    • 2023 Award of ExcellenceRegional Housing Technical Assistance Program. Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) and Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC)

    Special awards: Individual

    • 2023 Special Recognition Award: Emerging Planner – Megan Campbell
    • 2023 Special Recognition Award: Mid-Career Planner – Stephen Velyvis
    • 2023 Special Recognition Award: Distinguished Planner – Veronica Tam
    • 2021 Special Recognition Award: Mid-Career Planner – Michael P. Cass
    • 2020 Planning Pioneer Award of ExcellenceRobert E Doyle. Team: East Bay Regional Park District
    • 2019 Special Recognition Award: Accomplished PlannerHanson Hom, AICP, ASLA
    • 2019 Special Recognition Award: Mid-Career PlannerMiroo Desai, AICP
    • 2019 Special Recognition Award: Emerging Planner — Veronica Flores
    • 2017 Special Recognition of Excellence Award — Jeanette Dinwiddie-Moore, FAICP
    • 2015 Special Recognition of Excellence Award — Wendy Cosin, AICP
    • 2014 Special Recognition of Excellence Award — Juan F. Borrelli, AICP
    • 2013 Special Recognition of Excellence Award — Rob Eastwood, AICP
    • 2012 Special Recognition of Excellence Award — Hing Wong, FAICP
    • 2011 Special Recognition of Excellence AwardAndrea Ouse, AICP
    • 2011 Special Recognition of Excellence Award Eileen Whitty, AICP
    • 2010 Special Recognition of Excellence AwardDon Bradley, AICP,PhD
    • 2010 Distinguished Leadership Award, Leadership and Service — George G. Mader, FAICP
    • 2010 Distinguished Leadership Award, Student PlannerJustin Meek, San José State University
    • 2010 Planning Achievement Award, Advocacy/Social Change/Diversity PlanningAlvaro Huerta, UC Berkeley
    • 2009 Distinguished Leadership Award, Student PlannerTaryn Hanano, San José State University
    • 2008 Distinguished Leadership Award, Professional PlannerWayne Goldberg, AICP, City of Santa Rosa
    • 2008 Distinguished Leadership Award, Student Planner — Emilia (Emy) Mendoza, San José State University

    Special awards: Firms and agencies

    • 2020 Award of Excellence – City of Salinas Community Development Department.
    • 2020 Award of Merit — City of Walnut Creek Planning Division.
    • 2019 Award of Excellence — City of Santa Rosa, Planning Division
    • 2018 Award of Excellence, Emerging Planning and Design Firm — SITELAB urban studio
    • 2016 Award of Merit –  GIS Team, Santa Clara County Planning Office
    • 2014 Emerging Planning and Design Firm Award — Raimi + Associates
    • 2014 Planning Landmark Award — San Francisco Bay Trail, Association of Bay Area Governments/Metropolitan Transportation Commission
    • 2010 Distinguished Leadership Award, Planning OrganizationGrand Boulevard Initiative, San Mateo County Transit District
    • 2010 Planning Landmark AwardEast Bay Regional Parks District
    • 2008 Distinguished Leadership Award, OrganizationUniversity Circle Development
    • 2008 Distinguished Leadership Award, OrganizationJoseph Bellomo Architects, Inc.

    Communication and public outreach

    • 2023 Award of ExcellencePurisima Creek Redwoods Multimodal Access Project. Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District
    • 2023 Award of MeritSCS Property Community Outreach. City of Dublin
    • 2022 Award of Excellence — San Pablo Walk & Bike Broadway Temporary Demonstration. Team: City of San Pablo
    • 2021 Award of Excellence — La Honda Public Access Working Group. Team: Mid-Peninsula Regional Open Space District | MIG Inc.
    • 2020 Award of Excellence — Santa Clara LAFCO Communications and Outreach Media Plan
      The FIRST ever communications initiative by any LAFCO in the state, the communications and Outreach Plan is a comprehensive and proactive strategy for outreach and communications to help Santa Clara LAFCO better fulfill its role and address the common unfamiliarity with and misperception of LAFCO’s purpose. Media plan information here.
    • 2019 Award of Merit — Downtown Livermore Facilitation Project — City of Livermore | PlaceWorks
    • 2018 Award of Merit — San Leandro Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan 2018 Update, City of San Leandro, Alta Planning + Design
    • 2017 Award of Excellence – City of San Jose video tutorial: “Designing an Addition to Your Single Family Residence”
    • 2017 Award of Excellence – City of San Carlos Plan-It! Game
    • 2017 Award of Merit – City of Salinas 2014-2015 Housing Initiatives
    • 2016 Award of Excellence – City of Eureka Pedestrian Safety Education and Outreach Campaign
    • 2016 Award of Merit – City of Salinas 2014 -2015 Housing Initiatives
    • 2010 Media Award — Trail Planning for California Communities, East Bay Regional Park District; San Francisco Bay Trail Project; and LSA Associates, Inc.
    • 2009 Media AwardLa Pulga: San José’s Flea Market Documentary, Henry Servin Jr. and Alina Kwak, Producers; and Rene Picazo, Director

    Opportunity and empowerment

    • 2023 Award of ExcellenceDignity Village. City of Alameda
    • 2021 Award of Merit — San Martin Strategic Development Plan and Urban Design Visions. Team: 12 Graduate and 38 Undergraduate students in CRP 553 and CRP 341 Spring 2020 San Martin studios, instructors Dr. Hemalata C. Dandekar and Dr. Vicente del Rio, City and Regional Planning, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo | Rob Eastwood, Bharat Singh, Michael Meehan,  County of Santa Clara, Planning Department
    • 2020 Award of Excellence — Bayview Community-based Transportation Plan Playbooks. Team: VTA / Perkins and Will / Strategic Economics / Kimley Horn / Nelson Nygaard / BKF Engineers / CHS Consulting

      When planning has been at the heart of so much harm against the residents of Bayview-Hunters Point, how do we use planning to begin remedying those harms? And how do we convince residents subjected to years of empty promises that a new project is worthy of their trust? The Bayview Community Based Transportation Plan (Bayview CBTP), adopted in February 2020, represents a new commitment to the long-underserved Bayview- Hunters Point community in the southeast corner of San Francisco. With a process deeply rooted in community partnership, the Bayview CBTP sought to center the voice of the community and reflect the needs, challenges, and values of residents in every project and plan recommendation. Transportation plan here
    • 2020 Award of Merit – Kottinger Gardens. Team: Dahlin Group Architecture Planning / MidPen Housing / City of Pleasanton

    Focused issue planning

    • 2013 Award of Excellence City of Emeryville Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan, City of Emeryville
    • 2013 Award of Merit – Financing San Francisco’s Urban Forest, City and County of San Francisco
    • 2012 Award of Excellence – The City of San Pablo Health Element, City of San Pablo; and Dyett & Bhatia
    • 2012 Award of Merit – Adapting to Rising Tides: Transportation Vulnerability and Risk Assessment Pilot Project, Metropolitan Transportation Commission; San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission; AECOM; and California Department of Transportation
    • 2011 AwardSB375 Impact Analysis Report, AECOM; and Urban Land Institute
    • 2010 Award of Merit — Bay Fair BART Station Area Improvement Plan, BART; Design, Community & Environment; Justice and Security Strategies, Inc.; and Wilbur Smith Associates
    • 2009 Award of Excellence – East Bay Greenway Concept Plan, Urban Ecology
    • 2009 Award of Merit –  Filling the Gaps: How Cities in San Mateo County Can Promote Infill Housing, San Mateo County Department of Housing; Eisen|Letunic; and James Im, Graphic Designer
    • 2008 Award of ExcellenceDowntown San Leandro Transit Oriented Development Strategy Plan, City of San Leandro; and BMS Design Group
    • 2008 Award of MeritDowntown Area Specific Plan, City of Santa Rosa

    Neighborhood planning

    • 2013 Award of Excellence — North Santa Rosa Station Area Specific Plan, City of Santa Rosa
    • 2012 Award of ExcellenceEl Camino Real / Chestnut Avenue Area Plan, City of South San Francisco; and Dyett & Bhatia
    • 2011 Award of ExcellenceThe North San José Neighborhoods Plan, City of San José Department of Planning, Building and Code Enforcement; City of San José Redevelopment Agency; and City of San José Office of Economic Development
    • 2011 Award of MeritSouth San Francisco General Plan Amendments, Zoning and Design Guidelines, City of South San Francisco; and Dyett & Bhatia
    • 2010 AwardWest Broadway Urban Village Specific Plan, City of Seaside; and Design, Community & Environment
    • 2009 AwardDowntown Benicia Mixed Use Master Plan and Form-Based Code, City of Benicia; Opticos Design, Inc.; Lisa Wise Consulting; and Strategic Economics
    • 2008 Award — The Five Wounds / Brookwood Terrace Neighborhood Plan, CommUniverCity San José; and San José State University

    Implementation

    • 2022 Award of Excellence SoHay: a mixed-use, mixed-income, mixed-density development. This 25-acre development with its new park was seamlessly stitched together from a patchwork of disjointed and irregularly shaped parcels that were set aside for a freeway that was never built. Team: City of Hayward and Dahlin Group Architecture Planning
    • 2018 Award of Merit, small jurisdiction — Walnut Creek Shadelands Gateway Specific Plan, City of Walnut Creek
    • 2011 Award, large jurisdiction — Contra Costa Centre Transit Village, Contra Costa County Department of Conservation and Development; BART; and AvalonBay Communities, Inc.
    • 2008 Award, large jurisdiction San José County Island Annexation Plan, City of San José, Department of Planning, Building and Code Enforcement
    • 2008 Award, small jurisdictionImplementation Efforts in Union City’s Intermodal Station District, City of Union City
    • 2023 Award of ExcellenceNapa Sonoma ADU Center. Napa Sonoma ADU Center

    Education project

    • 2013 Award — San Francisco Budget Czar Website, San Francisco County Transportation Authority
    • 2010 AwardGreat Communities Collaborative, TransForm; Greenbelt Alliance; Urban Habitat; Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California; The San Francisco Foundation; Silicon Valley Community Foundation; East Bay Community Foundation; and Reconnecting America
    • 2009 AwardSan Mateo SMART Public Outreach and Climate Change Campaign, City of San Mateo; and PMC World
    • 2008 AwardYouth Planning Workshop Team, San José State University

    Planner Emeritus Network Honor Award

    The Planner Emeritus Network (PEN) represents a body of long-tenured members of APA who are available to provide knowledge of the profession as it has matured in California.

    Each year, the Section Director, Section Historian, and an appointed subcommittee of the Board nominates Section members for a special PEN Honor Award recognition. Persons receiving these awards are selected for an outstanding contribution to the profession or for a significant accomplishment that enhanced the recognition and value of planning. Past PEN Honor Award Recipients from the Northern Section include:

    • 2022 – Stephen Avis, AICP;  Samuel (Sam) Herzberg, AICP; and Victoria Walker
    • 2021 – Elizabeth (Libby) Tyler, FAICP
    • 2020 – None awarded to Northern Section members
    • 2019 – David Early, AICP
    • 2018 – Tom Jacobson, FAICP; and Dan Marks, AICP
    • 2017 – Hing Wong, FAICP
    • 2016 – Steve Piasecki, AICP
    • 2015 – Hanson Hom, AICP
    • 2014 – Joseph Horwedel, AICP; Mike Moore; and Eileen Whitty, AICP
    • 2013 – Linda Dalton, FAICP; Barry Miller, FAICP; Pete Parkinson, AICP; and Donald Weden
    • 2012 – Earl Bossard, PhD, AICP; Anne Cronin Moore; Barbara Kautz, FAICP; and Leon Pirofalo, AICP (posthumously)
    • 2011 – Alec Bash, AICPElaine Costello, FAICP; and Alex Hinds
    • 2010 – Dan Iacofano, PhD, FAICPNaphtali Knox, FAICPJoan Lamphier; and Paul Sedway, FAICP
    • 2009 – Dean Macris, FAICPMarjorie Macris, FAICP; and Donald Rothblatt, FAICP
    • 2008 – Don Bradley, PhD, AICPJeanette Dinwiddie-Moore, FAICP; and Wayne Goldberg, AICP
    • 2007 – Vivian Kahn, FAICP
    • 2002 – 2006  None awarded to Northern Section members
    • 2001 – Larz Anderson; and Nadya Andrews, AICP
    • 2000 – Ken Norwood
    • 1999 – John Hirten, FAICP
    • 1998 – Betty Croly, FAICP
    • 2018 Award of Merit, small jurisdiction — Walnut Creek Shadelands Gateway Specific Plan, City of Walnut Creek
    • 2011 Award, large jurisdiction — Contra Costa Centre Transit Village, Contra Costa County Department of Conservation and Development; BART; and AvalonBay Communities, Inc.
    • 2008 Award, large jurisdiction San José County Island Annexation Plan, City of San José, Department of Planning, Building and Code Enforcement
    • 2008 Award, small jurisdictionImplementation Efforts in Union City’s Intermodal Station District, City of Union City

    Great Places in America Designees from the Northern Section

    APA National’s Great Places in America Program celebrates neighborhoods, streets, and public spaces of exemplary character, quality, and planning. Places are selected annually and represent the gold standard in terms of having a true sense of place, cultural and historical interest, community involvement, and a vision for tomorrow. 

    Past designees from the Northern Section include:

    • Uptown, Oakland – 2014 Great Neighborhood
    • Chinatown, San Francisco – 2013 Great Neighborhood
    • Northbrae, Berkeley – 2011 Great Neighborhood
    • Ferry Building, San Francisco – 2010 Great Public Space
    • North Beach, San Francisco – 2007 Great Neighborhood

    Great Places in California program

    The California Chapter of the American Planning Association also recognizes and awards Great Places in California on an annual basis. A Great Place in California is one that exemplifies character, quality, and excellent planning. A Great Place may be found anywhere from a large city to a small rural community. It may encompass a vibrant downtown, a suburban gathering place, a historic small town, a public park, or a preserved open space. But most importantly, it must be a place where people want to be. Past Great Places in California award recipients from the Northern Section include:

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