The West has been the fastest growing region in the United States for two
decades. This rapid growth rate has created an urgent need for examples of
tested growth management policies being applied across the West. Although
reports, conferences and workshops focused on western growth issues
facilitate some of this information exchange, the Successful Communities
Toolkit was developed to provide communities easy access to a variety of
model smart growth plans and policies from rural, amenity, and urban
communities across the West. The information contained within the toolkit
is designed to inform communities of best practices to assist them in
crafting their own growth policies to preserve local identity, stimulate a
healthy economy, and safeguard natural and cultural resources.
The Successful Communities Toolkit was created through the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy-Sonoran Institute Joint Venture. The Joint Venture
works to assist cities, towns and counties in the West struggling with the impacts of rapid population growth by providing tools to help them plan for and positively
manage that growth.
Using the Successful Communities Toolkit
This user friendly database allows for a narrow search based on the specific type of policy desired and/or by type of community or region. The Toolkit consists of three
separate search options. The more options you select, the more specific your search will be. These options include:
- 1. Community Type: Rural Communities are defined by small populations, slow or moderate growth rates, small local governments, and local economies
which mostly depend upon traditional sectors such as agriculture, timber, fisheries, and mining. Amenity Communities are experiencing a notable transition and rapid growth
due to the area’s proximity to natural or man-made amenities such as public lands, outdoor recreation, and/or resorts. These communities are the fastest growing
communities in the West due to immigrants attracted to the high quality of life. Their economies tend to be dependent upon tourism, retirees, and the construction
industry. Urban Communities have populations over 50,000 and frequently have a large centralized urban area or regional center with a more diversified economy.
- 2. Issue Area: There are 31 specific issue areas that correlate to policies frequently found in comprehensive plans or development codes. Please search for one issue area at a time.
- 3. Western U.S. Region or State: Once you select options from the drop down menus, hit the “GO” key and your results will appear as a list below. Select a search result from the list to view a summary of
the policy and a brief explanation of why this policy is considered a best practice. The summary includes a link to the specific policy language.
Hallmarks of Successful Communities
The Sonoran Institute has a long history of working with local communities in the West. Based on this experience, the Sonoran Institute has identified
five important elements, which we refer to as the Hallmarks of Successful Communities, present in communities successfully coping with growth and change.
We see that Successful Communities:
- 1. Develop a broadly shared vision of future through an inclusive process that engages the diverse interests of the community to foster
constructive informed dialogue.
- 2. Understand their local economy within the context of regional, national, and global economies.
- 3. Understand natural and cultural assets influence and are affected by population growth and development.
- 4. Effectively manage growth and change by using a wide variety of both regulatory and non-regulatory strategies and tools to protect or
enhance local assets promoting more sustainable patterns of growth.
- 5. Value leadership and cultivate local leaders who can help realize their vision by participation in local civic affairs.
The Successful Communities Toolkit is based upon these Hallmarks including seven thematic categories: visioning, cultural and natural resource assets, health and safety,
urban form, energy efficiency, regional cooperation and infrastructure, and fiscal responsibility and social equity. Each of these categories includes more specific issue areas to aid in finding examples of best practices from around the West.
Send Us Your Suggestions!
Is your community excelling in any of the issue areas described in this database?
Do you know of any communities that are?
If so, send an email to Mia Stier at mstier@sonoraninstitute.org so that we can add to our database.
