Aaron Clausen, associate planner for the city of Lowell, has won the 2011 Young Planner Award from the Massachusetts chapter of the American Planning Association.

The award is given annually to a junior or mid-level young practicing planner who has excelled in leadership, and increased the impact of planning in public and private decision making, the group said.

Clausen spearheaded the city’s effort to be one of the commonwealth’s first Green Communities, and has played a leading role in the extensive public opinion research and data collection processes to inform a comprehensive update to the city’s Master Plan, expected to be issued and adopted in 2012.

Clausen has worked for Lowell’s Department of Planning and Development since 2007.  Since the reorganization that created the Division of Development Services, he has assumed a new level of responsibility and demonstrated "exceptional" work on behalf of the city and its residents, according to a statement.

He was assigned the responsibility of coordinating all of the city’s four major land-use boards to streamline permitting; improve consistency of project review; implement planning best practices; ensure that the city’s Master Plan was followed in the project review process; and enhance customer service for both applicants and abutters.  In addition, he was given supervisory responsibility for three staff.

In a very short time, Clausen improved public participation and access to information in board processes; updated the by-laws and regulations for all of the boards; and created new procedures for the use of third-party technical reviewers for complicated projects.