Comprehensive Plans

Chicago Illinois

‘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.

February 19, 2023 - Chicago Sun-Times

Sunset view of downtown Gainesville, Florida

Gainesville Eliminates Single-Family Zoning

Gainesville is the first city in Florida to eliminate exclusionary zoning.

October 18, 2022 - The Gainesville Sun

Governors Island - South Island Rezoning

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.

September 8, 2022 - James Brasuell

Seattle Construction

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.

June 28, 2022 - The Urbanist

Washington State

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.

June 27, 2022 - The Urbanist

Public Comment

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.

May 24, 2022 - James Brasuell

A map showing Auburn, Maine and surrounding highways and towns.

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.

May 23, 2022 - Discourse Magazine

Mount Rainier

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.

May 16, 2022 - Capitol Hill Seattle Blog

North Carolina

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.

April 1, 2022 - South Charlotte Weekly

The skyline of downtown Worcester, Massachusetts reveals urban densities and variety of building types.

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.

March 16, 2022 - Mass Live

Downtown Los Angeles

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.

December 7, 2021 - Urbanize Los Angeles

Klyde Warren Park

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.

September 9, 2021 - The Dallas Morning News

A view of the Oakland, California skyline in Downtown.

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.

August 24, 2021 - Next City

Charlotte

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.

June 30, 2021 - Charlotte Observer

D.C. Comp Plan

What Are Comprehensive Plans?

The comprehensive plan, sometimes also referred to as a master plan or a general plan, is the foundational document of long-term planning and zoning in the United States.

June 23, 2021 - James Brasuell

D.C. Streetcar

D.C. Comprehensive Plan Amendments Approved

New amendments to the D.C. Comprehensive Plan set goals for new housing development and fewer cars on the road.

May 20, 2021 - Greater Greater Washington

New York Historic map

New York City Aims for Comprehensive Long-Range Planning

The city's proposed comprehensive planning bill could create a more equitable and collaborative planning process

March 4, 2021 - Gotham Gazette

BLM Plaza, Washington, D.C.

Comprehensive Plan Update Stokes Controversy in D.C.

Complex political dynamics are mustering for a showdown over D.C.'s comprehensive plan.

March 3, 2021 - The Washington Post

Compton, California

What Is a Specific Plan?

Specific Plans are unique to the state of California, but come up frequently in media coverage of planning. Understanding the purpose of Specific Plans can also open a window to understanding of how planning works all over the country.

October 16, 2020 - James Brasuell

Plano DART

The Day after Plano Tomorrow

Planners in Plano, Texas are ready to pick up the pieces and move on from the demise of the Plano Tomorrow comprehensive plan.

August 14, 2020 - The Dallas Morning News

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

HUD’s 2023 Innovative Housing Showcase

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

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Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

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.