Land Use Planning

  1. The Land Use Planning Process
    1. Data Collection and Analysis
      1. Base Mapping and Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
        1. Mapping Existing Land Uses
          1. Land Use Classification Systems
            1. Aerial Photography Interpretation
              1. Field Surveys
              2. Spatial Data Management
                1. Database Design
                  1. Data Standards
                    1. Data Quality Control
                    2. GIS Analysis Techniques
                      1. Spatial Analysis
                        1. Overlay Analysis
                          1. Network Analysis
                            1. Statistical Analysis
                          2. Population and Demographic Analysis
                            1. Population Projections
                              1. Cohort-Component Method
                                1. Trend Extrapolation
                                  1. Economic-Demographic Models
                                  2. Age and Household Structure
                                    1. Age Distribution Analysis
                                      1. Life Cycle Analysis
                                    2. Economic Base and Market Studies
                                      1. Industry Analysis
                                        1. Economic Base Theory
                                          1. Location Quotients
                                            1. Shift-Share Analysis
                                            2. Retail and Commercial Market Assessment
                                              1. Trade Area Analysis
                                                1. Market Demand Studies
                                                  1. Competition Analysis
                                                2. Housing Needs Assessment
                                                  1. Housing Stock Inventory
                                                    1. Housing Type and Condition
                                                      1. Age and Value
                                                        1. Occupancy Rates
                                                        2. Affordability Analysis
                                                          1. Housing Cost Burden
                                                            1. Affordable Housing Gap
                                                              1. Income-Housing Price Ratios
                                                              2. Housing Demand Forecasts
                                                                1. Household Projections
                                                                  1. Housing Preferences
                                                                    1. Special Needs Housing
                                                                  2. Infrastructure and Public Facilities Inventory
                                                                    1. Transportation Networks
                                                                      1. Road Classification
                                                                        1. Traffic Volumes
                                                                          1. Level of Service Analysis
                                                                            1. Public Transit Systems
                                                                            2. Utilities and Services
                                                                              1. Water and Sewer Systems
                                                                                1. Electric and Gas Utilities
                                                                                  1. Telecommunications Infrastructure
                                                                                    1. Solid Waste Management
                                                                                    2. Schools and Community Facilities
                                                                                      1. School Capacity Analysis
                                                                                        1. Library and Recreation Facilities
                                                                                          1. Public Safety Facilities
                                                                                            1. Healthcare Facilities
                                                                                          2. Environmental and Natural Resource Inventories
                                                                                            1. Wetlands and Water Bodies
                                                                                              1. Wetland Delineation
                                                                                                1. Water Quality Assessment
                                                                                                  1. Riparian Areas
                                                                                                  2. Floodplains and Hazard Areas
                                                                                                    1. FEMA Flood Maps
                                                                                                      1. Seismic Hazard Zones
                                                                                                        1. Wildfire Risk Areas
                                                                                                          1. Steep Slopes
                                                                                                          2. Wildlife and Habitat Mapping
                                                                                                            1. Habitat Assessment
                                                                                                              1. Species Inventories
                                                                                                                1. Migration Corridors
                                                                                                                  1. Rare and Endangered Species
                                                                                                                2. Land Use Suitability Analysis
                                                                                                                  1. Physical Constraints
                                                                                                                    1. Soil Limitations
                                                                                                                      1. Topographic Constraints
                                                                                                                        1. Geologic Hazards
                                                                                                                        2. Environmental Sensitivity
                                                                                                                          1. Ecological Value
                                                                                                                            1. Water Resource Protection
                                                                                                                              1. Air Quality Considerations
                                                                                                                              2. Infrastructure Capacity
                                                                                                                                1. Utility Availability
                                                                                                                                  1. Transportation Access
                                                                                                                                    1. Service Delivery Costs
                                                                                                                                2. Public Participation and Engagement
                                                                                                                                  1. Rationale for Public Involvement
                                                                                                                                    1. Democratic Decision-Making
                                                                                                                                      1. Citizen Rights
                                                                                                                                        1. Representative Government
                                                                                                                                          1. Transparency
                                                                                                                                          2. Building Community Support
                                                                                                                                            1. Stakeholder Buy-In
                                                                                                                                              1. Implementation Success
                                                                                                                                                1. Conflict Reduction
                                                                                                                                                2. Enhancing Plan Legitimacy
                                                                                                                                                  1. Public Acceptance
                                                                                                                                                    1. Ethical Obligations
                                                                                                                                                  2. Identifying Stakeholders
                                                                                                                                                    1. Residents and Property Owners
                                                                                                                                                      1. Neighborhood Groups
                                                                                                                                                        1. Individual Citizens
                                                                                                                                                          1. Property Owner Associations
                                                                                                                                                          2. Business and Industry Representatives
                                                                                                                                                            1. Chamber of Commerce
                                                                                                                                                              1. Business Associations
                                                                                                                                                                1. Major Employers
                                                                                                                                                                2. Community Organizations
                                                                                                                                                                  1. Nonprofit Organizations
                                                                                                                                                                    1. Advocacy Groups
                                                                                                                                                                      1. Religious Institutions
                                                                                                                                                                      2. Government Agencies
                                                                                                                                                                        1. Other Departments
                                                                                                                                                                          1. Regional Agencies
                                                                                                                                                                            1. State and Federal Agencies
                                                                                                                                                                          2. Techniques for Engagement
                                                                                                                                                                            1. Public Hearings and Meetings
                                                                                                                                                                              1. Effective Meeting Facilitation
                                                                                                                                                                                1. Meeting Design
                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Facilitation Techniques
                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Managing Conflict
                                                                                                                                                                                  2. Workshops and Charrettes
                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Collaborative Design Sessions
                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Design Charrettes
                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Planning Workshops
                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Focus Groups
                                                                                                                                                                                          2. Visioning Exercises
                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Community Visioning
                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Scenario Planning
                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Priority Setting
                                                                                                                                                                                              2. Surveys and Questionnaires
                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Designing Effective Surveys
                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Question Design
                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Sampling Methods
                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Survey Administration
                                                                                                                                                                                                      2. Analyzing Survey Results
                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Statistical Analysis
                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Data Interpretation
                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Reporting Results
                                                                                                                                                                                                          2. Advisory Committees
                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Stakeholder Representation
                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Committee Composition
                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Selection Process
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Diversity and Inclusion
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  2. Role in Plan Development
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Advisory Functions
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Review and Comment
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Recommendation Development
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      2. Digital and Online Tools
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Online Mapping Platforms
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Interactive Maps
                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Crowdsourcing Data
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Spatial Comments
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              2. Social Media Engagement
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Facebook and Twitter
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Online Forums
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Digital Storytelling
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    2. Virtual Town Halls
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Webinar Platforms
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Online Polling
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Remote Participation
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    3. Goal Setting and Visioning
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Developing a Community Vision
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Visioning Workshops
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Facilitated Sessions
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Stakeholder Input
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Vision Statement Development
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              2. Articulating Shared Values
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Value Identification
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Priority Setting
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Consensus Building
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  2. Formulating Goals, Objectives, and Policies
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Setting Measurable Objectives
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. SMART Objectives
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Performance Indicators
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Benchmarking
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          2. Policy Development Process
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Policy Analysis
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Alternative Policies
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Policy Selection
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            2. Plan Formulation and Alternatives
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Developing Alternative Scenarios
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Scenario Planning Methods
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Trend Scenarios
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Policy Scenarios
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. What-If Analysis
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      2. Growth and No-Growth Alternatives
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Development Scenarios
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Conservation Scenarios
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Mixed Scenarios
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          2. Evaluating Alternatives
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Impact Assessment
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Environmental Impact
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Economic Impact
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Social Impact
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  2. Cost-Benefit Analysis
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Quantitative Analysis
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Qualitative Assessment
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Sensitivity Analysis
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        2. Community Feedback
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Public Input Sessions
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Stakeholder Review
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Preference Surveys
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            2. Selecting a Preferred Plan
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Decision-Making Criteria
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Evaluation Criteria
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Weighting Factors
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Trade-off Analysis
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    2. Consensus Building
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Negotiation Techniques
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Compromise Solutions
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Final Selection
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      2. Plan Adoption
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Role of the Planning Commission
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Review and Recommendation
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Technical Review
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Public Input Integration
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Recommendation Development
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                2. Public Hearings
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Hearing Procedures
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Public Testimony
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Commission Deliberation
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    2. Role of the Legislative Body (e.g., City Council)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Plan Approval
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Legislative Review
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Policy Decisions
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Final Approval
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            2. Adoption of Ordinances
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Implementing Ordinances
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Zoning Changes
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Regulatory Updates
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                2. The Formal Adoption Process
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Public Notice Requirements
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Public Information
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Hearing Announcements
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      2. Adoption Hearings
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Formal Hearings
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Public Comment
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Final Vote
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        2. Plan Implementation
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Aligning Regulations with the Plan
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Zoning Code Updates
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Consistency Review
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Code Amendments
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. New Zoning Districts
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  2. Subdivision Regulation Revisions
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Design Standards
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Infrastructure Requirements
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Approval Procedures
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      2. Capital Improvement Programming (CIP)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Prioritizing Infrastructure Investments
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Project Evaluation
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Funding Availability
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Implementation Timing
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              2. Funding Mechanisms
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. General Fund
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Bond Financing
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Special Assessments
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Grant Funding
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    2. Administrative Procedures and Permitting
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Development Review Process
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Application Procedures
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Review Criteria
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Approval Conditions
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            2. Permit Issuance and Enforcement
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Permit Types
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Compliance Monitoring
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Enforcement Actions
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              2. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Amendment
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Tracking Development and Performance Indicators
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Monitoring Land Use Changes
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Development Tracking
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Land Use Mapping Updates
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Growth Pattern Analysis
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        2. Performance Metrics
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Plan Implementation Measures
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Goal Achievement
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Outcome Indicators
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            2. Periodic Plan Review and Updates
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Scheduled Review Cycles
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Review Timeline
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Comprehensive Updates
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Minor Revisions
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    2. Community Feedback Integration
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Ongoing Input
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Changing Needs
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. New Priorities
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        2. The Plan Amendment Process
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Amendment Procedures
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Amendment Types
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Review Process
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Approval Requirements
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                2. Public Involvement in Amendments
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Notice Requirements
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Public Hearings
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Stakeholder Input

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Previous

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Foundations of Land Use Planning

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Go to top

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Next

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                3. Tools and Instruments of Implementation