In September, SPUR's Ocean Beach Master Plan received the Waterfront Center's 2013 Top Honor Award. The annual awards are granted to projects that "represent the best national and international efforts at furthering excellence on the waterfront." It was the project's second major award and a recognition its collaborative approach to climate adaptation.
The Waterfront Center helps communities enhance their urban waterfront resources through a variety of educational and advisory services. The Center's publications, annual conference, specialty workshops and community consulting provide a balanced point of view of urban waterfront development and preservation. The Center espouses the importance of good design, economic feasibility, participatory planning, environmental sensitivity and provision of the maximum amount of public access to and along waterfronts. The Center advocates tailoring waterfront projects to the individuality, history and economic climate of each community.