FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 15, 2005

CONTACTS:
Rachaele Raynoff, Press Secretary -- (212) 720-3471

On Wednesday, June 15, City Planning Director Amanda M. Burden received the prestigious Lawrence M. Orton award for leadership in city and regional planning from the New York Metro chapter of the American Planning Association. The award's namesake is the longest-serving commissioner to the City Planning Commission, serving since its inception in 1938 until his departure in 1969.

Chair Burden was recognized for her excellence in the field of city planning and her numerous contributions to New York City's built environment. She has served on the City Planning Commission since 1990, and since her appointment as Chair of the Commission and Director of the Department of City Planning in 2002, has guided such ambitious initiatives as the Greenpoint/Williamsburg and Far West Side rezonings, the recently-funded East River Waterfront project, neighborhood rezonings in all five boroughs, and the current public open space initiatives at Fresh Kills on Staten Island and the High Line in West Chelsea.

About City Planning
The Department of City Planning is responsible for the City's physical and socioeconomic planning, including land use and environmental review; preparation of plans and policies; and provision of technical assistance and planning information to government agencies, public officials, and community boards.

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