Directing Development and Growth

This section of the toolbox presents methods and techniques to effectively direct the growth and development of each community. Generally, growth management covers numerous community development methods and strategies that tackle economic, social, environmental matters in a changing environment. Many of the tools are designed to prevent or limit the occurrence of negative development effects such as loss of open space, undesired mixture of land uses, uncontrolled growth, poor aesthetics, etc.

Select the tools below. Tools in gray boxes are not recommended for that level of planning capacity.

LEVEL 1:	LEVEL 2:	LEVEL 3:	LEVEL 4:
See Increasing Local Fundamental Planning Capacity	Comprehensive Plan	Comprehensive Plan	Comprehensive Plan
	Zoning Ordinance	Zoning Ordinance	Zoning Ordinance
	Land Use Plans	Land Use Plans	Land Use Plans
	Downtown Plan / Main Street Program	Downtown Plan / Main Street Program	Downtown Plan / Main Street Program
	Subdivision Regulations	Subdivision Regulations	Subdivision Regulations
	Signage / Billboards *	Signage / Billboards *	Signage / Billboards *
	Overlay Zones	Overlay Zones	Overlay Zones
	Planned Unit Developments	Planned Unit Developments	Planned Unit Developments
	Neighborhood Planning / Sub Area Plan	Neighborhood Planning / Sub Area Plan	Neighborhood Planning / Sub Area Plan
	Annexation: Geist Annexation Fiscal Plan, Town of Fishers Geist Annexation Ordinance, Town of Fishers Riverbend Commons Ordinance, City of Muncie Shirey Road Annexation Fiscal Plan, City of Muncie	Annexation: Geist Annexation Fiscal Plan, Town of Fishers Geist Annexation Ordinance, Town of Fishers Riverbend Commons Ordinance, City of Muncie Shirey Road Annexation Fiscal Plan, City of Muncie	Annexation: Geist Annexation Fiscal Plan, Town of Fishers Geist Annexation Ordinance, Town of Fishers Riverbend Commons Ordinance, City of Muncie Shirey Road Annexation Fiscal Plan, City of Muncie
	Trails Planning *	Trails Planning *	Trails Planning *
	Cluster Development *	Cluster Development *	Cluster Development *
	Traditional Neighborhood Development	Traditional Neighborhood Development	Traditional Neighborhood Development

* Tools Under Construction

Traditional approaches to planning address growth issues by designating land uses through zoning regulations. The separation of conflicting uses (such as residential and industrial) helps to create a more comfortable and safe environment. While this tool is effective in many ways, it does not always address the issues of sprawl and uncontrolled growth. There are multiple ways to approach regulating development that address these issues such as prescribing the quantity and quality of growth in a community. By doing so, land uses and services can be mixed in a more unified way to create vibrant, healthy communities.

Growth management approaches must be developed to address specific local conditions. The tools included in this resource provide guidelines for how to manage growth, and are not intended to be a perfect fit or fix for each community. Instead, they must be tailored by the local planning leaders and community members to meet the needs and desires for that individual community.

Key principles are listed below to evaluate and apply in ways that best fit the vision and needs of each community. Evaluating these principles in addition to implementing selected tools described in this section will help guide the community’s future growth.

The Key Principles include:

Housing for all incomes
Provide walkable neighborhoods, includingdesirable places to live, work, learn,and play
Establish community and stakeholder collaboration
Create a vision and standards for development that reflect what the community wants
Foster fair and cost effective development
Promote mixed land uses
Protect a community’s critical and significant environmental areas by encouraging growth in areas with
existing development
Provide transportation choices
Encourage growth in existing communities to preserve open space and natural resources on the urban fringe
Encourage compact building design

(Source: Smart Growth Network http://www.smartgrowth.org)