Another MFA Project Wins Washington State Governor’s Smart Communities Award

MFA is honored to have been part of a team that was recently awarded the 2018 Governor’s Smart Communities Award in the Smart Projects category for the Skagit County Community Justice Center Brownfield Redevelopment project. To assist the County in transforming a former truck stop fueling station brownfield into the new justice center, MFA facilitated the development of a prospective purchaser consent decree between Washington State Department of Ecology and the County to mitigate the environmental liability, and obtain a Remedial Action Grant through the Washington State Department of Ecology, which significantly funded the environmental characterization and cleanup of the property.

Smart Communities Award Presentation (left to right): Andrew Kaparos (MFA), Yen-Vy Van (MFA), Skagit County Commissioners Ken Dahlstedt and Ron Wesen, Sheriff Will Reichardt, and Justin Clary (MFA)

The Smart Communities Award program recognizes achievements by local leaders who promote smart growth planning and projects that contribute to thriving communities, a prosperous economy, and sustainable infrastructure in Washington State. During the presentation of the award to the Board of Skagit County Commissioners, Julia Terlinchamp of Governor Inslee’s office stated the project received the award because it meets “the Governor’s commitment to preserving and protecting Washington’s enviable quality of life. It recognizes the hard work of citizens, businesses, and local officials to make sure we have a clean environment, healthy economy, and high-quality communities.”

Including the 2018 award, MFA has been involved in four projects that have received the Governor’s Smart Communities Award over the past five years:

• 2017 Smart Vision Award to the Cities of Hoquiam and Aberdeen for the TimberWorks Resiliency and Restoration Master Plan
• 2017 Smart Choices Award to the City of Sedro-Woolley, Port of Skagit, and Skagit County for the Northern State Hospital Subarea Plan and Planned Action Environmental Impact Statement project
• 2014 Smart Choices Award to the City of Kalama and Port of Kalama for the New Mixed-Use Zoning District

MFA’s track record of awards is a demonstration of our commitment to the betterment of the communities that we serve. As a Pacific Northwest-based firm, MFA staff are proud to serve several cities, counties, ports, school districts, and utility districts throughout Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. We recognize the vital role that local governments play in providing a high quality of life to their citizens, driving us to work hard to support these public agencies in developing innovative and well-designed approaches to projects that will provide positive community impacts into the foreseeable future.