Grow and sustain a balanced, resilient economy for Airway Heights, providing jobs, community prosperity, and fiscal health. 

Discussion: In seeking long-term prosperity, Airway Heights understands the need to build economic diversity – capitalizing on existing assets such as Fairchild AFB and tribal casinos as well as developing a strong business base within and proximate to City limits. This plan supports strategies that build and sustain a diverse, balanced economic base, retain existing quality of life assets, and help keep Airway Heights prosperous.

Maintain and improve the provision of high-quality, affordable, and efficient community services in Airway Heights. 

Discussion: Municipalities provide infrastructure and services that would be impossible for individuals to provide. While pooled resources make essential services achievable, they also require strong levels of coordination and management to ensure accountability and efficiency. Some actions have clear and immediate effects on resources. Other actions may be more difficult to associate with fiscal impact, but over time, may profoundly affect the costs of services. This goal anchors the need for Airway Heights to consider the long-term cost implications of choices including land use, transportation investments, and provision of service infrastructure - maintaining efficiency and accountability for the community it serves.

Maintain and improve Airway Heights’ small-town scale, unique civic identity, and aesthetic beauty. 

Discussion: Residents of Airway Heights often cite the community’s “small-town charm,” its modest size, and the open space of its west plains setting as attractive features. Due to this, many of the goals, policies, and programs contained in this plan help retain the City’s overall scale while providing for growth, support the development of cultural features and activities, and direct land use decisions by encouraging infill and thoughtful expansion.

Develop the historic city center as the “heart” of Airway Heights, enhancing its commercial, service, and civic vitality through implementation of the Downtown Plan. 

Discussion: Despite significant transformation elsewhere, residents believe that the historic city center should still be considered the “heart” of Airway Heights. Improving the city center’s vitality requires supporting its numerous and necessary functions. This including growing the commercial base, adding community services and public spaces, improving housing options, and creating a more hospitable pedestrian environment. This plan provides policies and programs that help foster conditions in which the city center can thrive, in turn aiding the attractiveness, efficiency, and value of all portions of Airway Heights.

Support provision of diverse housing types in Airway Heights, serving all residents and keeping neighborhoods safe, vital, and attractive. 

Discussion: Housing diversity is key to providing affordable options for residents, and for keeping Airway Heights an attractive place for business growth. Supporting this goal, a number of policies have been provided, including encouraging a mix of housing types in all neighborhoods, promoting pedestrian-friendly design, and creating mixed-use development.

Maintain and improve Airway Heights’ transportation network, on pace and in concert with needs including traffic flow, walking and biking, land use character, and community value. 

Discussion: All cities require functional, resilient transportation networks to provide for the flow of people and materials. But it’s also understood that the design of streets and roadways is equally critical, providing infrastructure that fosters the character and types of land uses the community desires. This goal supports transportation designs that address both functional and qualitative needs, providing an interconnected network that improves the efficiency, function, and perceived value of Airway Heights.

Plan for and establish types and quantities of land uses in Airway Heights that support community needs, and promote service efficiency and fiscal sustainability. 

Discussion: Cities exercise considerable influence over land use, in turn influencing the type and character of development, patterns of growth, and the short and long-term financial impact of growth on the local economy. Consequently, this plan supports the allocation of land use types and areas sufficient to balance and achieve the full range of community objectives

Protect and maintain Airway Heights’ natural resources including clean air, soils, wetlands and ground water, and minimize light and noise pollution citywide. 

Discussion: City livability, health, and value are fully dependent on clean, safe, and sustainable natural resources. This goal underscores Airway Heights’ commitment to maintaining its natural resources as a top priority, recognizing them as essential to the community’s survival.

Maintain and improve Airway Heights’ parks and recreational opportunities, sustaining an attractive, safe, and functional system for all, with every home located within the service area of a park. 

Discussion: Airway Heights residents value existing parks and recreational services, and wish to retain the same or higher levels of service as the community grows. This goal directs the City to consider parks and recreational needs in all related plans and actions, including land use decisions, regulatory requirements, and budgeting.

Sustain and expand Airway Heights’ arts, cultural, and civic environment. 

Discussion: Residents of Airway Heights value and support local arts, cultural and social organizations, and events and facilities. This goal and supporting policies direct the City to help sustain and expand community arts programming, and historic and cultural resources - benefiting the civic health, quality of life, and economic vitality of Airway Heights.

Maintain the City of Airway Heights’ long-term fiscal health. 

Discussion: Services that cities provide cannot be sustained without fiscal balance and accountability. This goal serves to anchor the City of Airway Heights’ obligation to sustain its fiscal health - achieved through the gathering of revenue in responsible, equitable ways, and through decisions, investments and actions that provide ratepayers with efficient, effective services now and in the future.

Involve the community of Airway Heights in all local government planning and decision-making, helping develop and implement plans for the City’s future. 

Discussion: Cities are more likely to succeed when leaders and citizens come together to address a shared vision and set of objectives. This goal serves to affirm Airway Heights’ commitment to community planning and implementation. This plan is configured to aid periodic updates, and encourages future planning work by City departments, planning coordination with other agencies, topical or sub-area planning. Good planning – and just as important, implementation – is key to maintaining Airway Heights’ essential qualities over time.