What is a Comprehensive Plan?
A comprehensive plan can be described as a long range planning tool or an extensive document that serves as a city’s guide for their future development.
This document is usually based on current data & information relevant to the community, and input from the citizens of that community, in order to create their vision and goals for the next 15 to 20 years.
While cities do not necessarily have to renew or even adopt a comprehensive plan, it is generally used to influence their land development regulations and other plans to be implemented, providing a great opprotunity for the city to plan for their future.
A city benefits from having a Comprehensive Plan because:
it is used for identifying community resources, needs, and goals
it is a process that helps to develop what the community wants as a whole
it is used to guide future plans and policies implemented by the local government
Links
City of Galveston: https://www.galvestontx.gov/638/Land-Development-Regulations-LDRs
Cornell University, CALS: https://hudson.dnr.cals.cornell.edu/conservation-planning/inventory-and-planning/comprehensive-planning
Perdu, E. (2024): https://www.stantec.com/en/ideas/topic/cities/what-is-a-comprehensive-plan-6-steps-to-help-your-city