FOLEY, AL – Foley Mayor Ralph Hellmich was recently chosen to receive the Distinguished Leadership Award for an Elected Public Official by the Alabama/Mississippi Chapter of the American Planning Association.

The award was presented at the 2022 fall conference of the AL/MS Chapters of the American Planning Association, held in Orange Beach, Alabama.

Hellmich’s leadership, as both Mayor and Planning Commission member, is evident in his knowledge of planning, with continual “raising the bar” of various regulations and also in his ability to understand the big picture of planning for the future of Foley.  Some examples of successful planning that are evident in Foley thanks to Hellmich’s leadership are: the adoption of the entire Alabama Low-Impact Development ordinance; high standards in the city’s zoning ordinance, subdivision regulations and new land development ordinances; and recent/ongoing updates to the city’s comprehensive plan.

“Mayor Ralph Hellmich works tirelessly and takes his role as mayor and planning commission member very seriously, “ says Foley Community Development Director Miriam Boone. “The Mayor’s leadership skills and accessibility inspire confidence and motivate others to set high goals and standards, “ Boone added.