One of the missions of a development district is to facilitate the planning process for the region. As a result the development district should act as an advocate for regional and community planning. Regional planning covers a geographic area that extends beyond the boundaries of cities and counties but identifying those common characteristics that could be social, economic, political, cultural, and environmental or outlined by the region’s transportation network.
Community comprehensive plan provides a more specific framework for the towns and cities by addressing the long term vision for the future of the community. Usually, a community’s comprehensive plan uses a time horizon of 20 years by addressing interrelated topics such as land use, transportation, community facilities, housing, economic development, environmentally sensitive or critical areas, and agricultural lands. The primary and major purpose of the plan is to provide guidance to decision makers how these elements will work toward the enhancement and sustainability of the community’s quality of life.
Understanding the region and how it can sustain and improve its efficiency can certainly be facilitated how well each community understands and articulate its future. Both planning processes are valuable for optimal success.