Minnesota planners recognize CGO with Honor Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

1000 Friends of Minnesota Receives Top Honors from Minnesota Planning Community

MANKATO, Minnesota (September 23, 2010) The Minnesota Chapter of the American Planning Association announced its 2010 Chapter Planning Awards at the Upper Midwest Planning Conference this week in Mankato. Community Growth Options, a project of 1000 Friends of Minnesota, was recognized at an awards luncheon Thursday, September 23, 2010. Community Growth Options, an in-depth, long-term planning and implementation assistance project for local governments, received one of two Honor Awards presented that day. The project was identified as the sole winner in the “Implementation Tool or Program” category.

1000 Friends of Minnesota launched Community Growth Options, an ambitious land-use planning and implementation project in 10 Twin Cities metro-area communities, with significant support from the McKnight Foundation in 2008. Community Growth Options is designed to help small, growing communities develop long-term land use strategies to balance economic development and natural resources while enhancing local quality of life. The project’s goal is to connect communities with resources, promote citizen involvement and build capacity for informed planning.

“Community Growth Options (CGO) has been at the heart of our work for the past two years and has resulted in significant accomplishments for the participating communities. We are extremely grateful for this recognition by our peers,” said Sally Wakefield, CGO Program and Interim Executive Director at 1000 Friends of Minnesota. As part of the presentation, project partners were recognized for their role in the project’s success, including the 10 participating communities: Afton, Becker Township, Center City, Corcoran, Jordan, Livonia Township, Norwood Young America, Pine Island, Princeton and Victoria. Additional partners include three consulting firms: Bonestroo Inc., Community Growth Institute and Municipal Development Group, as well as the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs and the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota.

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