Congratulating the Philadelphia City Planning Commission for being awarded the American Planning Association's 2016 National Planning Excellence Award for a Planning Agency.

WHEREAS, The Philadelphia City Planning Commission (PCPC) employs 47 planners, architects, urban designers and geographic information systems specialists. The agency has no small task in guiding development in Philadelphia; and

WHEREAS, PCPC performs numerous duties for the City, including preparation of the Capital Program and Capital Budget; preparation of proposed zoning ordinances, maps and amendments; approval of plans for streets and regulations governing the subdivision of land; and preparation of a Comprehensive Plan; and

WHEREAS, A particularly noteworthy endeavor of PCPC has been its Philadelphia2035 comprehensive plan for the City. The plan includes a Citywide Vision, 18 individual District Plans (10 of which have already been adopted) and specific recommendations to make Philadelphia a more livable and economically competitive City as a whole. The public, city agencies, elected officials and major institutions have all weighed in on this plan to create a vision for the future of Philadelphia; and

WHEREAS, PCPC has taken important steps to ensure that its work reflects the vision of Philadelphia’s population. Embracing the challenge of educating the public about planning issues, PCPC operates the Citizens Planning Institute, which offers courses about planning, zoning and development to citizens and creates further dialogue and engagement in the City’s planning process. PCPC has also developed a new element of public engagement in the zoning process via Registered Community Organizations and a new Civic Design Review process; and

WHEREAS, Other notable recent work by PCPC includes a new citywide zoning code, the City’s first bicycle and pedestrian plan, a trails master plan, a Center City parking survey and a brownfields area-wide plan; and

WHEREAS, In recognition of its consistent history of superior programs whose efforts have promoted the cause of planning—the work of building and enriching communities—the American Planning Association (APA) has awarded PCPC with the 2016 National Planning Excellence Award for a Planning Agency. APA national awards are considered the highest honors in the planning profession and have been given to leaders in the profession for over 50 years; and

WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia is truly fortunate to have such a talented in-house staff of planning specialists. That PCPC should be recognized as a national leader in planning practices comes as no surprise to the citizens of this City who have benefitted from PCPC’s expertise and tireless efforts in ensuring that the community’s best vision for Philadelphia becomes a reality; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby congratulate the Philadelphia City Planning Commission for being awarded the American Planning Association’s 2016 National Planning Excellence Award for a Planning Agency.

RESOLVED FURTHER, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to the Philadelphia City Planning Commission, evidencing the sincere admiration and respect of this legislative body.

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