The city of Newark has been awarded with the Daniel Burnham Comprehensive Plan Award for the Newark360 Master Plan and Land Use Regulations by the American Planning Association, it was announced Wednesday.
The National Planning Awards honor planning efforts, initiatives, and individuals working to make safer, stronger, and more just communities for all.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was thrilled to make the announcement.
“Newark360 was created by the people of Newark themselves,” he said. “With over 10,000 touchpoints – from a highly interactive website, Facebook Live discussions, in-person community workshops, focus groups, statistically valid surveys, and the Newark Story Bus – Newark360’s community engagement was the most wide-ranging and inclusive outreach the City has ever undertaken.
“I am grateful for everyone who participated because Newark360 could not exist without incorporating the voices and priorities of Newarkers.”
Amanda Burden, principal of Urban Planning at Bloomberg Associates, agreed.
“Newark’s Comprehensive Master Pan – Newark 360 – is a must read for professionals and citizens alike,” she said. “It is beautifully laid out, richly illustrative, and completely engaging. This plan is a national model for how citizens can shape the future of their cities.”
The APA praised Newark while announcing the award.
“Newark, New Jersey, one of the nation’s oldest and most diverse communities, is embracing its future through the Newark360: Shaping Our City Together,” it wrote. “The plan aims to accommodate growth while maintaining community integrity, inclusivity, and resiliency.
“The plan’s policies specifically address inequities such as escalating housing costs, air quality issues, and lack of well-paying jobs. It is rooted in neighborhoods where citywide policies will have the most visible impact.
“Recognizing the need to include voices historically excluded from planning processes, the planning team translated materials into Spanish and Portuguese to ensure all Newark residents could participate. Initiatives such as the Newark Story Bus, youth involvement through the City Planning Institute, and neighborhood workshops held in each ward built broad community engagement.”
