The City of Auburn’s Interactive Growth Model was awarded the

Outstanding Planning Award for a Project/Program/Tool last week at the

annual meeting of the 2009 Alabama Chapter of the American Planning

Association.

The meeting was in Orange Beach, Ala., March 25 to 27.

The growth model was heralded as a significant advancement to the work

of planning, according to the press release.

A resolution authorizing a contract with Van Buskirk, Ryffel and

Associates, Inc. to develop this interactive growth model which would

aid Auburn city staff in their comprehensive planning efforts was

authorized by the city council in October 2006.

While most traditional growth projections use an unchanging linear rate

of growth, this model uses a curve to predict where growth should take

place in a city.

“I think it gives us a more accurate prediction of growth and enables us

to plan our land uses and the locations of those land uses more

accurately,” said Forrest Cotten, planning director for the City of

Auburn. “What’s nice about this model is it tells us not only how much

it’s going to grow, but in all likelihood where that growth is going to

occur.”

According to the press release the model is now being used to assist in

evaluating zoning applications and land use decisions, but city staff

expect to incorporate the model this year as part of its comprehensive

planning process.

Cotten said winning the award lets them know their planning practices

are on track.

“Any time you have an award given to you by your peers it always means

more, because the people who are the best critics of planning are

planners themselves,” Cotten said.