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Tulare County and Allensworth honored with APA award for community‑led plan
Summary
At its June 16 meeting the Tulare County Board of Supervisors accepted an APA award recognizing the Allensworth Community Plan Update, a community‑led effort that the county says has expanded development capacity and launched early implementation, including water system improvements and local hiring.
The Tulare County Board of Supervisors recognized the Allensworth Community Plan Update June 16 after the Central Section of the American Planning Association presented the county and the Allensworth Progressive Association with the 2026 ‘‘Advancing Diversity and Social Change — Implementation’’ award.
Christine Chavez, the APA award chair and a senior planner at QK, said the update is a community‑led planning effort that addresses long‑standing barriers to economic opportunity in a state‑designated disadvantaged rural community. She noted the plan includes a general plan amendment and specific plan adoption intended to support housing, economic development, tourism and agriculture while preserving Allensworth’s historic identity.
Aaron Bach, assistant director for the Resource Management Agency, introduced local leaders who helped lead the effort. Denise Khadar of the Allensworth Progressive Association told the board the plan is already guiding work on the ground. "This plan is not just a document but it's a living, breathing document. Implementation has already started," Khadar said, describing water system improvements, partnerships with self‑help agencies and university collaborators, and local hiring for resilience centers.
The board and presenters described the plan as expanding the urban development boundary by roughly 2,794 acres and introducing mixed‑use and community cultural district designations intended to align land use with environmental justice priorities. County staff and community speakers said the project used bilingual outreach and sustained local collaboration.
Supervisors praised the collaborative process and encouraged continued partnership as the county and community move to implementation. The board did not take any formal regulatory action at the meeting; the award and remarks were a ceremonial recognition of the adopted planning documents and ongoing work.
