Planning Matters

“Failing to plan is planning to fail.” — Alan Lakein

We spend much of our lives planning– what to wear, who to spend time with, where to go on vacation, when to change careers… Without planning, we are unlikely to get what we want or what we need.

Just as we plan on different levels in our personal lives, planning for our communities, cities and regions represents “place planning” done on different levels. Good planning helps create communities that offer better choices for where and how people work and live. Plans created through the planning process help communities organize their ideas into a single document that can be shared with residents, potential community partners and investors.

A plan is a road map that guides decision-making now and in the future, allowing us to meet goals and expectations. During the planning process, community stakeholders – residents, community groups, owners, businesses, developers, investors, design professionals, etc.- talk about issues (what needs improvement?), develop goals (where do we want to go?), and create action steps (how do we get from today to where we want to be?). Planning enables civic leaders, business interests, and all concerned citizens to play meaningful roles in creating communities that enrich people’s lives.

• Planning helps stakeholders focus on what they want and how to achieve it.
• Planning uses tools to help stakeholders reach consensus about land use, community services, and design issues.
• Planning uses stories and visual examples, as well as data, to help people envision possibilities and to understand different development options.

Learn To Plan – Plan To Change.

Change is inevitable. It will happen whether our community is prepared or not. Development and investment pressures (or lack of them) impact quality of life issues in our communities. It takes visionary leadership and an educated, motivated and committed citizenry to direct positive change. Visionary leadership seeks to engage all voices in the community. Informed grassroots efforts can transform a degraded park or street into a place of pride. “Citizen Planners” have the know-how to address change head-on and create a vision for their community’s future.