The City of Issaquah and its partners have received a 2009 Governor’s Smart Communities Award for their efforts to encourage transit-oriented development near the Issaquah Highlands Park & Ride.

The “Smart Partnerships Award,” the honor recognizes the planned development of the YWCA’s 146-unit affordable housing project, as well as a neighborhood of 10 zero net-energy townhomes called zHome.

zHome, which has been delayed by financing issues, is set to be the first multi-family, production, zero-energy, carbon neutral community in the United States. The primary goal of zHome is to serve as a demonstration project for sustainable building practices.

The YWCA Family Village will include outdoor gathering spaces, pedestrian access to the park and ride, and environmentally-friendly design that meets or exceeds LEED silver and Built Green standards.