For the past 24 hours or so, different city publications/newsletters have been teasing news of Decatur being “honored with an important national designation” today.  Well, here it is! The American Planning Association has named Decatur as one of its Top 10 Neighborhoods of the Year.

Head up to Decatur Square on Saturday at 11:45 a.m. for the big public announcement of this award.  There will be a champagne & sparkling grape juice toast. This will also serve as the kick off of the first ever YEA! arts event, which is Saturday from noon to 5 p.m.

Here’s the official announcement from the City…

The American Planning Association (APA) today announced the designation of downtown Decatur as one of 10 Great Neighborhoods for 2013. Each year during National Community Planning Month APA’s Great Places in America program names 30 exemplary neighborhoods, streets and public spaces to highlight the role planning and planners play in adding value to communities, including fostering economic growth and jobs.

APA singled out downtown Decatur for the neighborhood’s emphasis on sustainability, transportation alternatives and mixed uses; community engagement and long-term commitment to downtown revitalization; and measures to protect neighborhood character, such as building height limits so as to not compromise the downtown skyline.

“Our downtown neighborhood, built around a traditional courthouse square, is the heart and soul of Decatur and continues to evolve into a thriving, mixed-use center that is walkable, safe and inviting for people of all ages,” said Mayor Jim Baskett. “We are honored to be recognized by the American Planning Association as a Great American Neighborhood,” he added.

“Downtown Decatur is a longtime proponent of sustainable practices considering the first trolley line to operate between Decatur and Atlanta dates back to the 1840s,” said APA Chief Executive Officer Paul Farmer, FAICP. “Through its plans and revitalization efforts, downtown Decatur is managing change so the neighborhood is attractive to people of all ages, from new professionals to families with children to retirees,” he added.

Guiding downtown Decatur’s redevelopment was the 1982 Decatur Town Center Plan, which came out of a citizen-based advisory board. Among the plan’s recommendations: renovating the MARTA station and implementing various smart

growth measures including adding more downtown housing and making the area more pedestrian friendly.

To improve the MARTA station and enhance the surrounding streetscape, the city made improvements valued at more than $10 million during the past 25 years. The station – which connects Decatur to Atlanta and lies beneath Old Courthouse Square, the neighborhood’s living room – had been an aesthetic concern since opening in 1979.

To enhance downtown for pedestrians, lane widths for downtown streets were reduced; sidewalks were widened; more than 400 street trees were planted; and public art and upgraded street furnishings were added. Also, new public parking located behind buildings encouraged visitors to “park once” and then walk where they need to go. The city also added dedicated bicycle lanes throughout downtown, doubled the number of bike racks, and made Zipcars and scooter parking available.

APA’s Great Neighborhoods, Great Streets and Great Public Spaces feature unique and authentic characteristics that have evolved from years of thoughtful and deliberate planning by residents, community leaders and planners. The 2013 Great Places have many things Americans say are important to their “ideal community” including locally owned businesses, transit, neighborhood parks, and sidewalks. They illustrate how the foresight of planning fosters communities of lasting value.

The nine other APA 2013 Great Neighborhoods are: Historic Licking Riverside Neighborhood, Covington, KY; West Freemason, Norfolk, VA; Downtown Norwich, Norwich, CT; Williamson-Marquette Neighborhood, Madison, WI; Chinatown, San Francisco, CA; Downtown Mason City, Mason City, IA; Kenwood, Minneapolis, MN; Central Street Neighborhood, Evanston, IL; Beaufort Historic District, Beaufort, SC.

For more information about these neighborhoods, as well as APA’s top 10 Great Streets and top 10 Great Public Spaces for 2013 and previous years, visit www.planning.org/greatplaces. For more about National Community Planning Month taking place throughout October visit www.planning.org/ncpm.