APA Recognizes Comp Plan & UDC with Top Award
Erie Earns Top American Planning Association Award
Town’s Comprehensive Master Plan & Unified Development Code Honored
The Colorado Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA) has recognized the Town of Erie with the 2007 Outstanding Planning Project Award for the Town’s Comprehensive Master Plan Update and Unified Development Code.
The Town of Erie undertook the task of preparing a Comprehensive Master Plan concurrently with preparation of a Unified Development Code (UDC) with Design Guidelines. Erie’s Comprehensive Plan was last updated in 1999. The updated plans drafted and processed by the town’s Community Development Department, provide more focused guidance and encourage a more flexible approach to future development promoting a more balanced mix of uses for the community. The goals and recommendations of the Comprehensive Plan and UDC provide complementary and consistent guidance & regulations for decisions affecting growth and annexation; the use and development of land; neighborhood enhancement and housing diversity; preservation of open space; the expansion of public facilities and services; and the preservation of public health and safety.
Andrew J. Moore, Mayor of the Town of Erie, said the new Comprehensive Plan and UDC have resulted in a higher level of customer service, quality development, and managed growth for the community. “Erie has taken the step of insuring a diverse mix of housing types, style, multi-family products, and a new twelve-step process to efficiently process development through the administrative and political process,” More said. “With over 60 active development projects, Erie has found a way to enhance quality development for the citizens, and assure the development community of consistent regulations with flexibility built into the process.”
According to Amy Ito, APA Award Chair, the Erie Comprehensive Plan was chosen for a Planning Award because the Committee was impressed with the concurrent processing of both the updated Comprehensive Plan and the Unified Development Code with design guidelines. “This very comprehensive planning effort, along with the inclusion of good graphics and charts, is effective community progress.” Ito said.
The award announcement was made during the recent APA annual awards ceremony held in Colorado Springs. The award was presented during the November 27th Erie Board of Trustees meeting.
