For Immediate Release
June 12, 2014

Media Contact: 
Alan Loomis, Principal Urban Designer
Thomas R. Lorenz, Public Information Officer

American Planning Association Recognizes Glendale’s Community Development Department

Glendale, CA – On June 12, the Los Angeles Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA) recognized the City of Glendale and the Community Development Department (CDD) with several awards at their annual Awards Gala. These awards set the City of Glendale apart from other municipalities for its overall excellence and innovative approach to community development.

Distinguished Leadership Award – [Public] Agency for 2014

CDD’s greatest accomplishment is the multiple divisions’ ability to continue to perform at an outstanding level, with internal consistency and collaboration between the divisions, in the face of the recession, loss of Redevelopment funding, major staff cuts, and increasing workload. These include:

• Building & Safety’s Back to Business Program (B2B) and the Concurrent Review Program.

• Planning & Neighborhood Services’ in-house production and implementation of the Downtown Specific Plan, North Glendale Community Plan, South Glendale Community Plan, Greener Glendale Plan, and streamlined Zoning Code.

• The Housing Division’s exceptional Section 8 program has over 50% transfer vouchers. It is efficiently run despite 20% reduction of funding charged by source agencies, it was named a “High Performing Housing Authority,” and has developed a high number of quality affordable housing units.

• Excellent customer service provided by the Development Concierge Service.

Public Outreach Award of Merit – South Glendale Community Plan

• Food and Film at the Train Tracks on October 3, 2013, drew the community to the Historic Glendale Train Station.  It featured a walking tour, food trucks and the screening of “Double Indemnity,” a movie that was originally filmed at the station.  As a result, 157 surveys and 25 Walking Tour Photo surveys were completed; the most ever for a Glendale planning effort. 
• Fall Festival in the Park on November 16, 2013 attracted families from the South Glendale area. A variety of unconventional tools and activities were designed for the target audience and resulted in over 150 responses.   

A variety of print and online social media platforms were used to promote both events which saw unprecedented public participation. These events created a new strategy for how CDD will conduct outreach in the future.

Urban Design Award – Award of Merit – Space 134 Vision Plan
The Glendale “Space 134” project is a concept study for a "freeway cap park" over the 134 Freeway from Central Avenue to Glendale Avenue. As Downtown Glendale moves forward with the 18-hour workday with new restaurants, bars, and nightlife opportunities in the City’s new Arts & Entertainment District, Space 134 will become a key component in furthering that vision.

Transportation Planning Award of Merit – Safe & Healthy Streets Plan
The design of our city, work sites, and streets influences how much physical activity individuals engage in and plays an important role in preventing many chronic conditions – such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and asthma.  Glendale’s Safe and Healthy Streets Plan has the potential to boost levels of physical activity and help reverse current trends among residents.  It provides policies to make Glendale a safer and friendlier city for pedestrians and bicyclists.

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The Community Development Department (CDD) works to maintain and improve the high standard of living for which the city of Glendale is known. Our goal is to continuously enhance the character of the City through coordinated programs and streamlined procedures, ensuring that all development is done in a predictable and consistent manner and that the quality and character that Glendale residents expect from their neighborhoods is realized.

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