SACOG Salutes! began in 1999 in an effort to recognize outstanding and innovative land-use, transportation and air quality planning, programs and activism throughout the six-county SACOG region.
The 2011 awards were presented on Thursday, December 15 during the SACOG Board Meeting.
2011 Award Winners
THE BILL HUGHES ELECTED OFFICIAL OF THE YEAR AWARD Ms. Helen Thomson, Former Yolo County Supervisor
Helen Thomson has served Yolo County and the Sacramento region in many capacities including serving on the Davis School Board, the Yolo County Board of Supervisors, and the California State Assembly. In her many years of service, Helen consistently brought expertise and passion to issues of access, transportation and air quality. In her tenure with SACOG, she served as vice chair and chair of the SACOG Board of Directors and was instrumental in the development and planning of the Rural-Urban Connections Strategy, the cutting edge project that helps policy makers and farmers make data supported decisions regarding land use and transportation investments.
At the county level, Helen was known as a skilled policy maker, a champion of agriculture and the environment with a keen ability to balance the demands of growth and conservation, and a tremendous example of effective leadership.
BLUEPRINT EXCELLENCE AWARD City of Sacramento
River District Specific Plan & Design Guidelines
The city of Sacramento worked with property owners and the community to develop the specific plan and design guidelines. The specific plan sets the stage for a smooth transition from a light industrial area to a mixed-use community. The plan also includes bicycle and pedestrian connections with the nearby neighborhoods to facilitate non-motorized trips.
BLUEPRINT EXCELLENCE AWARD City of Citrus Heights
Citrus Heights Green Planning Academy
Citrus Heights took a grassroots approach to promoting Blueprint principles through their planning academy. This year, 25 residents participated in the six-week program, learning about the importance of sustainable community planning. Planning Academy participants mixed evening meetings with field trips and film screenings to learn about all aspects of transportation and land use planning. They calculated the walkability of their neighborhoods and took transit to better understand current transportation options and identify future transportation choices for Citrus Heights.
REGIONAL PROJECT OF THE YEAR AWARD Alexan Midtown
Alexan Midtown is a 275-unit residential and mixed-use development within a five-minute walk of both light rail and bus service. The development has 4,440 square feet of retail which is already occupied with a deli and a yoga studio that serves not only residents, but the large offices nearby. Built in accordance with the Build It Green Guidelines, it incorporates cost-effective strategies to minimize construction-related waste, create healthier and more durable residences, reduce operating costs for owners, and support local manufacturers and suppliers of resource-efficient building materials.
REGIONAL PROJECT OF THE YEAR AWARD Sacramento County
Hazel Avenue Bicycle & Pedestrian Improvements
The bicycle and pedestrian improvements at the Hazel Avenue River Crossing are a significant improvement to the multimodal corridor that currently exists. The Hazel Avenue improvements include: a barrier to separate bicycle and pedestrian movement from the higher speed vehicles, ADA accessibility improvements throughout, landscaping, better American River Parkway connections, and enhanced lighting.
EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR AWARD Larry Greene, Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District
Larry Greene has been the driving force in the many air-improving programs supported and implemented by the air district staff, including collaborative work to support local jurisdiction with toxic air contaminants, assessments of air quality impacts and benefits for infill and greenfield development, tools for residential developers to assess diesel fuel emissions, in addition to the Spare the Air and Check Before You Burn campaigns.
MARY BRILL YOUTH EXCELLENCE AWARD Delta High School Agricultural Department and Future Farmers of America
The Agricultural Department offers a variety of courses to support four agricultural career paths: Animal Science, Plant Science, Agricultural Mechanics, and Agricultural Construction. Through grant funds, the agricultural department recently expanded their facilities to include a floriculture laboratory, meat science preparation/packing area, a large livestock facility, teaching laboratory area, an expanded welding laboratory with new equipment, and a greenhouse for production and research.
MARY BRILL YOUTH EXCELLENCE AWARD Sacramento Youth Council for Sustainable Communities
The Sacramento Youth Council for Sustainable Communities is comprised of young people focused on promoting healthy and equitable land use, transportation and food systems and ensuring that youth voice and action are the norm of planning and policy decisions. The students have collaborated on design of complete streets at two Sacramento high schools, canvassed neighborhoods regarding the siting of a fast food restaurant, worked on community garden initiatives, and are working on a pilot program to test a cargo bike to deliver CSA boxes to low-income neighborhoods.
SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD City of Galt
Galt Place Affordable Senior Housing Development
Galt Place is a high density mixed-use infill development in the heart of historic downtown Galt. Galt Place is another example of successful small city implementation of the Blueprint and smart growth principles while maintaining
unique rural characteristics.
The project provides 81 affordable senior housing units, in one- and two-bedroom apartments. This is the first senior housing project for the city. Galt Place’s current retail includes a photography studio, women’s groups meeting place, a mortgage company, and plans are under way for a diner. With its central location, residents of Galt Place have walking and biking access to goods and services including restaurants, salons, and small markers, in addition to the dial-a-ride transit stop.
