Smart Growth Awards add two criteria
Photo / Maureen Milliken
The Bill and Joan Alfond Main Street Commons in Waterville was one of two Outstanding Projects winners in last year's first Smart Growth Awards. This year, adaptability to climate change and how a project transforms its neighborhood have been added to the criteria.
The Smart Growth Awards have added two criteria — a project's adaption to climate change, and the how the project may influence its surroundings.
Last year, in the first year of the awards, sponsored by GrowSmart Maine, judges had questions that went beyond the criteria, Nancy Smith, executive director of the organization said in a news release.
“Two things stood out from last year’s judging,” she said. “First, the judges were very interested in considering whether entries had the potential to transform a neighborhood or a community point of view by introducing smart growth principles. Second, they strongly believed that climate change adaptation should be part of the evaluation criteria. So, this year we have added criteria that addresses both of those ideas.”
Returning as judges are Charles Colgan, former Maine state economist, and Evan Richert, former head of state planning and a long-time Maine community planner. Maureen Drouin, executive director of Maine Conservation Voters, will also be a judge.
Last year's Outstanding Project winners included two projects of different scales. Colby College's Bill and Joan Alfond Main Street Commons, in Waterville, is a 102,000-square-foot residential and retail building that also has community space, on Main Street in Waterville. The second was 502 Deering Center, at 502 Stevens Ave. in Portland, a three-story 9,643-square-foot mixed-use building in tightly packed historic area of the city.
Smart growth is a common sense concept that helps communities welcome — and manage — growth while still maintaining their historic feel and natural beauty, according to GrowSmart. The Smart Growth Awards are designed to recognize the diverse activities that contribute to smart growth, and also serve as real-life illustrations of the benefits it can bring, the news release said.
"The awards will showcase the kind of projects, plans, and policies that support smart growth in all its diversity, whether it’s a plan for a walkable and inclusive village center, a development that is affordable and sustainably built, a successful new transit endeavor, or a community-supported adaptation to climate change that safeguards the built or natural environment," the release said.
Growth takes many forms
Smith said that smart growth takes many forms, and the awards highlight best practices to help people understand what it can do for their communities.
"We had many more entries last year than we expected, and there are so many wonderful and innovative projects already taking place in Maine; we are looking forward to recognizing those that truly exemplify smart growth," she said.
Judy East, executive director of the Washington County Council of Governments, a founding member of the planning committee for the awards, said smart growth isn't limited to the state's more urban areas of southern Maine. Rural Washington County experiences less of the growth and development pressures commonly seen in southern Maine, but despite that, she has seen smart growth principles at work, she said.
“Brownfields redevelopment, for instance, exemplifies smart growth," East said. “As echoes of our commercial and industrial past, brownfield sites are in wonderful locations: on waterfronts, in downtowns, at the crossroads of major thoroughfares. They reuse the ‘good bones’ of existing buildings, are already served by available infrastructure, revitalize village and town centers, and support existing businesses.”
Other winners last year were the Windham Town Council, for its 21st Century Downtown Zoning plan, recognized for Outstanding Public Policy; the Portland Housing Authority, also recognized for Outstanding Public Policy for its strategic vision plan; and Portland’s Planning and Public Works Department, recognized for Outstanding Smart Growth Plan for its Franklin Street redesign.
Brian Kent, owner of Kent Associates, a planning and urban design consulting company headquartered in Gardiner, was the Lifetime Achievement Award winner for his contributions to land use planning in Maine.
Award criteria
There are now eight criteria for awards:
Mixed use, compact design and placemaking: How the submission supports optimal use of limited downtown or village center land through mixing uses, compact building design or context-sensitive density; makes optimal use of existing public infrastructure; contributes to a community-valued built environment, whether in contemporary or historic contexts or through excellence in architecture and site design.
Housing opportunity and choice: How the submission contributes to increasing housing options for persons of all ages, family and socio-economic status, including those with disabilities.
Transportation choice and walkable communities: How the submission contributes to creating/enhancing walkable communities or reducing auto dependency by supporting access to other transportation options such as rideshare, transit or bicycling.
Preservation of open space: How the submission reduces development pressure on open spaces, such as agricultural, recreational, forested and/or environmentally sensitive lands.
Transformation: How the submission is transformational to the understanding and successful implementation of smart growth principles; how it has shaped people’s perceptions or changed the dynamics of the neighborhood.
Climate change: How the submission supports Maine’s need to adapt to a changing climate.
Public engagement: How the submission encourages open and balanced discussion on changing community needs while also helping community members to build confidence in their ability to successfully interact with each other and local and state government.
There is also a nomination process for an award for an individual. The criteria includes how the person has moved smart growth forward, including how he or she has contributed to the understanding and successful implementation of smart growth principles, contributed to open and balanced discussion on changing community needs, and helped community members to build confidence in their ability to successfully interact with each other and local and state government.
Deadline for applications is Monday, Aug. 5, and those wishing to apply may find information on GrowSmart Maine's website.
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