Why We Plan
State Law Requires It
State law requires local governments to complete Comprehensive Plan Updates every five years to maintain Qualified Local Government Status (QLG).
Evaluate Progress
The Comprehensive Plan Update allows the city to evaluate progress towards goals identified in the Community Work Program and develop new goals to steer city growth and development.
Forecast For The Future
During the update process, the city will look at economic development data and population trends to see what shifts in infrastructure improvements are needed to keep up with community changes.
Public Engagement
State law requires that Comprehensive Plan Updates have public hearings at the beginning and end of the planning process. Best practice also includes facilitated community meetings and vision processes that allow community stakeholders to actively participate in the planning process.
A Comprehensive Plan should answer 5 essential questions:
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Where are we? (Mission Statement)
- Where do we want to go? (Vision Statement)
- How are we going to get there? (Goals & Strategies)
- What are we going to do, who is going to do it and when is it going to get done? (Implementation Plan)
- How are we doing? (Benchmarking and Annual Review)
Comprehensive Plans have 4 essential elements:
- Existing Conditions Report - The existing conditions report looks at where the city is now. It evaluates strengths, weaknesses, assets, challenges, and a summary of the progress made on previous plans.
- Data Analysis -
The data analysis portion of the plan looks at changes and projections in housing needs, population growth, economic development, and infrastructure needs.
- Future Land Use Map - The Future Land Use Map looks at the different character areas of the city based on the density of buildings and how people interact with the environment to create a guide for future development.
- Community Work Program - The Community Work Program includes a list of steps and projects to help the city implement the Comprehensive Plan. It includes project details, responsible party, projected cost, and possible funding strategies.
