A Fall 2024 urban planning studio that offered local stakeholders in Langley Park, Md., a roadmap for enhancing economic, social and environmental sustainability was honored last month with an Excellence in Sustainability Award from the American Planning Association. “Equitable Development for Langley Park, Md.” was one of just six projects nationally awarded this year, recognized alongside a heritage trail plan in Chicago, climate planning guidance in Olympia, Wa., and others.
“Our goal was to advance an integrated vision for a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable future,” said Professor Clara Irazabal, who is also director of the Urban Studies and Planning program. “We hope it contributes meaningfully to the community’s ongoing aspirations and serves as a model for similarly situated communities.”
The project examined the challenges and opportunities the diverse municipality faces as an unincorporated community straddling two Maryland counties—Prince George’s and Montgomery—while undergoing significant change with the construction of a new light rail transit line. A culturally rich but historically underserved and disenfranchised community, Langley Park was in need of a plan that addressed climate adaptation and mitigation, economic and community development, housing and neighborhood revitalization, and transportation. In-depth community engagement, data and policy analysis conducted by the urban planning students leading the project helped identify key sustainability objectives and formulate actions to make achievable recommendations for the community.
The project was a collaboration between the University of Maryland, Prince George’s County Planning Department, CASA, the Takoma Park Civic Association and Langley Crossroads, as part of UMD’s Partnership for Action Learning in Sustainability, which pairs faculty expertise with student ingenuity to tackle real-world sustainability challenges facing Maryland communities.
The award was given through the APA’s Sustainable Communities Division, which provides resources, information, and best practices to support planners in creating sustainable, resilient, and equitable communities. Read through the project scope and findings here.