Albany County, Wyoming Wins National APA Award

Each year the American Planning Association (APA), County Planning Division (CPD) and its sister organization, the National Association of County Planners (NACP) gives out County Planning Project Awards.  There are two types of awards, Awards of Excellence and Awards of Merit.  In addition, there are seven categories of awards: Planning Project, Comprehensive Plan – Large Jurisdiction, Comprehensive Plan – Small Jurisdiction, Best Practices, Grass Roots Initiative, Small Area/Special Area Planning, and Special Focus Planning Initiative – County Holistic Innovation Project.  Only one Award of Excellence and one Award of Merit may be granted per category each year.  If the Awards Jury finds that none of the nominations in a particular category meets the desirable standards, they may grant no award in that category for that year.  

This year, Albany County is the recipient of an Award of Merit in the Comprehensive Plan – Small Jurisdiction category for Laramie Growth Area Plan.  Albany County and the City of Laramie collaborated on the Laramie Growth Area Plan (LGA Plan), specifically targeting the unincorporated area immediately surrounding Laramie.  While over 90% of Albany County’s 38,000 residents live within the city or the immediate surrounding area, continued growth pressure is affecting this rural-urban interface.  The LGA Plan was initiated following a change in state statute which previously allowed for extra-territorial planning application review for the one mile “donut” or “gap” area outside the City of Laramie.  The LGA Plan developed a clear plan for growth for the area surrounding the City, based upon technical infrastructure capacity and fiscal impact analyses, zoning entitlements, current county and city zoning, and most importantly, public input.  The purpose of the LGA Plan was to ensure logical patterns of development and cost-effective provision of services such as roads and utilities, as well as create a clear and consistent process for development within the “donut” through joint planning between the City and the County.  Adopted in August 2023, the LGA Plan allows the City and County to respond more proactively to development submittals, resulting in better service provision, greater predictability for property owners, and a higher quality of life for the community.  The LGA Plan is supplemental to both the City of Laramie and Albany County Comprehensive Plans and is one of the first of its kind in Wyoming.  The LGA Plan serves as one of the community’s most significant joint planning efforts and can be used as a model for other communities seeking to embark on a joint planning process.  The LGA Plan seeks to thoughtfully prepare for future growth within the Laramie Growth Area in a manner that protects open space, active agricultural operations, provides needed housing for residents, and respects private property rights.  In addition, the LGA Plan represents a commitment by community leaders and decision-makers to work together for the good of the community as a whole.