What is a Comprehensive Plan?
A Comprehensive Plan outlines a community’s long-term vision by identifying its priorities, explaining their importance, and establishing a framework for future decision-making. As part of this process, a broad range of community characteristics are evaluated, including population trends, development patterns, natural features, infrastructure systems, transportation network, parks and recreation assets, economic conditions, and overall quality of life.
Community participation is a central component of the planning effort. To ensure the plan accurately reflects local perspectives and aspirations, outreach efforts include collaboration with a 15-member steering committee, public engagement workshops, stakeholder focus groups, and online community surveys. Input gathered through these activities, combined with technical analysis and research, is used to create a clear and unified vision for the future.
The resulting plan will provide direction for the town by building upon previous work while establishing goals, policies, and implementation strategies focused specifically on municipal boundaries. Beyond serving as a policy guide, a comprehensive plan also fulfills an important administrative function.
Ultimately, the plan serves as a practical resource for town officials, staff, residents, community organizations, and property owners as they make decisions related to growth, land use, public infrastructure, transportation improvements, utilities, and community development initiatives.
The Comprehensive Planning Process
PHASE 1
Cast a
Vision
Focuses on data collection, establishing the steering committee, creating a demographic profile, and launching official project branding.
May to June 2026
PHASE 2
Reach a
Consensus
Centers on broad public engagement, utilizing a dedicated project website, public workshops, an online survey, and stakeholder interviews to build a Public Participation Report.
July to August 2026
PHASE 3
Set Achievable
Goals
Involves drafting the Existing Conditions Report, setting core objectives, and hosting a "Big Ideas Open House" to gather feedback on preliminary findings.
September to November 2026
PHASE 4
Define
Action Steps
Finalizes the plan with implementation tables and priority partners, followed by public presentations and formal adoption votes by the Area Plan Commission and the Osgood Town Council.
December to February 2027