Becoming a Quality Growth Community: Definitions
Requirements

Vision

A Quality Growth Community creates a responsible balance between the protection of natural resources - land, air, and water - and the requisite development of residential, commercial, and industrial land to accommodate our expanding economy and population.

It integrates multiple housing choices with commercial areas and preservation of critical land.

Quality Growth Communities also use infrastructure, natural resources and public resources efficiently.

A Quality Growth Community recognizes the impact it has on neighboring communities and seeks to cooperate to solve common problems while protecting private property rights.

Purpose

The Quality Growth Communities/Quality Growth Service Providers Initiative has several purposes. First, this initiative will bring state funding for infrastructure improvements and other community improvements into alignment with the Quality Growth Principles that were adopted by the Quality Growth Commission. Second, it encourages local governments to plan for their future because planning is important, and valuable, in its own right. Other purposes include:
•  To provide priority access to state funding for communities that choose to be designated.
•  To provide recognition to communities that plan for the future.
•  To help local governments to do what they do better.
•  To direct state infrastructure funds to designees.
•  To encourage local governments to deliver services efficiently.

Assumptions

Utahns value quality of life.
Growth creates challenges and opportunities.
Private property and other individual rights will be respected.
A solution for one community may not apply to all communities.
Free-market forces are important in addressing challenges.
State government should not impose requirements on local governments without adequate resources or appropriate incentives.

Principles

Local Control: Local governments are responsible for planning and land use decisions in their own jurisdictions in coordination and cooperation with other government entities.

State Leadership: The State's role is to provide planning assistance, technical assistance, information and incentives for local governments to coordinate and cooperate in the management of growth.

Economic Development: The State shall promote a healthy statewide economy and quality of life that supports a broad spectrum of opportunity.

Infrastructure Efficiency: State and local governments and the private sector should cooperate to encourage development that promotes efficient use of infrastructure and water and energy resources.

Housing Opportunity : Housing choices and housing affordability are quality of life priorities and state and local governments should cooperate with the private sector to encourage both.

Conservation Ethic: The public sector, private sector and the individual should cooperate to protect and conserve water, air, critical lands, important agricultural lands, and historical resources.

Definitions

A Quality Growth Community is a City, Town, or County in Utah.

Quality Growth Service Providers will also be certified. A Quality Growth Service Provider is any special service district, transit authority, or other government entity providing growth related services in Utah.

•  Quality Growth Service Providers must adopt a plan for the services they provide.

•  Plan must demonstrate cooperation with municipalities, counties and other service providers in the area they serve.

A 21 st Century Community is a community which has completed all of the requirements under the 21 st Century Communities Program and has receive designation from the Governor's Office as a 21 st Century Community.

Benefits

Quality Growth Communities (Cities, Towns or Counties), and Quality Growth Service Providers, get recognition and access to state benefits . Certification is voluntary, incentive based, and technically assisted.

Certification

Subcommittee recommends certifications to the Quality Growth Commission. Communities will apply to the subcommittee for certification.

A Community (City, Town, or County), or service provider, must re-certify annually.

Requirements will be phased-in over three years.
•  Communities with plan to meet certification requirements get benefits of certification while completing the plan.
•  During the phase-in period, annual re-certification depends on significant progress toward the plan.

A community that does not meet these requirements will not be certified.

Not every requirement applies to every community or service provider.
•  If a requirement doesn't apply, a community (city, town or county), or service provider, may explain why it does not.
•  May work with neighbors to meet requirements in a regional context.
•  Community is political subdivision, but, multiple cities, towns, counties or service providers may pool resources. For example: 1) Neighboring cities, towns, counties or service providers can share housing assets to meet requirements, and 2) Communities (cites, towns or counties) or service providers sharing assets must have common interests & borders.

The subcommittee certifies partnerships that meet the requirements.

In rural Utah , a community may achieve certification by completing the requirements in this document, or by completing the requirements of the 21 st Century Communities Program.
•  Designated 21 st Century Communities will be entitled to all of the benefits of a Quality Growth Community.
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