America's Best Communities

American City & County appears to be singling out projects that are collaborations between government and their communities, such as the Washington Park Stormwater Improvement Project in Downers Grove, Illinois:

"In response to a damaging 2006 storm that produced severe flooding throughout the city, Downers Grove, Ill., commissioned and adopted a comprehensive Watershed Infrastructure Improvement Plan. The plan identified high-risk areas for drainage and flooding, and recommended specific solutions for each problem area. Sixteen high-priority areas were identified, where flooding would result in immediate danger to public health and safety, or complete loss of property value, structural damage and significant basement flooding. The plan recommended that the 16 projects be completed within three years."

Projects in Coral Gables, Florida and Sandy Springs, Georgia were also selected.