MUST SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE

ARCH 82: Planning 3/ URBAN & REGIONAL PLANNING

CHAPTER 5: COMPREHENSIVE URBAN PLANNING PROCESS
5.0 DEFINITION:
Comprehensive planning
 A process that determines community goals and aspirations in terms of
community development.
 The outcome is the Comprehensive Plan which dictates public policy in terms
of transportation, utilities, land use, recreation, and housing.
 Comprehensive plans typically encompass large geographical areas, a broad
range of topics, and cover a long-term time horizon.
 An official public document adopted by a local government as a policy
guide to decisions about the physical development of the community.
 It indicates in a general way how the leaders of the government want the
community to develop in the next 20 - 30 years.

5.1 INTRODUCTION:
The term comprehensive planning is most often used by urban planners in the United States.
In Canada, comprehensive planning is generally known as strategic planning or visioning.
It is usually accompanied by public consultation.

 When cities and municipalities engage in comprehensive planning the resulting

document is known as an Official Community Plan or OCP for short. (In Alberta, the
resultant document is referred to as a Municipal Development Plan, or MDP.)

5.2 COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING PROCESS

Comprehensive Planning typically follows a planning process that consists of different
steps. By following this process, planners are able to determine a wide range of
interconnecting issues that affect an urban area. Each step can be seen as
interdependent and many times planners will revise the order to best fit their needs.

Eight (8) Steps of Comprehensive Planning Process

1. Issue Identification
2. Goal Statement
3. Data Collection
4. Plan Preparation
5. Plan Creation Implementation
6. Alternative Evaluation
7. Plan Adoption
8. Plan Implementation and monitoring

5.2.1 IDENTIFYING ISSUES

The planner must first address the issue they are investigating. "To be relevant, the
planning process, must identity and address not only contemporary issues of concern to
residents, workers, property owners, and business people, but also the emerging issues
that will be important in the future." Generally, planners determine community issues by
involving various community leaders, community organizations, and ordinary citizens.

5.2.2 STATING GOALS

Once issues have been identified by a community, goals can then be established. Goals
are community visions. They establish priorities for communities and help community
leaders make future decisions which will affect the city. Stating goals is not always an
easy process and it requires the active participation of all people in the community.

1 ARCHT. MARCELINO ENALAS DUMPA, ASST PROF

MUST SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE
ARCH 82: Planning 3/ URBAN & REGIONAL PLANNING
CHAPTER 5: COMPREHENSIVE URBAN PLANNING PROCESS
5.2.3 COLLECTING DATA
Data is needed in the planning process in order to evaluate current city conditions as
well as to predict future conditions. Data is most easily collected from the Census
Bureau, however many communities actively collect their own data.
 The most typical data collected for a comprehensive plan include data about the
environment, traffic conditions, economic conditions, social conditions (such as
population and income), public services and utilities, and land use conditions
(such as housing and zoning).
 Once this data is collected it is analyzed and studied. Outcomes of the data
collection process include population projections, economic condition forecasts,
and future housing needs.

5.2.4 PREPARING THE PLAN

The plan is prepared using the information gathered during the data collection and goal
setting stages.

A typical comprehensive plan begins by giving a brief background of the current
and future conditions found in the data collection step.

Following the background information are the community goals and the plans
that will be used in order to implement those goals into the community.

Plans may also contain separate sections for important issues such as
transportation or housing which follow the same standard format.

5.2.5 CREATING IMPLEMENTATION PLANS

During this stage of the process different programs are thought of in order to implement
the goals of the plan.
 These plans focus on issues such as cost and effectiveness.
 It is possible that a variety of plans will result from this process in order to realize
one goal.
 These different plans are known as alternatives.

5.2.6 EVALUATING ALTERNATIVES

Each alternative should be evaluated by community leaders to ensure the most efficient
and cost-effective way to realize the community's goals.
 During this stage each alternative should be weighed given its potential positive
and negative effects, impacts on the community, and impacts on the city
government.
 One alternative should be chosen that best meets the needs and desires of the
community and community leaders for meeting the community goals.

5.2.7 ADOPTING A PLAN

The community needs to adopt the plan as an official statement of policy in order
for it to take effect. This is usually done by the City Council and through public
hearings.
 The City Council may choose not to adopt the plan, which would require
planners to refine the work they did during previous steps.
 Once the plan is accepted by city officials it is then a legal statement of
community policy in regards to future development.

2 ARCHT. MARCELINO ENALAS DUMPA, ASST PROF

MUST SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE
ARCH 82: Planning 3/ URBAN & REGIONAL PLANNING
CHAPTER 5: COMPREHENSIVE URBAN PLANNING PROCESS
5.2.8 IMPLEMENTING AND MONITORING THE PLAN
Using the implementation plans defined in the earlier stages, the city will carry out the
goals in the comprehensive plan.
 City planning staff monitor the outcomes of the plan and may propose future
changes if the results are not desired.
 A comprehensive plan is not a permanent document. It can be changed and
rewritten over time. For many fast growing communities, it is necessary to revise
or update the comprehensive plan every five to ten years. In order for the
comprehensive plan to be relevant to the community it must remain current.

5.3 LEGAL BASIS

The basis for comprehensive planning comes from the government's ability to protect the
health and welfare of its citizens. The power for local governments to plan generally
comes from state planning enabling legislation; however, local governments in most
states are not required by law to engage in comprehensive planning.

 State statutes usually provide the legal framework necessary for those
communities choosing to participate while allowing others to disengage
themselves with the process.
 The legal provision for comprehensive planning comes from what is called
the National Land Use Act of the Philippines.
 PD 933 and EO 648 Series of 1981 and Housing and Land use and Regulatory
Board (HLURB) to review, evaluate, approve or disapprove land use plans of
cities and municipalities. Many cities did choose to adopt the act which provided
local governments with the framework to engage in land use planning.

However, a comprehensive plan is not usually legally binding. A community's ordinances

must be amended in order to legally implement the provisions required to execute the
comprehensive plan.

5.4 CHARACTER OF COMPREHENSIVE PLAN:

Comprehensive plan is general in nature. It provides a framework and policy context
within which to make all decisions related to land use and future development.

Six (6) Basic Plan Document Requirement

It should be;
1. Comprehensive
2. Long Range
3. General
4. Physical Development Focus
5. Relative to community, social and economic policies.
6. Policy first and Technical instrument second.

3 ARCHT. MARCELINO ENALAS DUMPA, ASST PROF

MUST SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE
ARCH 82: Planning 3/ URBAN & REGIONAL PLANNING
CHAPTER 5: COMPREHENSIVE URBAN PLANNING PROCESS
5.5 ELEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
Plan elements vary from community to community. It consists of a study of the existing
conditions and discussion of future trends, goal and objectives, land use pattern,
housing, population, roadways and other infrastructure.

Eight (8) Elements of Comprehensive Plan

a. Issues & Opportunities
- Population & Demography
- Background info on objectives, policies and goals.
b. Land Use
- Type, intensity and density of land use
- Opportunities for land redevelopment
- Maps and programs for future development
c. Traffic Circulation & Transportation
- Various modes of transportation
- Air, land and water transport
d. Agri-Nat’l and Cultural Resources
- Groundwater
- Forests
- Productive agri. Areas
- Flood plains / wetlands
- Wildlife Habitat
- Open spaces
- Historical / Cultural Resources
e. Housing
- Availability of land
- Value & Occupancy of housing
- Supply and forecasted demand
f. Utilities & Community Facilities
- Sanitary sewer
- Storm & Water
- Waste disposal
- Parks & Playground
- Healthcare Facilities
- Police / Fire / Rescue
g. Economic Development
- Labor force & Economic base
- Type of business & industries
- Economic Development Program
h. Inter-Govt. Cooperation
- LGU Joint planning and decision making.
- Building Public Facilities
- LGU Conflict Resolution & Other govt. units.

4 ARCHT. MARCELINO ENALAS DUMPA, ASST PROF

MUST SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE
ARCH 82: Planning 3/ URBAN & REGIONAL PLANNING
CHAPTER 5: COMPREHENSIVE URBAN PLANNING PROCESS
i. Implementation
- Zoning Ordinance
- Official Land Use Maps
- Control / Preservation Ordinances

5.6 Best Practices in Comprehensive Planning

Eight (8) Best Practices
a. Broad Public Involvement
b. Visioning
c. Land Use Scenarios and
Quantitative Analysis of
Alternatives
d. Physical planning description and targets
e. Clarity in policy statements
f. Internal consistency within the Comprehensive Plan
g. Tie-in of the Comprehensive Plan and capital
budgeting
h. Phasing of growth

5.6.1 Broad Public Involvement

The comprehensive planning process should have broad buy-in from the public,
stakeholders and elected officials. The “bare bones” minimum is to hold a public hearing
before governing or appointed advisory bodies vote on a plan. There usually is a need to
supplement a planning process with one or more of the following events:
a. focus groups,
b. leadership forums,
c. town halls, and
d. community surveys.

 Additionally, convening a steering committee, consisting of members of a

planning commission and perhaps other members of the public representing
more sectors of the community, can provide useful advise on the plan
development throughout the planning process.

 Public involvement is typically a time-consuming and challenging component of

comprehensive planning, requiring the planners to try very hard to get
participants to engage in long range thinking.

5.6.2 Visioning
Visioning is becoming an increasingly accepted planning tool that is especially useful
when integrated into a comprehensive planning process as an "up-front" public
involvement activity.
 The technique in preparing a local comprehensive plan seems to work rather well
to do visioning to arrive at a vision statement, then prepare the plan analysis,
analyze alternative land use scenarios according to the vision, then develop the
goals and objectives at the same time as arriving at the preferred land use
scenario (which becomes the "Future Land Use Map").

5 ARCHT. MARCELINO ENALAS DUMPA, ASST PROF

MUST SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE
ARCH 82: Planning 3/ URBAN & REGIONAL PLANNING
CHAPTER 5: COMPREHENSIVE URBAN PLANNING PROCESS
5.6.3 Alternative / Quantitative Analysis of Land Use Scenarios and Alternatives
Scenario-building
Allow the technical and non-technical participants in the comprehensive planning
process to consider the impacts of various ways in which the community can grow.
 The purpose of scenario-building is to analyze various land use strategies,
transportation alternatives and perhaps alternatives in other major community or
regional systems as a means to evaluating impacts and making decisions.
 Assumptions, rather than presented as certain, might be placed in the form of
alternatives for several uncertain futures.
 Scenarios present different stories, each of which integrates internally consistent
interpretations of future events.
 This approach can be built into a comprehensive planning practice to strengthen
and crystalize the analysis.

5.6.4 Physical planning description and targets

The land use element is the core portion of the plan describing the community’s strategy
of growth. The essential role of the plan is to influence land use decisions. Land use
categories should be selected that are most meaningful to the community. According to
these categories, maps of existing land use and future land use should be prepared.
Densities and intensities of land use should be sufficiently fine-grade to allow
calculations of land areas – and these should be indicated in the plan document. The
map should show if and where mixes of land uses and centers are desirable. The
relationship between land use and transportation (another physical planning component)
should be explored.

5.6.5 Clarity in policy statements

Goals, objectives and policies should be as clear, succinct and relevant to the subject
matter as possible. The hierarchy moves from more general to more specific in
developing the statements.
 The statements should be readable, reasonably simple, and deal with a single
subject matter.
 Policy statements should not be overly vague or ambiguous. Statements should
provide guidance for the body of work addressed in the relevant element (for
instance, transportation policies should generally not be included in a land
use element).
 The statements should be reasonably short and simple, while not striped bare of
meaningful elaborations that express the purpose of the goal, objective or policy.
Finally, policy statements should adhere to the public input or policy guidance
arrived at through the processes used to develop the plan.

5.6.5 Internal consistency within the Comprehensive Plan

All of the components of a comprehensive plan should be well coordinated and
complimentary. Typically the land use element establishes the core set of growth
strategies with which other elements should be supporting.
 The transportation element should substantively contribute to the urban form
developed in the land use plan.
 The capital facilities plan should be in sync with the projected needs for new land
development. Land use/transportation planning expert Robert Cervero has

6 ARCHT. MARCELINO ENALAS DUMPA, ASST PROF

MUST SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE
ARCH 82: Planning 3/ URBAN & REGIONAL PLANNING
CHAPTER 5: COMPREHENSIVE URBAN PLANNING PROCESS
articulated the principle that land use plans should shape transportation
decisions as well as other elements of a comprehensive plan.
 Conversely, if water, transportation, open space and other critical community and
regional systems cannot practically support a desired land use pattern, then the
land use plan must be changed.

5.6.6 Tie-in of the Comprehensive Plan to current planning and capital

budgeting
The comprehensive plan should be used to guide the zoning code and official
zoning map, zoning discretionary decisions such as rezoning, special use
permits and conditional use permits, and subdivision approvals.
 The plan should give guidance on various growth management tools.
Annexations, historic districts and landmarks designations, extraterritorial
planning and plating, local economic development, impact and
development fees, and transfers of development rights are among the
planning actions that should be supported by the comprehensive plan.
 Implementation measures should be established in or tied to the
comprehensive plan. Actions of responsible parties, time frames for
actions, sequencing and indicators of performance might be addressed in
the plan or a companion strategic plan.
 Capital facilities planning should be integrated into comprehensive
planning. An element of the plan dedicated to capital facilities is
recommended, as shown in the comprehensive plan template.

5.6.7 Phasing of growth

Phasing provides guidance that land development activities are proceeding in locations
where they can be supported in a timely and efficient way with capital facilities and other
regional and community systems.
 The functional plan elements for transportation and capital facilities must be
coordinated with any phasing plan.
 Often those plans have a shorter horizon year than the long range land use plan,
indicating when identified improvements are anticipated.

7 ARCHT. MARCELINO ENALAS DUMPA, ASST PROF