San Joaquin Valley Regional Policy Conference
2025 San Joaquin Valley Blueprint Award Winners
Award Ceremony to be hosted by the Merced County Association of Governments on April 11, 2025, at the Merced Theatre, in Merced, CA

Honoring Projects, Plans, and Individuals that Embody the Blueprint Principles
In 2009, the San Joaquin Valley Regional Policy Council adopted thirteen Smart Growth Principles, known as the “Blueprint Principles,” to guide planning in the San Joaquin Valley, including:

1. Create a range of housing opportunities and choices
2. Create walkable and bikeable neighborhoods
3. Encourage community and stakeholder collaboration
4. Foster distinctive, attractive communities with a strong sense of place
5. Make development decisions predictable, fair, and cost-effective
6. Promote a mix of land uses
7. Preserve open space, farmland, natural beauty, and critical environmental areas
8. Provide a variety of transportation choices
9. Strengthen and direct development toward existing communities
10. Take advantage of compact building design
11. Enhance the economic vitality of the region
12. Support actions that encourage environmental resource management
13. Plan for future water needs

These principles remain applicable today and align with current climate, social, environmental, transportation, and housing goals at both the state and federal levels. Congratulations to the 2025 Blueprint Award winners!