A Comprehensive Master Plan is a guiding document that helps to define policies and priorities for coordinated growth, community revitalization, and the provision of public services/infrastructure. The final plan will contain a vision statement, goals, objectives, implementation actions, maps, and graphics to serve as a guide for future decision making. Comprehensive master plans are long-range, generally looking at least ten years into the future and are based on significant public input. The plan is then used by City staff, the Plan Commission, and the City Council in evaluating potential development projects and City-led community building projects.

The Comprehensive Plan generally guides land use and is an advisory document. The UDO is part of the City Code and regulates the type, scale and intensity of development which may occur in the specific zoning districts. To understand how a parcel of land may be developed, you first need to know how the land is planned in the comprehensive plan, and then determine how the land is zoned. The planning and zoning should generally be in agreement but a parcel planned for low density, single family residential development may be zoned Low Density Single Family Suburban Residential (SR), Low Density Single Family Residential (R-1), or Low to Moderate Density Single Family Residential (R-2).

With the development of a Comprehensive Plan, a community is assessing its past while preparing itself for the future. It is important because it provides a road map for how the City will grow and develop and helps produce a better community, a better environment, and a better economy. This process is one of the best opportunities available to residents to really influence the future of the City.

The plan will be created by the Project Team (made up of City staff, officials, and planning consultants), with input and feedback from residents. RW Armstrong is the planning consultant assisting the City with the planning process, including draft document preparation and meeting facilitation.