Like any business, local governments need to chart future plans so that they can assure an efficient use of resources.  Local governments are in the business of assuring public welfare and delivering public services.  The preparation of a comprehensive plan provides a deliberate frames work of information that can be used to make future decisions regarding local government functions. 

One definition of comprehensive planning is the "the allocation of municipal resources towards municipal goals and objectives"; this definition embodies the essence of this study. 

This study first catalogs, maps, and describes the Region's resources.  These resources include many things such as land, streams, roads, utilities, parks, neighborhoods, schools, staff, police and fire equipment, business, people, and so on.  Analysis are performed to determine the capabilities of these resources to serve or accommodate particular land uses.

Next, a set of community goals and objectives are formulated.  These goals can include general health and safety-type objectives, like the provision of adequate housing and employment opportunities, or the protection of the environment.  Community-wide goals are also important and could look to preserve the Region's diverse character or improve recreation facilities.  Specific neighborhood goals can improve a local imbalance of public services, or preserve the historical architecture of a given area.  Finally, problem-solving goals seek to correct existing of foreseeable deficiencies or problems, such as improving the design of a particular road intersection or preventing the construction of a use that threatens compatibility with adjoining land uses.  Please open the quick link to read more on the comprehensive plan.