Introduction
It is quoted that if you fail to plan what you are in reality doing then you are planning to fail. This is dilemma that majority of community are experiencing. For an effective community it must plan for its future. What ultimately may happen is that the community fails to acclimatize to change and to take advantage of opportunity. Comprehensive planning is much related to the economic prosperity of communities. Therefore it is a tool for planning the future growth. A quality comprehensive plan is used to address the evolution and constant change of a community. However and in some instances comprehensive plan is used as a land use plan, infrastructure development and community services development. Comprehensive plan deals with issues related to the appropriate uses of land.
Question 1
Comprehensive plans are broad statements of policies and goals of involved community that coordinate physical development and direct the orderly of the community. The elements of comprehensive plans can vary from one community to another since there are personal differences and valuing of interest is totally different. This is a community that value on land issues since it is the backbone of the community. Comprehensive comprise discussion of future trends, objectives and goals and consists a study of existing conditions. Other principle elements include housing conditions, infrastructures development and issues, land use pattern and demographics. In some instances recreational and government facilities are analyzed along with educational facilities. However comprehensive plan deals with the land use related issues that arise due to above elements.
The jurisdiction should possess character that enhances and ensures that goals and objective along with their strategies are achieved and ensure the focus of the plan remain constant for instance strong, diverse local economy, well maintained, livable neighborhoods, a vibrant urban center and a healthy environment that bond the community together. Other goals include housing goal that ensure there is enhancement of community vitality that provide different kind of housing, density, cost and location that accommodate the needs. Economic development goal state that there shall be strong and diverse economy that provide a full range of economic choice and employment for families and individuals in the community. Environmental goal ensure that quality of environment is improved and maintained which protect neighborhoods and business centers from any kind of pollution.
Question 2
Comprehensive plans are bonded by goals and objectives that satisfy community will and govern the plans. There are several goals that comprehensive plans must hit and they include neighborhoods, urban development, housing, economic development among others. The goals are enhanced by the vision of the comprehensive plan which provides direction to the planning commission in formulation of the objectives and goals. The main goal is to enhance and maintain the unique, cultural richness and historic character of the community. The objective is to strengthen and revitalize the community in manner that will maintain conducive existence of the community.
Question 3
Zoning Ordinance is a plan that helps to define usage of properties, structures of new building and how much development can occur in a community. In short, zoning consider all factors that are of significant essential and far reaching influences on the future of the community. Zoning ordinance is the primary tool that is used to implement comprehensive plan policies. Zoning classifies the immediate, specific uses of land which is a contrast to the long term outlook of the comprehensive plan. The success of a comprehensive Plan and in certainty the usage of land element rests in part upon the effectiveness of a reliable zoning ordinance that interprets long-term policies into everyday decisions. Therefore the two plans rely on each other no community can do without the other.
The typical goals of zoning ordinance to minimize damage to public or private property promote economic development and maintain important public services among others. Therefore zoning controls how and where development occurs. For instance zoning allows for a site to be developed according to terms and conditions applied in zoning ordinance. Building permits are given out by the construction after the land is permit is received therefore this shows that the relationship between zoning ordinance and comprehensive plans. Zoning ordinances are accustomed regulate the employment of land and structures to confirm the general safety, public health and general well-being.
Question 4
The two permits that is the land use and special use permits allow the developer to have go ahead permission and develop the community. In conjunction with the comprehensive plan map which indicates the location, type and density of development the land use achieves its goal and policies to all land within the community by implementing objectives of comprehensive plan. Land use permits take many things in account for instance topology and other physical features that can hinder any development of the land or prevent building of building structures.
Land use permits include conditional use permit and minor use permit that allow specific land use. Zoning code also help comprehensive plan to implement its specific elements such as housing conditions, infrastructures development and issues, land use pattern and demographics. By special use permits that approve any development in the community. Special use permit covers protection of welfare, safety and public health, it also covers protection of property this will enhance, motivate and rejuvenate the developer in their work of community development. In conclusion, zoning ordinance plan is necessary to accomplish the basic aims and objectives of the General plan.
Question 5
Hazard areas like floodplains are often zoned as denseness districts. Hazard areas may be known in different zoning districts wherever special performance standards are also applied to development. Zoning Code provides building codes which protects lives and property by setting standards for construction materials, design procedure and techniques. In cooperation performance codes and specification codes can be valuable hazard mitigation tools when used to require protection of new construction. Zoning codes are laws or ordinances that are set to control municipality aspects of the use of the land. Therefore this indicates that the plan and ordinance guide each and every development in the community.
Question 6
Zoning codes include what is built upon the land and the usage of structure built. The codes include land use permit which allows a specific expectation to the zoning regulations. Land use is governed by a set of regulations known as municipal codes or ordinances. They are known to be authorized by the state’s zoning enabling law. The other zoning code is special use permit that give developer an approval to build a project. For instance a church may apply a special use permit to construct a church building in a residential neighborhood. This development grants preference to the local zoning authority to ensure that an acceptable land use does not disrupt the zoning scheme because of its particular location.
