To build on the efforts of the Growing Smart and Growing Smarter Acts, an Oversight Council was convened. In 2006 the Growing Smarter Oversight Council adopted a set of Guiding Principles to help Arizona maintain and enhance quality growth. The Guiding Principles include the following statements which are meant to provide a foundation for planning efforts throughout the state. Preservation of Community Character - Future local plans should be based on a “vision” of each community’s future that incorporates citizens input and reflects the community’s desires within a regional context.
- Strengthening and preserving each community’s culture and history are important to local residents and should be important considerations in all future local planning discussions and decisions.
- The public and private sector should partner to preserve and/or conserve special places and provide reasonable access to them.
- Communities of differing character and heritage define our state; future state and local plans and investments should conserve and maintain each local community’s “sense of place” and promote distinct community identities.
- Access to undeveloped, public, natural areas is critical to maintaining the character and identity of Arizona and its many differing geographic areas and should be included in all future development plans.
- The myriad of consequences, both short-term and long-term, some unintended, resulting from zoning and density decisions must be thoroughly and carefully evaluated as a part of the local planning review process for such decisions.
Stewardship - Future planning should recognize that clean water and clean air are essential elements of the Arizona experience for residents, visitors, and future generations. These vital resources should be preserved and protected, and future land use and infrastructure planning should be accommodated in all future planning decisions.
- Effective stewardship of natural areas is essential to preserve and protect their intrinsic character and beauty and should be integrated in all future plans.
Opportunity - Future planning and development should assure the availability of a range of choices in housing, employment, education, and other essential services. Safe, secure circumstances to enjoy these opportunities are a fundamental requirement of all future planning.
- Future local plans should consider and incorporate the need for school sites and facilities in conjunction with other development activity.
Infrastructure - Meeting each community’s long-range needs for adequate essential infrastructure such as water, sewer, power, communications, and transportation systems as well as public facilities, in a timely and fiscally responsible manner should be an essential objective of all future plans.
- Future land use plans and community infrastructure plans should be integrated, and implementation of such plans coordinated.
- Future local planning efforts should encourage public and private organizations, working cooperatively, to efficiently and effectively develop and use community infrastructure and to develop methodologies that provide for the cost of this essential infrastructure to be borne equitably by all beneficiaries.
Economic Development - Future planning should promote a broad spectrum of business and employment that serve diverse community needs and encourage the personal and financial growth and development of existing residents as part of a healthy statewide economy.
- Local, state, and tribal leaders should work together to strengthen local and regional opportunities for business growth and diverse economic development.
- Future planning should encourage regional economic and fiscal cooperation to be more effective in a climate of increasing global competition.
- Economic development and vitality should be an integral goal of future local planning activities.
Responsibility and Accountability State and local government officials should embrace the responsibility for guiding local communities toward beneficial long-term growth and development that recognizes the desires and expectations of local residents and property owners, but transcends narrow or immediate interests and seeks the broadest possible community benefit. Local public officials, property owners (private and public, including state and federal land managers), and other community leaders should work collaboratively to establish, coordinate, communicate, and implement local planning and land use decisions. Local public officials should also facilitate compliance with and enforcement of local planning and land use decisions. Regional partnerships, involving appropriate local, state, federal, and tribal representatives should encourage collaboration on local planning and land use decisions, share revenues as appropriate, and work together to address common concerns to build strong local communities, strongregions, and a strong Arizona. Planning processes should engage people in issues, encourage cooperation in addressing local and regional issues, and facilitate the implementation of a consensus community vision. | 
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