2023 APA-NC Award Winners

The APA-NC Awards Committee is pleased to announce the 2023 Award Winners. The APA-NC Awards Program includes NC Great Places and the Marvin Collins Planning Awards and recognizes the places, people, and projects that represent the highest standards of achievement in the North Carolina planning community. Awards are presented annually during the North Carolina Planning Conference. Nominations are reviewed by a panel of independent planners from throughout the state. The awards signify the highest standards of achievement for planning in North Carolina. 

GREAT PLACES

Great Places for Public Art

Award: City of Charlotte Urban Design Center

Award: Alluvial Decoder (City of Raleigh Storm Memorial) by A Gang of Three

Great Transformation

Award: Davidson Town Hall and Community Center

Award: City of Morganton Old Courthouse Square Renovation Project

MARVIN COLLINS AWARDS

Planning Advocate

Award: Mac Morrow, Champion of Bracken Preserve

Student (undergraduate and graduate)

Award: Christy Fierros, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Award: Malikia Cherubala, Appalachian State University

Comprehensive Plan (large and small)

Award for community of more than 25,000: Buncombe County 2043 Comprehensive Plan

Honorable Mention for community of less than 25,000: Town of Hillsborough Comprehensive Sustainability Plan

Project

Award: Town of Wake Forest Northeast Community Plan

Honorable Mention: City of Raleigh Southeast Special Area Study

Small Area Plan
Honorable Mention: Holly Springs Northeast Gateway Master Plan

Honorable Mention: City of Charlotte Urban Design Center / North Graham/North Tryon Corridor Playbook

Specialized Planning

Award: Triangle Bikeway Study

Award: Charlotte Strategic Mobility Plan

Award: Town of Wake Forest Historic Preservation Plan (2022) - Specialized Planning

Award: Western Piedmont Housing Growth Toolkit

Award: Vision Holly Springs Section 2: Comprehensive Transportation Plan

Honorable Mention: City of Brevard Multi-Modal Planning Efforts

Honorable Mention: City of New Bern: Resiliency & Hazard Mitigation Plan

Advancing Equity

Award: City of Fayetteville Murchison Choice Neighborhood Plan

Award: Town of Wake Forest Housing Affordability Plan

Engagement

Award: Buncombe County Comprehensive Plan Public Engagement

Implementation

Award: Charlotte UDO Affordable Housing Bonus Program