Office of Smart Growth staff focus on the following areas:

• Smart Growth Interagency Committee (SGIC) provides planning expertise, tools, training and assistance.  This entity also breaks down state agency communication barriers through close collaboration on growth issues.

• The  Arizona Smart Growth Scorecard  provides communities, counties and regions with a clear, usable means of evaluating how prepared they are for growth pressures and to help spur action on local and regional approaches to growth and development issues.  

• Growing Smarter Guiding Principles for Arizona  were developed by the Growing Smarter Oversight Council in 2006 to promote quality growth in Arizona. 

• Annual Boards & Commissions Conference provides board and commision members, elected officials, municipal and county staff the opportunity to hone decision-making and leadership skills. 

• Growing Smarter and Growing Smarter Plus planning statutes require all communities and counties to complete a General or Comprehensive Plan that addresses issues such as land use, transportation, open space, and water resources.

• Growing Smarter Planning Grant Program   provides funding to rural communities and counties to assist in meeting Growing Smarter/Plus requirements.  

• Planning Resources  and professional planning technical assistance, including organizing and conducting training workshops and retreats for councils, commissions, boards, and citizens groups; assisting in general / comprehensive plan development, zoning ordinances, and public participation programs; and conducting research.
  • Arizona Regional Military Compatibility Project is a proactive endeavor to convene the stakeholders around each military installation to address land use compatibility issues.
  • The Military Installation Fund  (MIF) ensures long-term preservation and enhancement of the State’s military facilities.

What is Smart Growth?
Download the Smart Growth Scorecard 
View Completed Scorecards
Online Application
Frequently Asked Questions

• Growing Smarter Guiding Principles for Arizona
• Growing Smarter/Plus Flowcharts
• Counties
• Municipalities
• Growing Smarter/Plus Summaries
• Counties
• Municipalities
• Water Resources Element

• Planning & Zoning Handbook  (12MB) 
• Commerce Planning Consultant Database
• Arizona Planning Association (AzPA)
• American Planning Association (APA)
• Smart Growth Network
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Smart Growth

Kristen Keener Busby , AICP, Director
602-771-1132

Erika Green , AICP, Senior Regional Planner
602-771-1129

Sherri Lee , MIF Program Manager
602-771-1233