The Lehigh Valley has seen enormous growth over the past several decades.

Reminiscing about the days of less traffic, less commerce, less people and more open space is nostalgic, but focusing on the reality of the challenges facing the Valley is serious business.

Formed in 1961 by Lehigh and Northampton counties, the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission takes aim at these challenges and provides supportive services to its communities.

The organization’s mission is to create a comprehensive plan to guide orderly growth in the two counties in keeping with its purpose to promote the health, safety and general welfare of the Lehigh Valley region in accordance with the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code.

To this end, LVPC honored seven local public, private and non-profit projects for planning and development excellence at the second annual Lehigh Valley Planning and Development Gala and Awards ceremony on Oct. 2 at DeSales University, Center Valley.

The evening also featured two speakers discussing sustainability and the environment.

The first was Andrea Wittchen, president of the Lehigh Valley Sustainability Network.

The network addresses the needs for better connection and collaboration among organizations and individuals active in the sustainability community and for better outreach, education and engagement with the general population.

Wittchen spoke of the group’s new web resource at lvsustain.org, saying it is an easy to navigate site filled with valuable information for all.

“It is a one-stop-shop for sustainability information … for everyone from the newcomer to the professional,” said Wittchen.

Ignacio F. Bunster-Ossa, FASLA, LEED AP, an internationally recognized landscape architect and urban designer was the keynote speaker for the event.

Bunster-Ossa was the principle in charge of the public plaza at the SteelStacks Arts and Cultural Campus and Levitt Pavilion in Bethlehem and also the new Hoover Mason Trestle.

The author of two books: Green Infrastructure: a Landscape Approach (with David Rouse); and Reconsidering Ian McHarg: the Future of Urban Ecology, Bunster-Ossa spoke on, “Reenvisioning Cities: Are we there Yet?”

Becky Bradley, executive director of LVPC, then announced the award winners.

This year’s winners and nominees were selected based on originality and innovation; compatibility with the community; effectiveness and results; how the community was engaged; and transferability of the project plan or ordinance.

Heidelberg, Lowhill, Lynn and Weisenberg townships’ Council of Governments was the winner of the Multi-Municipal Cooperation award.

The four townships have been working together since the late 1990s when they entered into an intergovernmental cooperative agreement to share manpower and equipment as well as to purchase specialty equipment for road paving and repairs.

In other categories, Weisenberg Township was one of two honorees for the coveted Community of Distinction award.