The Phoenix City Council accepted the American Planning Association's (APA) 2008 National Planning Landmark Award for "Open Space Plan for the Phoenix Mountains" on Tuesday.

"The city of Phoenix set a national precedent when it protected 7,100 acres of open space more than 30 years ago," said Vice Mayor Peggy Neely. "The creation of the voter approved Phoenix Mountain Preserve system is a historic planning landmark that illustrates the city's commitment to protect our open space and we are honored to receive this award."

The city's goal of enhanced awareness of planning provided a model for similar efforts in other fast-urbanizing metropolitan areas in the country that continue today.

“There are many ways that planners and planning can help create communities of lasting value,” said Carol Rhea, AICP, chairperson of the 2008 National Planning Awards Jury. “APA is particularly proud to recognize the extraordinary vision and success of the planners involved in distinguishing and protecting open space in the Phoenix Mountains.”

In the early 1970s the concept of designating and preserving open space, particularly in the desert, was not a priority. A group of Phoenix residents prompted the city to undertake a study known as “A detailed master plan for the Phoenix Mountains.” Their efforts and study culminated in the Phoenix Mountains Preserve Plan being adopted in 1971 and 9,700 acres being identified for acquisition.

Because the effort was unprecedented, many challenges still had to be addressed including enactment of state legislation to allow such land acquisitions and securing funds to acquire the land.

At the time no community in Arizona could use bond funds to purchase open space. The Phoenix Mountain Preservation Commission and the city worked with the state legislature to amend state law to allow bonding for open space – the mechanism that eventually paid for most of the preserved lands.

Today the original 7,500 acre preserve (acquired for some $70 million) includes Shaw Butte, North Mountain, and Dreamy Draw Recreation Area. An environmental education center, opened in 2006, includes one of the most popular summit trails in the country with more than 500,000 hikers and 1.5 million visitors annually.

The city is expanding upon its Phoenix Mountains plan by developing aggressive measures to acquire and preserve an additional 20,000 acres of desert within the city's borders – the Upper and Lower Sonoran Desert plant communities.

For a list of all 2008 National Planning Excellence, Achievement, and Leadership Award recipients, visit planning.org/awards/2008winners.htm. APA’s national awards program, considered to be the profession’s highest honor, began more than 50 years ago to recognize outstanding community plans, and planning leaders.