APA Kentucky Awards
The Kentucky Chapter of the American Planning Association recognizes the good work happening in KY via our APA KY Planning Awards program.   We know our members work hard and we are honored to recognize you!  Awards are given in the following categories:
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• Outstanding Plan
  Comprehensive plans, transportation plans, recreation plans, neighborhood overlay/action plans, etc.
  
  
• Outstanding Project/Program/Tool
  Regulations and codes, design guidelines, growth management guidelines, etc.
  
  
• Outstanding Achievement in a Small Jurisdiction 
  Eligible community must have a population of less than 30,000. This award is not based on any one achievement, but on a sustained effort that is noteworthy and has transferability to other communities.
  
  
• Outstanding Use of Innovative Technology
  This can include innovative use of online platform and tools, GIS, etc.
  
  
• Outstanding Student Project
  A college/university student-generated project emanating from a planning, or planning-related, course or independent study.
  
  
• Outstanding Young Planner
  A planner in their first five years of the planning profession, who has demonstrated extraordinary commitment to leadership, professional development and advancement of the field.
  
  
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
  For planners and plans that have championed diversity, equity and inclusion in the planning process.
  
  
• Distinguished Civic Leadership
  This award is for a citizen, board member and/or elected official who has advanced sound planning in the public arena.
  
  
• The William Bowdy Award
  An award for outstanding life-time achievement by a Kentucky planner.
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• APA-KY Student Scholarship
  This scholarship will be awarded to a student enrolled in a Kentucky college or university or a resident of Kentucky majoring in Planning or a related field.

​Official nomination forms are available in late spring or early summer.  Please direct applications or questions to Adam King at [email protected].

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2026 Award Winners

Join us in congratulating the group of 2026 APA KY Award winners:

• Outstanding Student Project to the University of Louisville Master of Urban Planning Program for its "Planning for Tomorrow: St. Joseph & Meriwether-Fort Hill Neighborhood Plan 2025"
• Outstanding Comprehensive Plan to the Bullitt County Joint Planning Commission & Taylor Siefker Williams Design Group for the "Bullitt County 2045 Comprehensive Plan"
• Outstanding Trail Plan to TriState Trails, City of Covington and City of Newport for the "2024 Covington + Newport Bicycle Transportation Plan"
• Outstanding Neighborhood Plan to the Louisville Metro Government Office of Planning, Taylor Siefker Williams Design Group & EHI for the "2026 South Central Neighborhoods Plan"

• Outstanding Transportation Plan to Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Corridors Commission, Gresham Smith & Inside Out Landscape Design for the "Corridors Commission Guidebook"
• Outstanding Placemaking Pan to the Louisville Downtown Partnership for the "2026 CitySpot Program"
• Outstanding Public Engagement to Warren County (KY) City-County Planning Commission & InnoEngine for the "What Could BG Be?"
• Outstanding Use of Innovative Technology to Planning and Development Services of Kenton County for its "Development Data Hub"
• Outstanding Achievement in a Small Jurisdiction to Hardin County Planning & Development, KY Transportation Cabinet, Taylor Siefker Williams Design Group, WSD & HDR for its "Creating Vibrant Communities: A Small Area Plan for Glendale, KY"
• Outstanding Project / Program /Tool to Louisville Metro Government Office of Planning for the "Zoning Matters: Conversations with a City Planner"
• APA KY Chapter 2026 Scholarship Award to Carrys Gossett, University of Louisville.  

2025 Award Winners

Join us in congratulating the group of 2025 APA KY Award winners:

• Outstanding Student Project to the University of Louisville Master of Urban Planning Program for its "Light Loop: Creating an Education District 2025"
• Outstanding Young Planner to Haley B. Goodman, Planner I, Hardin County Planning & Development
• Outstanding Plan to City of Paducah & McCracken County & Kendig Keast Collaborative for the "Comprehensive Plan – To 2040 & Beyond"
• Outstanding Comprehensive Plan to the Kenton County Planning Commission for its "2024 Kenton County Comprehensive Plan"
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to Gretchen Hunt, JD, Louisville, KY
• Outstanding Use of Innovative Technology to Gresham Smith for its "KYTC Complete Streets, Roads and Highways Helper"
• Outstanding Project / Program /Tool to Taylor Siefker Williams Design Group, WSP, HDR & KYTC for the "Creating Vibrant Communities: KYTC Transportation Development Planning Assistance Program"

2024 Award Winners

Join us in congratulating the group of 2024 APA KY Award winners:

• Outstanding Student Project to the University of Louisville Master of Urban Planning Program for its "Edutainment Market Analysis 2024"
• Outstanding Young Planner to Melanie Reason, Paducah, KY
• Outstanding Transportation Plan to Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Division of Planning
  for its "Imagine New Circle 2024"
• Outstanding Neighborhood Plan to Taylor Siefker Williams Design Group and EHI Consultants for the "Clifton & Crescent Hill Area Plan, Louisville, KY 2024"
• Distinguished Civic Leadership to Larry Forester, Lexington-Fayette Urban County Planning Commission
• Outstanding Use of Innovative Technology to Planning and Development Services of Kenton County, KY for "Z21 – Riparian Buffer Analysis 2024"
• Outstanding Project / Program /Tool to Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Division of Planning & Lexington Area Metropolitan Planning Organization for the "Complete Streets Action Plan 2024"
• Outstanding Achievement: Small Jurisdiction to Triple S Planning Commission City of Simpsonville, KY & Taylor Siefker Williams Design Group for its "Simpsonville Shines! 2024"
• Outstanding Comprehensive Plan to Hardin County Planning & Development & Taylor Siefker Williams Design Group for its "Comprehensive Development Guide"

2022-23 Award Winners

Join us in congratulating the group of 2022-23 APA KY Award winners:

• Outstanding Student Project: University of Kentucky, Department of Geography for its “Neighborhoods in Transition: A Case Study of the East End and Castlewood Neighborhoods in Lexington, KY"
• Outstanding Comprehensive Plan: Taylor Siefker Williams Design Group for its "Madison County, KY Comprehensive Plan 2023"
• Outstanding Transportation Plan to Michael Baker International for its "Kentucky 2022-2045 Long-Range Statewide Transportation Plan 2023"
• Outstanding Plan to Gresham Smith for its "Broadway All the Way: Louisville, KY 2021"
• Outstanding Corridor Plan to Taylor Siefker Williams Design Group for its "US 41 Corridor Plan Henderson, KY" 
• Outstanding Master Plan to City of Covington, KY for its "Reconnecting Covington - Covington Central Riverfront Strategic Master Plan"
• Outstanding Transportation Plan to Kentucky Transportation Cabinet & Gresham Smith for its "Complete Streets, Roads, and Highways Manual 2022"
• Outstanding Project/Program/Tool to City of Lexington, KY & CivicLex for its "On the Table 2022-2023"
• Special Awards
  • Lindsay Walker for all her work Planning Conferences
  • Brian Davis as outgoing President
  • Tom West received the DEI Award on behalf of Covington, KY

2021 Award Winners

Join us in congratulating the latest group of APA KY Award winners!

• Outstanding Plan: Frankfort, KY
  City of Frankfort, KY for its "Frankfort Arts Master Plan"
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Louisville Metro Planning and Design Services
  Louisville Metro Planning and Design Services for its "Confronting Racism in City Planning and Zoning" ESRI Story Map
• Outstanding Comprehensive Plan: Elizabethtown, KY
  City of Elizabethtown, KY and Taylor Siefker Williams Design Group for the "Envision Elizabethtown 2040"
• Public Engagement: Lexington, KY
  City of Lexington, KY's Division of Planning for its "Mornings with Planning"
• Outstanding Project/Program/Tool: City of Covington
  City of Covington, KY for its Neighborhood Development Code
• Outstanding Transportation Plan: Gresham Smith
  Gresham Smith for its "Eastern Parkway Transportation Plan"
• Outstanding Neighborhood Plan: MKSK
  MKSK for its "Butchertown, Phoenix Hill and NULU Neighborhood Plan"
• Outstanding Corridor Plan: Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government & MKSK
  Lexington –Fayette Urban County Government and MKSK for the "Imagine Nicholasville Road" plan
• Outstanding Comprehensive Plan in a Small Jurisdiction: Pikeville, KY
  City of Pikeville, KY for its "Pikeville Comprehensive Plan Update"
• Outstanding Achievement in a Small Jurisdiction: University of Kentucky
  University of Kentucky Department of Landscape Architecture, Community and Economic Development Initiative of Kentucky for its "Harlan KY Downtown Project"
• Outstanding Use of Innovative Technology: City of Berea, KY
  City of Berea, KY & Taylor Siefker Williams Design Group for the "City of Berea Comprehensive Plan 2020"
• Outstanding Student Project: University of Louisville Masters Capstone Project
  University of Louisville Master of Urban Planning's Capstone Studio for its project "A Process for the People: Planning for more-equitable neighborhoods in Louisville"
• Distinguished Civic Leadership: Mike Sewell, Gresham Smith
  Mike Sewell is Louisville Office Lead for Gresham Smith and the National Director of Active Transportation at Gresham Smith. A professional engineer with over 20 years of experience, Mike has spent his career planning, designing, and implementing transportation projects.
• APA-KY Student Scholarship: Cidnei Johnson, University of Louisville
  Cidnei is in her second semester as a graduate student in the Master of Urban Planning program at the University of Louisville.  Already Cidnei has made a strong impression by exhibiting academic excellence and a passion for planning in marginalized communities.  In addition to pursuing a Master’s degree, Cidnei works full-time within the criminal justice system in Louisville and plans to pursue a dual enrollment in the MUP-JD degree program with the Brandeis School of Law (U of L).

2020 Awards

The William Bowdy Award:  Dennis Gordon, FAICP

• Dennis Gordon has been award The William Bowdy Award for outstanding lifetime achievement by a Kentucky planner.  Read more about Dennis' career, dedication to the profession and more.

2019 Awards

Join us in congratulating the group of 2019 APA KY Award winners:

• The William Bowdy Award for Outstanding Life:  Kendal Baker, AICP
• Distinguished Civic Leadership: Lula K. Howard
• Outstanding Comprehensive Plan: Louisville Metro Develop Louisville, Taylor Siefker Williams Design Group and Gresham Smith for "Plan 2040"
• Outstanding Project/Program/Tool: YARD & Company for its Neighborhood Playbook.
• Outstanding Achievement in a Small Jurisdiction: University of Kentucky Department of Landscape Architecture, Community and Economic Development Initiative of Kentucky for its "Downtown Plan for Manchester, KY"
• Outstanding Corridor Plan: MKSK, Strand Associates, Kolar Design, Robert Pass & Associates and Louisville Metro Government for the "West Kentucky Street Corridor Plan"
• Outstanding Neighborhood Plan: Louisville Metro Government, Taylor Siefker Williams Design Group and BTM Engineering for its "Fairdale Village Center Plan"
• Outstanding Student Project: University of Kentucky, Department of Landscape Architecture for its “Connecting Cave Country: Brownsville, Cave City, Horse Cave & Park City"

2018 Awards

Join us in congratulating the group of 2019 APA KY Award winners:

• The William Bowdy Award:  Ed Holmes, AICP
• Distinguished Civic Leadership: Timothy Thomas
• Distinguished Civic Leadership: Sherry Carran
• Outstanding Plan: Elizabethtown Tourism & Convention Bureau, City of Elizabethtown and Taylor Siefker Williams Design Group for the "Elizabethtown Trail Master Plan"
• Outstanding Comprehensive Plan: Georgetown–Scott County Planning Commission for its"Great Scott! Plan"
• Outstanding Project/Program/Tool: Gresham Smith for its "Multifamily Stormwater Retrofit Manual – Lexington, KY"
• Outstanding Achievement in a Small Jurisdiction: Hopkins County Joint Planning Commission for its "Go Madisonville Transit Project"
• Outstanding Use of Innovative Technology: Planning and Development Services of Kenton County for its PDS Drone Program
• Outstanding Student Project: University of Cincinnati School of Planning for its "The Core of Bourbon County” Urban Planning Study
• Outstanding Young Planner: Chris Schneider, AICP
• Outstanding Public Engagement: Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Division of Planning for its "Imagine Lexington – On the Table" Initiative

Prior Years

The William Bowdy Award Past Winners:
2020 - DENNIS GORDON, FAICP
​2019 - KEN BAKER, AICP
2018 - ED HOLMES, AICP
2014 – GARY NOFFSINGER
2013 – CHRIS HUNSINGER (posthumously)
2011 - EDWARD J. POPPE
2010 – M. LOUISE ALLEN, AICP
2009 – LARISA K. SIMS, AICP
2008 – KEITH LOGSDON, AICP
2007 -- KEVIN P. COSTELLO, AICP
2006 -- RON L. MARIONNEAUX, PhD, AICP
2005 – TIMOTHY C. BUTLER, AICP
2004 -- MARSHALL D. SLAGLE, FAICP
2003 -- GARY ADAMS, AICP
​2002 -- WILLIAM BOWDY, FAICP