Los Angeles Section of the American Planning Association gives kudos to SCV.

The City of Santa Clarita received two honors from the Los Angeles Section of the American Planning Association (APA) and will be recognized at a ceremony at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, CathedralPlaza on Tuesday, June 12th.

The City’s Downtown Newhall Specific Plan won first place in this year's Los Angeles area APA awards and the Sign Compliance Program received an award of merit.

The Downtown Newhall Specific Plan was awarded first place for Planning Excellence Award for Best Practice.  Since the Downtown Newhall Specific Plan took first place, the City will now compete at the state level. 

The Downtown Newhall Specific Plan is a form-based code that is designed to invigorate downtown Newhall by changing the built environment. 

Under the plan, property owners have more options and flexibility for their parcels.  The plan calls for mixed-use development that allows commercial and residential uses to co-exist on the same parcel.  This is different from the traditional zoning ordinances that cover other areas of Santa Clarita.

The City's Sign Compliance Program, which is intended to improve the aesthetic appearance of the community and reduce competitive streetscape signage clutter along the City’s roadway corridors, received an award of merit for Planning Excellence in Implementation, Large Jurisdiction, for the final phase of the sign compliance program. 

Each year, the Los Angeles Section of the American Planning Association recognizes quality planning efforts that advance and enhance public awareness of achievement in the planning profession. 

The Los Angeles Section of the American Planning Association recognizes and rewards projects, individuals and organizations that typifies excellence in planning, which generally advances the planning profession.

For additional information about the Downtown Newhall Specific Plan or the Sign Compliance Program, please contact the City Planning Division at (661) 255-4330.