Recently announced, the Maryland Department of Planning (MDP) and the Montgomery County Planning Department will be recipients of national awards for excellence from the American Planning Association (APA) at its national conference in mid-April.

According to Smart Growth Maryland’s blog,

MDP will receive the 2015 National Planning Excellence Award for a Planning Agency for its years of advocacy, education and planning initiatives encouraging smart growth and sustainable communities and for improving quality of life for Maryland residents.

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The Montgomery County Planning Department will receive a 2015 Award for Planning Excellence for its outstanding effort in the development of Pike & Rose in North Bethesda.  Pike & Rose is a 24-acre retail mixed use development project located near the intersection of Old Georgetown Road and Rockville Pike at White Flint. This is the first project built under the White Flint Sector Plan, which was adopted by Montgomery County in 2010.

The White Flint Sector Plan called for creation of mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly town center-style developments along Rockville Pike (MD 355). The plan also calls for infrastructure improvements including a bus rapid transit system on Rockville Pike, a pedestrian and bicycle friendly street grid and various open space amenities. For its innovative approach to retrofitting older suburban development, the White Flint Sector Plan was honored with an award in 2013 from the Maryland Sustainable Growth Commission.

To read more about the planning awards, visit Smart Growth Maryland’s blog.