The 2023 Smart Growth Awards is Coming!
Vision Long Island’s Smart Growth Awards is coming! Organized by a long time sponsor — more like family, really – it’s some of the best networking I know. We talked about their Complete Streets Summit a few weeks ago. Hope you sign up for their Main Street News, and check out their Vimeo for insightful interviews with all sorts of people who make it their business to serve the people and communities of Long Island.
Honoring Folks Who Strengthen Our Communities
For well over 20 years Vision Long Island has been honoring individuals, organizations and projects that advance the growth of our downtowns and infrastructure. Specific focus areas include transit-oriented development, affordable housing, environmental sustainability, traffic calming, transportation enhancements, clean energy and community based planning. Join them:
What: 2023 Smart Growth Awards
When: June 16, 11am
Where: The Crest Hollow Country Club, 8325 Jericho Turnpike, Woodbury
For Tickets: Smart Growth Awards Eventbrite
Sponsorship Opportunities: Available here
2023 Honorees Include
One thing I really love about this event is the work of Rob Comforto, who for decades now has helped Vision explain the people, projects and policies they honor. Here are the folks he’ll be mini-documenting this year:
Corporate Leadership: Kathy Wisnewski, National Grid
Community Leadership: Jean Kelly & Rob Kammerer, Interfaith Nutrition Network
Environmental Leadership: Peter Scully, Suffolk County Wastewater Management District
Small Business Leadership: Harry Malhotra, New York South Asian Chamber of Commerce
Affordable Housing Choices: Park Grove Development & Town of Hempstead, Baldwin Commons, Baldwin
Affordable Housing Choices: Georgica Green & City of Glen Cove, 100, 200 Dickson St, Glen Cove
Affordable Housing Planning: Concern Housing, Southampton
Transit Oriented Communities: Alpine Residential & Town of Oyster Bay, 99 Newbridge, Hicksville
Revitalizing Communities, Steel Equities & Town of Islip, The Belmont at Eastview
Creating Certainty: Village of Mineola, Historic Downtown & Jericho Turnpike Overlay Districts
Creating Great Places: Town of Riverhead, Riverhead Town Square
Creating Walkability: Nassau County AT&T & FirstNet, Safety Town
Creating Walkability: Village of Westhampton Beach
Community Leadership, St. Joseph’s University
Creating Transportation Choices, Suffolk Transit & Suffolk County
What is Smart Growth?
Basically? It’s a very holistic approach to community development that recognizes the importance of building places for people that respect the environment and are good for the economy. There’s a major emphasis on downtown community centers and, in Vision’s case, deep, meaningful relationship development across sectors and interests.
In terms of clear criteria, these awards are based on a recipients ability to demonstrate one or more of the following:
- Mix Land Uses
- Take advantage of compact building design
- Create housing choices for a range of household types, family sizes and incomes
- Strengthen existing communities and achieve more balanced regional development
- Encourage citizen and stakeholder participation in development decisions
- Create walkable neighborhoods
- Foster distinctive, attractive communities with a strong sense of place
- Preserve open space, farmland, historic buildings and critical environmental areas
- Provide a variety of transportation choices
- Make development decisions predictable, fair and cost effective
- Utilize clean energy and green building development
