Recent Awards & Statewide Recognition

1) American Planning Association Western New York Section Award: 2004 Outstanding Planning Project Comprehensive Planning.

Cattaraugus County has received the Western New York Section of the American Planning Association's Outstanding Planning Project Comprehensive Planning Award for 2004, for Cattaraugus County's Allegany State Park Perimeter Study, Phase 1, which is part of the County's "Smart Development For Quality Communities Guidebook Series" (Volumes 5, 6 & 7). The Phase 1 studies are a National Case Study of Similar Community Gateways to Major Parks (Volume 5), a Regional Economic and Market Analysis (Volume 6), and an Overall Strategy Study (Volume 7). These studies look at linkages between Allegany State Park and various communities, and between regional markets and proposed projects in the perimeter zone.

The basic idea is to create new growth in the county with smart growth protections and Quality Communities objectives through a variety of proposed demonstration projects. Volumes 5, 6 and 7 are available as PDF free download files by clicking here.

2) GOVERNOR’S QUALITY COMMUNITIES AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE (2002).

Lt. Governor Mary O. Donohue presented one of the first ever Quality Communities Governor’s Awards for Excellence to Cattaraugus County in Albany in October 2002. The County received the award for its groundbreaking vision guidebooks for quality, new ideas, and community participation. Cattaraugus County recently published these two guidebooks as a part of a new Smart Development for Quality Communities Series. 

The theme of the guidebooks is to balance economic growth with environmental protection. Volume 1 is called “Elements of A Countywide Vision”, and Volume 2 is called “Design Guidelines for Towns and Villages”. These guidebooks present the following highlights:

Recipients of the first ever “NYS Governor’s Quality Communities Awards for Excellence”. (l-r) Tom Livak, CCDEDP&T Director; Terry Martin, CCDEDP&T Chief Planner; Linda Dickerson Hartsock, Executive Director, Cortland County Business Development Corporation and Industrial Development Agency; Lt. Governor Mary O. Donohue; Michael Sweeton, Warwick Town Supervisor; Marian Zucker, Suffolk County Director of Affordable Housing; and Leonard Debuck, Warwick Town Councilman.

Photo Credit: New York State. 

(1) We need growth (i.e., development and infrastructure are not inherently bad).

(2) We need to make growth compatible with our ecosystems (i.e., which is good).

(3) We need to create a balance by using Randall Arendt’s rural design techniques, as well as ideas that are still evolving with smart growth and new urbanism trends.

(4) We need to develop and understand cumulative effects analysis from the scientific literature, in keeping with trans-boundary issues in ecosystems and watersheds.

(5) We need a time frame of “50 years or more” to encompass natural environmental processes, amortization horizons, and long range planning methodologies. 

3) 2002 LIVABLE COMMUNITIES AWARD. In April 2002, the Cattaraugus County Legislature and its Department of Economic Development, Planning and Tourism received a special award, the “2002 Livable Community Award.” This award was given by a regional group of retired professionals called Partners for A Livable Western New York. Paul Bishop, County Planning Board Chairman and Terry Martin received this award on behalf of Cattaraugus County at a special ceremony in Buffalo, New York, in front of an audience of more that 500 people who came from throughout the western New York region. This recognition was made for the Randall Arendt Guidebook that Cattaraugus County published for its 47 municipalities, urging better design and land use decision making. This guidebook is referenced above. 

4) UPSTATE DISTINGUISHED LEADERSHIP AWARD (2001). In September 2001, Terry H. Martin, Ph.D., received the 2001 Distinguished Leadership Award from his professional planning peers at a statewide conference in Ithaca, New York. This award is for sustained contributions to the planning profession through distinguished practice, teaching and writing. This is the highest award that a professional planner can receive from the American Planning Association, Upstate New York State Chapter. Click here to view the award.

5) BROOKS PATTERSON COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP AWARD (1999 to Present). is presented annually by the Cattaraugus County Planning Board to one or more community leaders who exemplify the outstanding spirit and example that Torrance Brooks and Donald Patterson set during their lifetime of dedicated service to their respective communities, County Legislature, County Planning Board, and regional agencies. The recipients of these annual awards are chosen to give countywide recognition to leaders and volunteers who make lasting contributions to the people and communities of Cattaraugus County and its region.

(l-r) William Sprague, Chairman, Cattaraugus County Planning Board and Joan S. Petzen, recipient of the Brooks Patterson Community Leadership Award for 2007. Photo by Jack Berger

To read a short biography on each winner below,
click on their name and a separate window will appear.

• Joan Petzen - For her outstanding leadership and service in agricultural planning and farmland protection in Cattaraugus County - 2007
• Nancy Frazier - For Outstanding Leadership in Community Planning and Development of a Comprehensive Plan for the Town of Humphrey - 2006
• John and Sheila Burrell - Years of dedicated work in community planning and economic development for the Village of Ellicottville - 2005.
• Lois Bobseine Eaton - Founding member of the Cattaraugus County Planning Board - 2004
  
• James "Jim" Toner - Snowmobile Trails Developer - 2004
  
• Jack "Ol' Dad" Berger - Villages of East Randolph and Randolph 
  and Onoville Marina - 2003
  
• Donnald Hensel - City of Salamanca - 2002
  
• David A. Swartz & Maurice T. Donovan - Village of Franklinville – 2001
  
• Judy L. Harrington - Village of Franklinville – 2000
  
• Rick LeFeber - Village of Cattaraugus – 2000
  
• Jeffrey B. Kessel - Village of Limestone – 1999
  

6) SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARDS

Photo Caption: (l-r) Gerard Fitzpatrick, Chairman Cattaraugus County Legislature; Gary Day, Professor, SUNY Buffalo, School of Architecture and Planning, Recipients of 2002 Special Recognition Awards and Paul Bishop, Chairman Cattaraugus County Planning Board. Photo Credit: Jack Berger.

Gerard J. Fitzpatrick, Chairman Cattaraugus County Legislature For Unwavering support of the County Planning Board’s Leadership Training and Visioning Program and Randall Arendt’s Guidebook from its origins until the present day 1999 – 2002 By Cattaraugus County Planning Board June 22, 2002


Gary E. Day, Professor SUNY Buffalo School of Architecture and Planning For Providing a crucial university linkage with community leaders through the Architectural Design Studio, which has assisted the Villages of Franklinville, Little Valley, Randolph, and South Dayton by developing research and new concepts for revitalizing downtowns in Cattaraugus County 1999 – 2002 By Cattaraugus County Planning Board June 22, 2002


Robert Potter, Chairman and Norman Leyh, Director County of Cattaraugus Industrial Development Agency For Making community projects possible by donating land for The 12 mile Rails-to-Trails project from Cattaraugus to Little Valley and Salamanca, and The 64 acres in the Village of Franklinville for the Randall Arendt Conservation Model Subdivision 1999 – 2002 By Cattaraugus County Planning Board June 22, 2002