Comprehensive Plans
Dallas Approves Forward Dallas Comprehensive Plan Upgrade
The approval came with a raft of amendments, including one that calls for a reevaluation of the plan after five years.
Minneapolis 2040 Plan Could Proceed Under New Law
A state law awaiting the governor’s signature could exempt comprehensive plans from environmental review, freeing the plan from recent lawsuits.
Draft Comprehensive Plan Published for Deschutes County, Oregon
Deschutes County is working on a new comprehensive plan that will chart land use for the Central Oregon county for the next 20 years.
Pittsburgh Launches New Comprehensive Plan Process
Pittsburgh is starting from scratch on a new comprehensive plan, after stalling on the ForgingPGH plan in 2021.
Charlottesville Comprehensive Plan Update Attracts Opponents
An updated version of the Charlottesville comprehensive plan update is now available for public comment, and a recent article in the local paper lets plan opponents air their grievances.
New Public Hearing Requirements Delay Completion of Reston’s New Comprehensive Plan
One of the country’s most prominent master-planned communities has spent several years working on an a comprehensive plan update. The plan will have to wait a little longer as the Fairfax County, Virginia community adjusts to new state laws.
‘We Will Chicago’ Plan Adopted in the Windy City
Chicago has its first “comprehensive plan” since the 1960s, but without a land use map, the “We Will Chicago” plan is devoted more to laying out the issues and challenges facing the city than setting new policies.
Gainesville Eliminates Single-Family Zoning
Gainesville is the first city in Florida to eliminate exclusionary zoning.
What Are Zoning Amendments?
Zoning amendments change the existing zoning code by either of two methods: changing the text of the zoning code or changing the zoning map.
Seattle Ponders a New Approach to Zoning for its Comprehensive Plan Update
The city of Seattle will have an updated comprehensive plan by the end of 2024, with zoning changes to follow by 2025.
Snohomish County, Washington, Sets its Sights on Sprawl
Advocates say it’s unnecessary, but Snohomish County is preparing to expand its urban growth areas to allow for more low density residential development.
What Is a Planning Commission?
Planning commissions fill an influential advisory role in planning processes, maintaining citizen oversight of government planning powers and also providing a public forum for debate about the future of communities.
The Maine City Setting the Gold Standard for Pro-Development Zoning Reforms
Auburn, Maine, a city of 20,000 residents, has plans to add enough housing to increase its population by 25 percent by 2025.
New Community Engagement Practices for Seattle’s Comprehensive Plan Update
A major update of Seattle’s comprehensive plan is just getting under way, with new opportunities for local groups to get involved with outreach and engagement.
Charlotte Future 2040 Comprehensive Plan Takes First Step Toward Implementation
The Charlotte City Council has taken the first step toward implementation of the city's new comprehensive plan.
Citywide Master Planning Process Launched in Worcester
The Massachusetts college town, with 200,000 residents, is kicking off the Worcester Now / Next long-range plan with a series of public engagement activities.
L.A.'s New Housing Element Calls for 456,000 New Homes
The newly updated Housing Element of the city of Los Angeles General Plan makes an ambitious commitment to housing construction—after decades of slow construction and a population out of scale with the city's housing stock.
Dallas Launches New Comprehensive Plan Process—15 Years After ForwardDallas
The city of Dallas adopted the ForwardDallas plan in 2006, setting a grand ambition for a more walkable, transit-friendly city. Some of the work toward that vision will have to continue with the next comprehensive plan.
Comprehensive Planning Sucks. Here's One Attempt to Make It Better
Thirty community organizations have come together to deliver a response to Oakland's RFP for a comprehensive planning consultant. It's one of three proposals, but certainly the only one with cartoons.
Charlotte's New, Controversial Comprehensive Plan to End Single-Family Zoning
A tight vote after months of controversy has produced a major zoning reform effort that differs significantly from recent examples on the West Coast and in Minneapolis.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
