The Benefits of Comprehensive Planning

戴思佳++陸俊燁++盧杭

【Abstract】Comprehensive planning， which is also identified as a general plan， land use plan or master plan， is necessary for any institution that has to deal with the governance of the public， especially， cities and towns. The purpose of this memorandum is to explicate the reasons why comprehensive planning is considered relevant and beneficial.

【Key words】Comprehensive Planning； Public Investments

Continuity

A comprehensive plan is associated with long-term benefits since it covers a period of twenty to thirty years. This aspect not only allows an institution to plan for the future， but also facilitates the progress of the planned activities. Therefore， a comprehensive plan offers continuity over time. By using a comprehensive plan， government offices can formulate frameworks that are important in handling the use of land and the issues that characterize land ownership （Campbell & Susan 10）.

Creating Balance

Comprehensive planning is beneficial in striking a balance between the numerous competing demands （Campbell & Susan 10）. It is worth noting that some people are likely to insist on their own individual interests and ignore that of the public， thus the need for a comprehensive plan that provides proper guidelines. Through a master plan， an organization is able to create rational and orderly patterns that not only benefit the individuals， but also cater for the whole community.

In addition， a comprehensive plan can be presented in a diagram form that accentuates ways in which activities can be interlinked to foster interconnected feedbacks. Therefore， an institution can build and reconstruct the plan based on the respective feedbacks.

Community Shaping

It is paramount to acknowledge that circumstances change over time. Therefore， a comprehensive plan allows an institution to steer a community towards achieving the health， safety and welfare initiatives as well as other pertinent goals that foster development. Management of Public Investments

Comprehensive planning makes it possible for a particular region to prioritize on key investment concerns. For instance， through planning， a city is likely to avoid destroying a new road， merely for the purpose of installing a drainage system （Kelly 7）. By implementing orderly development projects that are guided by comprehensive plans， efficiency and effectiveness is guaranteed. Management of Resources

It is important for any institution to protect the natural resources such as water bodies， forests and slopes， even as it engages in other development activities （Kelly 7）. A Land-use plan facilitates the implementation of conservation and preservation strategies.

Engagement of the Citizens

Planning is carried out by specific institutions such as the local or the national government. Even though a large aspect of this task involves the participation of professionals， it is important to engage the citizens who are likely to be most affected by the plan. Engaging them in the planning process allows an institution to consider the citizens interests even as it incorporates the interests of the community at large. Public forums and community representatives are consulted before major decisions are made （Kelly 7）. For example， the institution， through the input of the citizens， may realize that an indoor market is most preferred as compared to the current open air market.

Conclusively， leaders in governance institutions cannot ignore the benefits of a comprehensive plan， whether it is drafted to implement health， safety or public initiatives. Since it covers a long period of time， the relevant leaders or stakeholders should conduct the relevant research and gather the relevant resources to fulfill the main purpose of a comprehensive plan.

References：

[1]Kelly，Eric D.Community Planning：An Introduction to the Comprehensive Plan，Second Edition.Washington：Island Press，2012.Print.

[2]Campbell，Scott and Susan Fainstein.Readings in Planning Theory.Malden，Ma：Blackwell Publishing，2003.

作者簡介：戴思佳（1995-），女，江蘇南京人，學士，武漢東湖學院經(jīng)濟學院金融學專業(yè)2013級本科生，研究方向：金融學。