2.5.2.a Principles Discussion

Creating a Desirable Community

Desirable communities are those containing the critical components that promote quality of life. A quality education system, enhanced entertainment, arts and cultural amenities, and recreation opportunities are some of the components that make a community desirable.

Developing an Educated and Skilled Labor Force

An educated and skilled workforce is crucial to the overall economic development success of the city. Collaborations with educational institutions and the business community are encouraged to ensure that current and future residents are afforded the opportunity to remain competitive in the workforce.

Establishing and Maintaining Positive Economic Growth

The creation of a more diverse and stabilized economy will fiscally sustain the community long-term through the ups and downs of economic cycles. Strategic efforts should be geared towards fostering the development of the employment corridors, attracting knowledge-driven industries, establishing international relationships with companies and communities, and developing advanced business infrastructure to service the needs of residents and business.

Cities throughout the southwestern United States compete for economic development in order to increase the revenues necessary to provide facilities and services. Past trends and future projections for economic development indicate continued growth in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area as a whole. It is vital for Surprise to attract a share of this economic development to balance the increased pressures for housing and population growth. The Surprise Economic Positioning Framework will provide strategic direction to accomplish this objective.

Successful economic development is a long-term endeavor; economies do not change and diversify overnight. To make any development strategy work, short-term trends and gains must be overlooked in favor of long-term strategies outlined in the Surprise Economic Positioning Framework.

Commercial and employment areas must be designed using sound planning principles that include transportation access and the availability of communication infrastructure. Residential and non-residential development can be integrated, given high design and development standards. Standards for planned commercial and employment areas must be maintained to resist encroachment by less economically beneficial uses and to preserve opportunities for strategic economic development.