October is National Community Planning Month.

This annual month is recognized by the American Planning Association, in which they say, “Planners work to improve the well-being of all people living in our communities by leveraging professional expertise, data-driven insights, and a long-term, comprehensive vision for the future. This approach leads to safer, more resilient, more equitable, and more prosperous communities.”

A proclamation was read for Community Planning Month at last week’s Knoxville City Council meeting by Knoxville Mayor Brian Hatch which said, “change is constant and affects all cities, towns, suburbs, counties, boroughs, townships, rural areas, and other places; and planners can help navigate this change with data-driven insights and expertise that provide better choices for how people work and live; and community planning provides an opportunity for all residents to be meaningfully involved in making choices that determine the future of their community, most recently evidenced with the adoption of the City of Knoxville Comprehensive Plan on May 19, 2025.”

A certificate was then given to Knoxville Planning and Zoning Administrator Nathan Parch and those who are on the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission were recognized.