A city’s General Plan serves as a comprehensive document, assessing short and long-term goals, vision, and mission of the authorities regarding the future development of the town. Its significance lays in the specific policy statements adopted in accordance with the general guidelines necessary to achieve the city’s developmental objectives. The General Plan not only provides a foundation for the planning of the required activities but also allows to evaluate the success of the projects using standardized external metrics. By creating a proposition on the basis of the seven required plan elements, including land use, housing, open space, noise, safety, and circulation, authorities may assess the needs of the residents from various perspectives. Main body
However, in my opinion, contemporary environmental issues call for an urgent reformation of the General Plan in terms of its relevance to the ecological state of the city. Therefore, an additional element, such as “green environment,” should be included in the general guidelines for the city’s development. This factor could expand the town’s green territories (parks, forests, natural reservoirs, and others), increase its recycling capacity, and encourage fuel-saving initiatives, in particular, renewable energy projects at households, schools, and other governmental institutions.
Another change to the current status of the General Plan that would lead to the more effective development of the city refers to the procedures on the provision’s updating and approving. In particular, there are no regulations regarding the time period, when city authorities have to renew the old plans. While it usually takes from 12 to 18 months, some documents remain outdated for up to 5 years. With the rapid development of science, technology, and infrastructure, such retardation may result in the city’s failure to meet the needs and wants of a modern resident.