Title: A Practical Guide to Understanding Zoning Laws
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Content: Of course, because the growth of a city takes a little longer than a road trip across the U.S., comprehensive plans look long-term. Like five to 20 years long-term. To create such plans a city considers what it wants regarding land use (including public infrastructure to support those uses), and how it will achieve it. For example, if a city decides it’s in the best interests of its population to be a hub for high-tech industry, it will designate areas within its boundaries for such industries. The plan also acts as a guide for the creation of regulations that define what uses are permitted, what structures are permitted, their design, and where (both within a district and in relation to other districts) these uses and structures may be placed. The plan itself is not legally binging, but it’s the foundation for legally binding instruments like the zoning ordinance. II.A. Creation of a Comprehensive Plan
A plan is created through a collaborative effort of planning professionals, the public, city staff, the city’s planning commission and the city’s governing body (and sometimes even neighboring communities). The process is not universal, but creation generally begins by soliciting input from citizens and interested parties regarding how the city should evolve. If there is a developer who has, or wants to be, a part of the city’s growth, it makes sense to give them a place at the table. The city staff can then use this input to assemble, on its own or in concert with a planning consultant, a draft plan.