2.1.2.b Growth Management Philosophy

Strong supportive communities:

Strong supportive communities with safe neighborhoods, distinctive local gathering places within mixed use districts and corridors, and strong employment centers are fundamental to a healthy city. Residents must have a broad range of housing choices, employment and educational opportunities, and shopping possibilities within the community. To focus attention on strong supportive communities, the general plan lays down a new framework to plan for a city of villages. The villages strategy addresses unique issues and opportunities in each community plan area. While the city’s well-established neighborhoods will experience little change over the next 20-25 years, every area includes opportunities to focus investment in redevelopment of neighborhoods, centers, commercial corridors, and development of new growth areas. Surprise will continue to celebrate its cultural and ethnic diversity and create a place where residents can contribute to the community’s growth and sustainability.

 Connecting people to places

An efficient transportation system is vital to the prosperity, livability, economic health and environmental quality of the region. The growth strategies propose an increased investment in city centered and village centered planning to support a compact urban form. Greater success occurs where:

• The integration of land use and transport recognizes the different functions of centers and corridors.
• Development initiatives are focused on key centers and corridors.
• Land use policies complement and promote sustainable travel choices.
• Density provisions support public transport investments.

Surprise as a Place of opportunity

As Surprise grows, it must remain a place that people want to work and invest in. A thriving culture of innovation creates an economy that is adaptable, flexible, and resilient to future trends. The basic strategy of cores and corridors encourages employment intensification in city centers and more efficient use of business and industrial land. Greater success occurs where:

• Strong centers are an important driver of economic growth.
• There is value in developing a package of implementation tools to encourage quality intensification.
• The identification of regional business futures to 2030 will assist in linking employment forecasts, regional economic growth aspirations, and the spatial implications.

Greening Surprise

The growth element is heavily invested in Surprise’s aspiration for clean air, clean water, and for the maintenance and protection of the region’s natural character. A more efficient use of natural and physical resources, including urban and rural land, infrastructure, and energy sources is also a key outcome of the growth element. Greater emphasis is placed on strengthening the protection of existing natural areas and restoring ecological linkages through a regional trail network 
as well as encouraging green engineering solutions for the built environment.

Regional Co-operation

Techniques and programs for effective growth management are often beyond the governmental responsibility or authority of the city of Surprise. Transportation and housing programs require involvement or approval from outside agencies and municipalities. As municipal responsibilities become increasingly complex and demanding, the city will need to work regionally to provide the services provided by their communities.