What are the Master Plan topics?
The master planning process involves public participation to set goals, identify a long-term shared vision, and the review current trends relative to the following topics.
Land Use
- Examines the pattern of land use in the community, including public and private land, and protected lands.
- Examines the proposed standards of population density and building intensity to the capacity of land available.
- Identifies ideal areas for development to meet future needs as determined by the other plan elements.
Cultural & Historic Resources
- Provides an inventory of the significant natural, cultural and historic resource areas of the municipality, and policies and strategies for the protection and management of such areas.
- Identifies man-made aspects of the community reflect the community’s development over time, especially unique features, in order to protect them in the future.
Economic Development
- Determines the strengths and weaknesses of the labor force and market sectors in the local economy in planning for new business and development.
- Looks at other businesses and industry location factors in identifying improvements to be made to stimulate desired economic development.
Housing & Residential Development
- Identifies the location and pattern of existing housing with forecasted needs while considering for the preservation, improvement and development of housing.
- Assesses the local and regional area to determine how future market forces may influence the development and affordability of housing in the community.
Natural Resources, Open Space and Recreation
- Identifies significant natural resource areas and develops policies and strategies for the protection and management of such areas.
- Assesses the future recreational needs of the community in planning for the maintenance and expansion of existing areas, and the construction of new facilities.
- Recommends techniques to better protect and manage the current open space network and identifies future land acquisitions to meet active and passive recreational demand.
Transportation
- Identifies existing and potential roadway issues or challenges by looking at circulation and parking patterns, developing strategies for improvement.
- Identifies available alternative transportation options and considers how their future development may help alleviate congestion.
Community Facilities & Services
- Identifies the availability and status of public services, including education, public safety, water and sewer, energy, and other utilities.
- Looks at future growth and calculates the increased need for the provision of municipal services and facilities in planning for their expansion.
- Investigates the current delivery of municipal services and identifies best management practices and cost efficient techniques to be implemented.