2019 VPA Planner of the Year Awards
The Vermont Planners Association is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2019 planning awards. For 27 years, these awards have recognized outstanding achievements in community planning in Vermont. Nominees come from all corners of Vermont and represent the best in local, regional, and state planning by citizen and professional planners over the last year. According to Mark Kane, President of the Vermont Planners Association, “The annual Planning Awards sponsored by the Vermont Planner’s Association (VPA) help cast a strong spotlight on the best in community plans and projects and recognize the important contributions from both citizen and professional planners. Through this program, VPA can acknowledge the challenging work and dedication that Vermont communities undertake to advance important local, regional and state planning policies and priorities. It is inspiring to see how much effort is put forward in the interests of making Vermont a better place to live”. The awards will be presented on April 11, 2018, at 4:00 p.m. in the Vermont Statehouse’s Cedar Creek Room.
Mark Blucher Vermont Professional Planner Award
On an annual basis, the Vermont Planners Association recognizes the important work that professional planners do to make Vermont a better place. The recipient of this year’s Mark Blucher Vermont Professional Planner Award is Kate McCarthy, AICP. This award memorializes Mark Blucher, long-time Executive Director of the Rutland Regional Planning Commission, who was an esteemed colleague and friend and an enduring reminder of the difference planners can make in the lives of the people they serve. Kate’s recent recognition as a “Rising Star” by the Vermont Business Magazine for her commitment to business development, professional excellence, and making a real difference in her community is not surprising to those that know her.
Serving as the Sustainable Community Program Director for the Vermont Natural Resources Council in Montpelier, Vermont, Kate is known and respected for her excellent communication skills, strong understanding of a wide range of land use and development issues, and her commitment to working for Vermont’s environment, communities, and people. Her work at VNRC focuses on building sustainable, compact communities with the goal of providing residents with transportation, housing, and employment options, while also supporting the State’s working lands and wildlife habitat. Kate also serves on the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board and as Vice-Chair of the Montpelier Development Review Board. Her commitment and talent serve to ensure that Kate will also leave a lasting impact on planning in Vermont.
Citizen Board of the Year
Recent efforts by the Jericho Planning and Conservation Commissions display an example of great citizen planning in action. The Jericho Natural Resource Overlay was adopted in 2018 through the collaborative efforts of the Jericho Planning and Conservation Commissions. Beginning with inventorying efforts dating back to 2013 the Commissions worked together in creating the 2016 Town Plan Natural Resources Chapter. Building off this effort, the Commissions moved the plan into action in the Land Use Regulations in 2018. The Natural Resources Overlay (NRO) would be incorporated into the Land Use Regulations, but not without a lot of work and public outreach. Updated maps were developed from the 2013 inventory and with Commissioners walking several properties to ground truth and offer practical preservation measures to property owners. When it became apparent that there was confusion the on the draft NRO, the Commissioners held an open house where members of the public could sign up or just drop in and have the NRO explained to them and an assessment was conducted showing how the NRO could impact their properties and any future land development. The resulting amendment to the Land Use Regulation includes the most effective tools which towns and developers can use, allowing for growth while protecting natural resources.
Career Achievement Award for Excellence in Planning
Just retired as a professional planner, but with a second career as a citizen planner, Ken Belliveau is the 2019 recipient of the VPA Career Achievement Award for Excellence in Planning. Finishing his career with over a decade of service as the Director of Planning and Zoning for the Town of Williston, Ken’s career spanned across the country from Tennessee to California. Well known in the Vermont planning community, Ken is respected for his honesty, enthusiasm and commitment to the planning profession.
During his tenure in Williston, Ken’s leadership made significant contributions to the Town of Williston through the adoption of the Williston Comprehensive Plan and improvements to the Williston Unified Development Bylaw. Ken has contributed to numerous Chittenden County regional groups and serves as the Chair of the Waterbury Planning Commission. In this capacity, Ken led the Waterbury Planning Commission’s revisions to the Town’s floodplain regulations following the devastating floods of Hurricane Irene. In an often contentious process, Ken listened closely to differences in opinion and conflicting community goals while recognizing the need to minimize and prevent flood damages. While Ken’s contributions to planning in Vermont will continue, his multi-faceted work is exemplary of an excellent career.