UK Students Win State Award for Geography Class Project

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 16, 2013) ― Six University of Kentucky students won the Kentucky Chapter of the American Planning Association’s (KAPA) Student Paper Award. Group members included Wesley Jetton, Bradley Baumgartner, Pilar Marite Desha, Eddie McCarthy, Zachary Nicholas, and John-Michael Spears.

The paper was the final project in their GEO 485G course, Urban Planning and Sustainability, taught by Lynn Phillips. Students were asked to collaborate and develop a professional, consultant-quality small area plan, and they chose to do an intense, in-depth study of the Georgetown Triangle and the various implications that will result when Bluegrass Community and Technical College opens its Newtown Pike campus in that area.

One of the group members, Wesley Jetton who recently graduated with a major in geography, said this extensive, five-month project involved the collection of a significant amount of data, including accessing property values, collecting photographs, and understanding the state of community involvement in that area.

The plan also involved analysis of current land use and zoning strategies as well as possible alterations to those strategies in order to better serve residents and spur development.

The students performed many site visits to aid in their analyses, developing understandings and methods for area improvement such as historical site analysis, proposed art installations, and possible changes to traffic patterns.

The students also presented the report to the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Commissioner of Planning Derek Paulsen and Chris King, LFUCG Planning director

“I feel I speak for my other group members when I say that we are honored to have received the American Planning Association: Kentucky Chapter’s Outstanding Student Project Award,” said Jetton, who accepted the award from KAPA President Ryan Libke on behalf of his group in May.