Austin recognized for cemetery master plan

The city’s of Austin’s Cemetery Master Plan, which was approved by City Council in September 2015, earned another accolade last week. The American Planning Association announced Austin is a 2017 National Planning Achievement Award recipient. That makes it one of 12 cities recognized this year for outstanding work in urban design. The plan will revitalize the city’s five cemeteries to make sure they are accessible to the community, incorporate green infrastructure and preserve the city’s history. “The (master plan) has united our community around a vision for how to preserve and activate these unique and complex spaces,” said Kimberly McNeeley, the acting director of the city’s Parks and Recreation Department, in a press release last week. The first project, a $2 million revamp of Oakwood Cemetery, was delayed late last year due to unmarked graves found underneath the chapel building. Austin will be honored along with the other winners at a luncheon in New York City on May 8, and will also be featured in next month’s issue of Planning magazine. We’re sure you’re all subscribers…