What is a Comprehensive Plan Anyway?

Source: City of Richardson.

If you haven't been hearing a lot about the City of Richardson's Comprehensive Plan, you haven't been paying attention to this space. But, just in case you aren't aware, the City is just starting a year-long effort to update ours, the first such update since 2009. If you like recent zoning decisions, give more than a little thanks to that 2009 Comprehensive Plan. The City has been following the instructions laid down way back then. If you think recent decisions leave more and more to be desired, well, blame that same Plan. Now is your chance to get your careabouts captured in the next Comprehensive Plan, which will guide development for the next decade.

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What is a Comprehensive Plan anyway? I kind of like a definition by consulting engineering firm Halff and Associates, headquartered in Richardson. Halff was involved in creating Richardson's recently adopted Active Transportation Plan. I expect them to be consulted on the new Comprehensive Plan as well.

What Is a Comprehensive Plan?

A comprehensive plan is a long-range plan for a city, which captures the vision of where the community wants to be at some point in the future. The term comprehensive suggests it is an all-inclusive approach to analyzing and evaluating the future growth of a community. At minimum, most comprehensive plans provide guidance for the physical development of a community, with an emphasis on future land use and thoroughfare planning.

Source: Hallf.

How will the City start? With outreach. The City plans a listening tour to gather community inputs. Go to the Envision Richardson website to find out where and when the City plans to be. Then go and let them know what you want Richardson to look like.

Some big players are already ahead of you. City staff surveyed City Council members to ascertain their own vision for this effort. I don't know how they answered (no one has shared their answers with the public, not that I'm aware of), but here are my own quick and brief answers to the questions city staff asked.

1. Q. What is working well?
   A. Parks and trails.
   Q. What's not working well?
   A. Affordable housing (by all definitions).
2. Q. In a few words, describe a desirable Richardson in 20 years.
   A. Walkable. Dense. Sustainable (environmentally and financially).
3. Q. How do you get around Richardson today?
   A. Today I drive. City should focus on improving all forms of alternative transportation (walking, biking, buses, DART rail, ride-share, e-bikes, e-scooters).
4. Q. How does Richardson continue to grow in the face of aging housing stock?
   A. Change zoning to allow for ADUs, duplexes, fourplexes, apartments.
5. Q. Existing areas of the City I am proud of?
   A. Eastside. UT-Dallas. CityLine (with reservations).
6. Q. Existing areas that cause me concern?
   A. Richardson Square and surrounding retail.
   Q. What should be done?
   A. See #5.
7. Q. Am I satisfied with the range of housing options?
   A. No.
   City needs more workforce housing.
   City needs more low-income housing.
   City needs more (any) housing for homeless.
   Q. Do I see housing needs changing over next 20 years?
   A. The demand for all types of housing will only increase.
8. Q. Is Richardson doing enough to protect the natural environment?
   A. Yes, but Richardson should never be satisfied with "enough."
9. Q. What's my opinion of City services and facilities.
   A. They are very good. The last thing I think is in danger of being neglected is City services and facilities.
10. Q. What should be the main goal of Comp Plan update?
    A. It should facilitate achieving the goals stated in #2.
11. Q. Other advice?
    A. Achieving #1-10 is a heavy enough lift. Get as much involvement of homeowners, renters, business owners, and professional city planners as you can. Then listen, really listen.

I expect I'll have more to say on this as the City's planning ramps up. Stay tuned and make your voice heard.