Sterling Heights’ 2025 Climate Action Plan Wins Prestigious State Planning Award

The City of Sterling Heights has been awarded the Outstanding Resilience and Sustainability Award by the Michigan Association of Planning (MAP/APA Michigan) for its 2025 Climate Action Plan (CAP). The honor recognizes the City's ongoing efforts to integrate climate-conscious strategies into local planning and decision-making, affirming Sterling Heights' growing leadership in sustainability and resilience across the state.

"This recognition is a proud moment for our city and a testament to the thoughtful, forward-looking work of our Planning team," said Sterling Heights Mayor Michael C. Taylor. "As a city, we are deeply committed to creating a sustainable and resilient future for our residents. The Climate Action Plan is not just a document-it's a roadmap for positive change, and we're excited to see our efforts recognized on a statewide platform."

The award-winning Climate Action Plan, developed in partnership with Fresh Coast Climate Solutions and Giffels Webster, was a key outcome of the City's 2025 Master Plan process. The plan lays out 50 actionable goals designed to reduce emissions, conserve resources, and build community resilience. Just months after adoption, the City has already initiated 28 of the recommended actions.

"Our 2025 Climate Action Plan is one of the most meaningful projects I've had the privilege to work on," said Sterling Heights City Planner Jake Parcell, PhD. "It was a huge learning experience and a major collaborative achievement. We are especially proud that this is our second MAP Planning Excellence Award in Resilience and Sustainability since 2022, reflecting our strong and consistent commitment to this important field."

The Michigan Association of Planning, the state chapter of the American Planning Association, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting sound community land use planning that benefits the residents of Michigan. Learn more at www.planningmi.org.