GOVERNOR’S 2016
Smart Communities Award For Outstanding Achievement In Creating Livable and Vibrant Communities
About Commerce
Commerce is the lead state agency charged with growing and improving jobs in Washington State by championing thriving communities, a prosperous economy, and a sustainable infrastructure. For more information, visit www.commerce.wa.gov
Brian Bonlender Director Connie Robins Deputy Director Mark Barkley Assistant Director, Local Government Division Dave Andersen Interim Managing Director, Growth Management Services Julie Knackstedt Management Analyst, Growth Management Services
A Special Thank You to the Awards Judge’s Steve Lundin, Lucy Steers, Rob Duff, Tom Campbell, Mark Kulaas, Leonard Bauer We appreciate the time and effort that was required by the judge’s to review the extensive work of the nominations. Having their perspective and expertise involved in the awards is an integral part of this important recognition of local efforts to improve Washington’s economy and growth.
The Governor’s Smart Communities Awards Program was established in 2006 to recognize outstanding work in land use and community development by local governments and their partners. The awards offer the opportunity for the Governor to highlight his commitment to Washington’s quality of life and to recognize the hard work of our citizens, businesses, and local officials to realize thriving communities, prosperous economies, and sustainable infrastructure.
Thank You to all the Nominees Other 2016 Nominees City of Bremerton Washington Avenue Community City of Auburn Imagine Auburn 2015 Core Comprehensive Plan City of Walla Walla Mumford & Sons Gentlemen of the Road Stopover Music Festival City of Sequim 2015-2035 Comprehensive Plan City of Renton Comprehensive Plan City of Ridgefield 2016 Ridgefield Comprehensive Growth Management Plan Spokane County Spokane County Emergency Comprehensive Plan Amendment 13-CPA-04
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JUDGES’ MERIT
CITY OF RENTON Renton Public Library
The partnership of the City of Renton and King County Library System (KCLS) led to the successful and award-winning renovation of the Renton Public Library, which was opened in August 2015, after three years of planning and two of construction. The project’s success is attributed to considerable public involvement, an innovative approach, and reinforcement by the Comprehensive Plan. Partners
• City of Renton • King County Library System • Architect: The Miller Hull Partnership • Acoustical Design: Sparling (Stantech) • Cost Estimate: Roen & Associates • Engineer – Civil: Coughlin Porter Lundeen • Engineer – Electrical: Sparling (Stantec) • Engineer – Geotechnical: GeoEngineers, Inc. • Engineer - Mechanical/Plumbing: PAE Consulting Engineers • Engineer – Structural: Coughlin Porter Lundeen • Envelope: Wetherholt & Associates • Environmental: Talasea Consultants, Inc. • General Contractor: Construction Enterprises & Contractors • Hardware: Gordon Adams • Interior Design: Christa Jansen (B&H Architects) • Landscape Architect: SiteWorkshop • Lighting: Candela (Stantec) • Sprinkler: Tuazon Engineering
judge’s comments This project/partnership is thoroughly impressive. Being able to retain the original location and use while being sensitive to environmental and energy concerns—remarkable! Great use of focus groups to get opinions of diverse groups, online survey, library advisory board. What a gorgeous structure!
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Participants on the bus tour discuss pedestrian conditions in the Garland District.
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JUDGES’ MERIT
City of Spokane
Spokane Pedestrian Master Plan
The Pedestrian Master Plan amends the Comprehensive Plan and supports a more walkable Spokane by encouraging a high‐quality walking environment. Partners
• Spokane City Council • Spokane City Plan Commission • Louis Meuler, Principal Planner • Katherine Miller, Director-Integrated Capital Management • Ken Pelton, Planner • Jacqui Halvorson, Project Planner • Inga Note, Senior Traffic Engineer
judge’s comments
This is a solid, sensible, datadriven process, good GMA consistent results. Great example of auto-culture community using planning tools to enhance more appropriate methods of dealing with future transportation needs of citizenry. Interesting use of subarea plan tool. Appreciated the linkage to future infrastructure investments.
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Phased zoning schedule.
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SMART VISION
City of Shoreline
185th Street Light Rail Station Subarea Planning
judge’s comments
Doing a planned action is not easy along with affordable housing—very comprehensive plan.
Partners
• Shoreline City Council • 185th Station Citizen Committee • Housing Development Consortium • Puget Sound Regional Council Growing Transit Communities Program • Futurewise and Senior Services • Forterra • Otak Design Firm
Good use of planned action tool. Whole planning effort exceedingly thorough and well thought out. Excellent example of subarea planning. Doing exactly what they should be doing within GMA. Many communities in the Puget Sound region need more focus on Transit-Oriented Development. This is an excellent example of how to do this effectively.
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Booth at Duvall Days.
Project Background - Urban flooding and sensitive areas protection
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SMART VISION
City of Duvall
Watershed Plan
City of Duvall is striving to promote economic growth and development without sacrificing its rural character and environmental assets that are at the heart of the community’s “small town – real life” identity. The Watershed Plan is a policy document that provides a roadmap for protecting watershed processes and focusing future development in appropriate areas within Duvall and its urban growth area. Partners
• City of Duvall Planning Department • City Council • Watershed Planning Advisory Group • King County’s Snoqualmie Watershed Forum • Ecology • Commerce • Duvall Public Works Department • Mountains to Sound Greenway • The Snoqualmie Tribe • Stewardship Partners • Wild Fish Conservancy • Duvall Community • Duvall Planning Commission
judge’s comments
This is a very good well-focused plan. Good organization and display of plan in Executive Summary, easily understandable. Very solid and more than adequate to the task, just right for this particular type of plan.
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Red Tail Ridge
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SMART VISION
City of Colfax
2035 Comprehensive Plan Update
The Colfax 2035 Comprehensive Plan Update is the city’s first attempt to plan for a 20-year growth horizon. It covers a wide array of material ranging from land use, historic preservation, human services, sustainability and downtown,–23 chapters in all. It even has an implementation and performance metrics section. The plan was developed between October 2014 and December 2015. The City of Colfax, with the help of EWU graduate students completed the plan. Partners
• City of Colfax, Mike Rizzitiello, Matt Hammer, Steve Larkin, Gregg Dohrn, The City of Colfax Park Board, Eastern Washington University’s Urban and Regional Planning Department, Association of Washington Cities • Mayor G. Todd Vanek • City Council members: Whitney Aguilar, Jeannette Solomine, Steve Bretveld, Al Borderbrueggen, Steve Holberg, Jim Kackman, Tom Huntwork
judge’s comments
For a very small jurisdiction in a non-fully planning county under the GMA (with a pretty meager planning budget), this is surprisingly solid and forwardlooking document. Liked the focus on implementation and data. Given the context, this is a very impressive effort and product. Impressed that the planners were influenced by the community survey to add new elements to the Comprehensive Plan addressing citizens.
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Alabama Street View
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SMART CHOICES
City of Bellingham
Alabama Street Multimodal Safety Improvements
The complex 1.75-mile Alabama Street project wove together a partial road diet, six new pedestrian hybrid beacon (“HAWK”) signal crossings, a transit bus queue jump, relocation and consolidation of eight transit bus shelters to five aligned with HAWK signals, 114 curb ramp upgrades to ADA standards, 38 total driveways-alleyways reconstructed to meet ADA sidewalk standards, bike lanes, bike boulevards, bike boxes, center turn lanes, asphalt resurfacing, reduced speed limit, and c-curb median for access management. Today, Alabama Street is safer and functions better for pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders, and vehicle drivers and has reconnected residential neighborhoods that had been bisected by this busy roadway for the past 50 years. Partners
• Bellingham Public Works • Bellingham City Council • Bellingham Police Department • Fehr & Peers Consultants • Whatcom Transportation Authority (Regional Transit) • Whatcom Council of Governments • Bellingham Fire Department
judge’s comments
Good project with many moving parts—liked the inclusive agency support. Shows results of Bellingham’s pioneering work in Complete Streets movement. Quite an achievement! Impressive coordination, public involvement, clarity of purpose, search for funding. Very good partnerships.
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SMART PARTNERSHIPS
City of Kenmore
The Kenmore Village Mixed Use Development Project, including the Spencer 68, the LINQ, Spencer Square and the Town Green and Community Building
Developing a vibrant, mixed-use downtown core for the city has been a vision of the community since 2003. The Kenmore Village Project—a partnership between the city and MainStreet Property Group, LLC - has realized this vision. When the project is complete, it will have provided hundreds of new housing units, commercial and office space and the Town Green and community pavilion for Kenmore citizens. This process and development of properties is a model for other smaller communities wanting to encourage economic growth and revitalize their downtown areas. Partners
• City of Kenmore Planning Department • Kenmore City Council • MainStreet Property Group< LLC
judge’s comments
Good example of significant citizen involvement in the creation of a real downtown core, a new sense of a city “center.” Great examples of a downtown place. Lots of good ideas for other cities to emulate, many of which need this type of a mixed use development at their core—great downtown place!
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Award Winners: 2006 to 2016 2016 Award Winners Smart Vision Award – Comprehensive Planning • City of Shoreline – Shoreline created an exceedingly thorough and well though-out process for the 185th Street Light Rail Station subarea planning. Excellent example of subarea planning. • City of Duvall – Watershed Plan is a strong roadmap for protecting watershed processes and focusing future development in appropriate areas within Duvall and its urban growth area. The Watershed Plan was well focused; a good job in making a technical planning effort understandable and accessible to the public. • City of Colfax – 2035 Comprehensive Plan Update. For a very small jurisdiction not required to fully plan under the GMA, the city developed an impressive, solid and forward-looking plan. Smart Choices Award – Implementation of a Comprehensive Plan • City of Bellingham – Alabama Street Multimodal Safety Improvements project. A complex project that successfully implemented and blended together Bellingham’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plans, Transportation Element of the Comprehensive Plans, Transportation Mode Shift Goals, Climate Action Plan, WTA’s transit plan, and several Neighborhood Plans. Smart Partnerships Award – Development Project to Implement a Plan • City of Kenmore – The Kenmore Village is a model for other smaller communities wanting to encourage economic growth and revitalize their downtown area, increase housing and activate retail in the city center. Judges’ Merit Award • City of Renton – Public Library partnership with the King County Library System project to preserve and renovate the historic Renton Public Library. Demonstrated tangible benefits to the community by re-establishing the city center as a “people place”. • City of Spokane – Pedestrian Master Plan for supporting a more walkable Spokane, encouraging a high-quality walking environment that supports increased levels of physical activity, important connections to transit, and more transportation options for all.
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Award Winners: 2006 to 2016 2015 Award Winners Smart Vision Award – Comprehensive Planning • City of Bellingham – Downtown Bellingham Plan. Judge’s noted it was the broadest, most inclusive look at downtown issues they had seen. Smart Choices Award – Implementation of a Comprehensive Plan • City of Tukwila – Southcenter Subarea Plan fostering development of a high-density, regionally oriented, mixed use center including housing. Smart Partnerships Award – Development Project to Implement a Plan • City of Tacoma – Tacoma Prairie Line Trail, a transformation of a onemile historic railroad corridor in downtown Tacoma into public space linking Brewery District, University of Washington Tacoma campus and the waterfront. Judges’ Merit Award • City of Renton – Kirkland Avenue Townhomes, the first publicly funded, affordable, multi-family modular construction project in Western Washington. • City of Lacey – Woodland District Strategic Plan Implementation. • City of Bremerton and Kitsap County – Gorst Subarea Plan and Gorst Creek Watershed Characterization and Framework Plan.
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Award Winners: 2006 to 2016 2014 Award Winners
Smart Vision Award – Comprehensive Planning • City of Tacoma – South Downtown Subarea Plan • Thurston County – Sustainable Thurston Vision and Action Plan • City of Redmond – 2013 Transportation Master Plan (TMP) Smart Choices Award – Implementation of a Comprehensive Plan • City of Kalama and Port of Kalama – New Mixed Use Zoning District • Puget Sound Regional Council and The Growing Transit Communities Partnership – Growing Transit Communities Strategy • City of Ellensburg – Land Development Code • City of Redmond – Central Connector Phase I Smart Partnerships Award – Development Project to Implement a Plan • King County and City of Seattle – Unique Transfer of Development Right (TDR) and Local Infrastructure Funding • City of Tacoma and Port of Tacoma – Interlocal Agreement for Shoreline Public Access Provision • City of Renton and Renton School District – Meadow Crest Early Learning Center and Meadow Crest Accessible Playground Judges’ Merit Award • City of Edmonds – Strategic Action Plan • City of Walla Walla – Residential Guidelines
2013 Award Winners
Smart Vision Award – Comprehensive Planning • Jefferson County – Mystery Bay Management Plan and South Port Townsend Bay Management Plan • City of Everett – Evergreen Way Revitalization Plan • City of Renton – Sunset Area Planned Action • Town of Wilkeson – Rural Town Center Corridor Plan Smart Choices Award – Implementation of a Comprehensive Plan • King County – White River Forest • City of Normandy Park – Manhattan Village Subarea Plan Smart Partnerships Award – Development Project to Implement a Plan • Clark County, City of Battle Ground, and City of Ridgefield – Discovery Clean Water Alliance (DCWA) Judges’ Merit Award• City of Redmond – Digital Planning and Development Suite • City of Sultan – 2011 Comprehensive Plan
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Award Winners: 2006 to 2016 2012 Award Winners
Smart Vision Award – Comprehensive Planning • Skagit County – Envision Skagit 2060 Citizen Committee Final Report & Recommendations • City of Renton – 20-year vision for Parks, Recreation and Natural Areas • City of Renton – City Center Community Plan Smart Choices Award – Implementation of a Comprehensive Plan • City of Sequim – Downtown Plan • City of Redmond – Vision Blueprint: Redmond’s Capital Investment Strategy, 2013-2030 Smart Partnerships Award – Development Project to Implement a Plan • City of Redmond – Tudor Manor Multi-family Residential Project Judges’ Merit Award • City of Ellensburg Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy – Energy Resource Conservation • City of Shoreline Town Center Plan – Transit-Oriented Development • Snohomish County Tomorrow: County-Wide Planning Policies – Intergovernmental Collaboration
2011 Award Winners
Smart Vision Award – Comprehensive Planning • Kitsap County – Kitsap County Year of the Rural • City of Olympia – Imagine Olympia Public Participation Program • City of Poulsbo – 2009 Comprehensive Plan Smart Choices Award – Implementation of a Comprehensive Plan • City of Chelan – Downtown Land Use and Development Code • City of Bothell – Downtown Subarea Plan Implementation • City of Vader and Lewis County – Water Project Smart Partnerships Award – Development Project to Implement a Plan • City of Hoquiam – Downtown Revitalization Project • City of Walla Walla – Washington Park Gathering Place • Pierce County – Bridge to The Beach Project Judges’ Merit Award • City of Waitsburg – Downtown Revitalization Project – Historic Preservation • City of Mukilteo – Green City Buildings - Sustainability
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Award Winners: 2006 to 2016 2010 Award Winners
Smart Vision Award – Comprehensive Planning • Skagit County - County-wide Urban Growth Area Open Space Plan • City of Snoqualmie – Downtown Master Plan • City of Bellevue – Bel-Red Subarea Plan Smart Choices Award – Implementation of a Comprehensive Plan • Whatcom County and City of Bellingham – Housing Action Plan • City of Chehalis – Chehalis Renaissance Project • City of Tacoma – Mixed-use Centers Update Project Smart Partnerships Award – Development Project to Implement a Plan • City of Vancouver – Waterfront Development Master Plan • City of Duvall – Main Street Reconstruction Project Judges’ Merit Award • City of Hoquiam – Residential Sidewalk Partnership program • Grays Harbor County – 2020 Vision and Action Plan: Building a Sustainable Grays Harbor • City of Seattle – Neighborhood Planning Outreach & Engagement
2009 Award Winners
Smart Vision Award – Comprehensive Planning • Kity of Hoquiam – Hoquiam Comprehensive Land Use Plan • City of Mountlake Terrace – Town Center Plan • City of Walla Walla – Walla Walla Urban Area Comprehensive Plan 2007 Review and Update Smart Choices Award – Implementation of a Comprehensive Plan • City of Everett – Everett Core Area Residential Development Standards/ Design Guidelines Smart Partnerships Award – Development Project to Implement a Plan • Tri-Cities: City of Pasco, City of Kennewick, City of Richland, Benton County, Franklin County, Port of Pasco, Port of Kennewick, Tri-Cities Rivershore Enhancement Council – Sacagawea Heritage Trail Project • City of Issaquah – Issaquah Transit-Oriented Development Agreement Judges’ Merit Award • City of Sammamish – Over-the-Counter Permit Approval Process • Garfield County – Garfield County Zoning Ordinance/Comprehensive Plan
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Award Winners: 2006 to 2016 2008 Award Winners
Smart Vision Award – Comprehensive Planning • City of Everett – 2006 Update of the Everett Comprehensive Plan Transportation Element • City of Bremerton – Downtown Regional Center Sub Area Plan Smart Choices Award – Implementation of a Comprehensive Plan • City of Newcastle – Pulling Plans and Policies into 3-D • City of Kirkland – Incentives for Housing Smart Partnerships Award – Development Project to Implement a Plan • City of Sumner – Town Center Implementation Judges’ Merit Award • Adams County – Strategic Planning for Economic Development (Adams County, City of Othello, City of Ritzville, Port of Othello, Town of Lind, Town of Hatton, Town of Washtucna
2007 Award Winners
Smart Vision Award – Comprehensive Planning • City of SeaTac – SeaTac/Airport Station Area Action Plan and South 154th Street Station Area Action Plan • City of Everett – Downtown Subarea Plan Smart Choices Award – Implementation of a Comprehensive Plan • City of Bothell – Capital Facilities Plan • City of Bellevue – Neighborhood Investment Strategy Smart Partnerships Award – Development Project to Implement a Plan • City of Oak Harbor – Fort Nugent Park/Community Built Playground • Seattle – Broadway Crossing Judges’ Merit Award • Seattle Housing Authority – West Seattle’s New High Point • Tacoma Housing Authority – Salishan Hope VI Redevelopment Project • Stevens County – Comprehensive Plan
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Award Winners: 2006 to 2016 2006 Award Winners
Smart Vision Award – Comprehensive Planning • City of Bainbridge Island – Winslow Tomorrow • City of Redmond – Redmond Comprehensive Plan Smart Choices Award – Implementation of a Comprehensive Plan • Jefferson County – Implementing Jefferson County Policy to Support Agriculture While Protecting Fish & Wildlife Habitat • City of Bremerton – Comprehensive Plan & Zoning Code Update Smart Partnerships Award – Development Project to Implement a Plan • City of Woodinville – Greenbrier Heights Affordable Housing Community • King County Housing Authority and GGLO – White Center Greenbridge Revitalized Neighborhood Special Recognition • Snohomish County – Transfer of Development Rights Program (TDR)
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