1. Identify community issues and goals
   
2. Conduct a natural resource inventory
3. Conduct an assessment of your NRI
   
4. Develop a plan
   
5. Implement the plan
   
6. Monitor your community's progress

Once the NRA is completed, it's time to create or modify your community's plan for conservation and development. As a local decision maker, you will rely on many tools for its implementation. Some of them include:

land use regulations environmental review housing, building, and fire codes fiscal tools public facilities and property management voluntary and partnership approaches

Community Tools for Local Units of Government What about the Watershed?

You can increase the effectiveness and efficiency of these tools when you combine their use with natural resource information. Visit the project profiles for some examples from Minnesota Communities.

For More Information: Smart Growth Design Tools & Techniques Model Ordinances

The AUAR is another form of environmental review. To learn more see the contact information under the Natural Resource-Based Planning section.