Planning is a rational way of preparing for the future. The comprehensive or general plans of local governments are goal driven documents that represent a vision and a guide for desirable future physical development and attempt to reconcile the relationships between physical development and the social and economic goals of the community.

 

The plan is a comprehensive inventory of elements and resources that affect community development. Typical plan elements include; demographics and population projections, land-use, transportation, community facilities, natural and cultural resources, housing and economic development. Information from these elements is used to develop alternatives and strategies for arriving at the communities preferred future development goals.