The Smart Growth Implementation Tools

The Smart Growth Implementation Toolkit is a set of practical tools to help your community grow smarter. It will help you untangle the thicket of policies and procedures that get in the way of smarter growth and sustainable development. 

The tools are designed to help communities that are committed to (or are exploring) smart growth. The tools will check if your community's policies and regulations are creating safer, healthier, more livable neighborhoods .

Each tool may be used by itself or in combination with others. You can also extract and use specific sections of each tool. You can also customize the tools to make it fit your community's needs.

The tools include:

  • Quick Diagnostic

    • The Quick Diagnostic is a simple flowchart that will help you to understand which tool can best help your community.

  • Policy Audit

    • The Smart Growth Policy Audit will help you assess whether existing land use and development policies align with your community's aspirations for its future. 

  • Code and Zoning Audit

    • The Smart Growth Code and Zoning Audit will help you check if the zoning codes and regulations in your community implement your vision for smarter growth.

  • Audit Summary

    • The Smart Growth Audit Summary will help you summarize the findings from the Smart Growth Policy Audit and the Smart Growth Code and Zoning Audit. 

  • Project Scorecard

    • The Smart Growth Project Scorecard will help you to evaluate how closely a proposed development project adheres to your community's vision for smarter growth. 

  • Incentives Matrix

    • The Incentives Matrix for Smart Growth Projects will help you identify and catalog available incentives to encourage specific smart growth projects in your community.

  • Strategy Builder

    • The Smart Growth Strategy Builder will help you implement smart growth in your community by identifying the most promising avenues to lasting change. It will help you map the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges in your community.