The Town of Walden Plan has been officially recognized by TAPA for Outstanding Plan for a Small Jurisdiction. Joint recipients are Mayor Lee Davis representing Walden; Dawson Wheeler, chairman of Walden’s Land Use Committee; Keith Covington, president, Common Ground Urban Design + Planning; KCI Technologies, Inc.; and Zanetta Illustration will accept the award on Oct. 26 at TAPA’s Fall Conference in Knoxville.
“This category had several excellent nominations, which made for a very tough decision," said Nathalie Schmidt, AICP, assistant director, Knoxville Section, TAPA. "The committee agreed that the Town of Walden Plan is well-organized, clear, and visually appealing, and conveys key planning themes such as resilience, sustainability, and inclusion that would truly impact the community in positive ways."
TAPA, which has sponsored these annual awards for more than three decades, gives only one award annually for each of its six categories, which means Walden is the sole 2022 recipient of this award in its category. The awards were initially started to recognize and celebrate responsible, inclusive, and responsive planning for the present and future of communities of every size.
The genesis of this land use plan, an update of one almost 25 years old, was the result of a controversial commercial development that was initially approved, then ultimately overturned, which inspired the town to create an updated vision for the future of their community. Public engagement lay at the core of the process, including town-wide meetings, focus groups, and four days of design charettes.
Ultimately, a development scenario was created to illustrate the key elements of a future town center: a central public space, a network of streets and blocks that conform to Walden’s unique topographic features, walkability, and a mixture of uses with a low-rise, more rural character. Multiple housing types to provide more choice for the community were also important, as was the need to preserve sensitive natural features.
"This is a wonderful validation of a community-wide process of engagement, with an all-citizen volunteer steering committee working closely with Common Ground Urban Design + Planning, to address important town-wide topics such as future land use and development character,” said Mayor Davis. “Additionally, it includes a special focus on creating a framework for a walkable, mixed-use town center in the heart of the community.”
For more information on the Town of Walden Plan, click here.