Summit County Executive Russell M. Pry Honored with Smart Growth Friendly Community Award

On Friday, April 4, 2008, KS Associates presented the County of Summit with a Smart Growth Friendly Community Award during the Smart Growth Education Foundation (SGEF) Awards of Excellence Ceremony. The event was held at The Tangier, located at 532 West Market Street in Akron.

KS Associates, a local engineering/surveying firm, selected the County of Summit for their distinguished and private award in an effort to shine light on the smart growth principles that were implemented in Summit County Executive Russell M. Pry’s General Land Use Development Plan. The General Land Use Development Plan is a long range planning tool that addresses issues of economic development, preservation of open space, natural resources, transportation and utility infrastructure from a countywide perspective.

“I appreciate KS Associates for publically recognizing the County of Summit’s smart growth planning efforts,” said Summit County Executive Russell M. Pry. “I take great pride is accepting such a distinguished honor.”

The Smart Growth Education Foundation’s Awards of Excellence Ceremony was held in an effort to recognize builders, community organizations and developers that follow smart growth principles while building housing in urban and suburban locations. KS Associates annually uses this occasion to announce their private award recipient.

The SGEF was formed in 1999 to represent the homebuilding industry’s concern for future residential development and efficient land use in northeast Ohio and to promote smart growth principles. The goals of the foundation are to: educate northeast Ohio communities concerning planning and development concepts, form partnerships with other smart growth-related groups, present options to local governments in order to ensure orderly residential growth, environmental compatibility and quality home choices for all economic segments of the region.

The Smart Growth Education Foundation is funded by home builders in the following counties: Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Erie, Geauga, Huron, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, Stark and Summit.

The Summit County Executive Russell M. Pry’s General Land Use Development Plan is available for viewing by clicking on www.co.summit.oh.us/executive/genplan.htm .