For over a year, the Planning and Development Department (P&D) has facilitated a community-driven process to develop Plan Houston, the City’s first general plan. P&D has now developed a final Plan Houston document for Council consideration. In accordance with the general plan adoption process identified in Chapter 33 of the City’s Code of Ordinances, P&D recommends establishing Wednesday, September 16, 2015 as the date for a public hearing on the plan.
General plans, such as Plan Houston, are tools cities use to improve organizational effectiveness by providing consensus on broad principles that guide City efforts. Plan Houston identifies these principles in the form of a community vision and goals as well as City-led strategies for achieving these goals. The vision, goals and strategies in Plan Houston create a framework for future decision-making and implementation of the plan. Ultimately, Plan Houston can help focus City services towards creating the highest possible quality of life for the Houston community.
The Houston community has shaped Plan Houston throughout its development, including input from the general public as well as from three leadership committees involving a wide range of community stakeholders. After months of community dialogue, P&D first published the draft Plan Houston in June 2015 and invited further public comment via internet, email, and physical mail. The Houston Planning Commission hosted four public meetings in June and July in various locations around the City to solicit public input. P&D presented the draft plan to the City Council Quality of Life Committee on July 29, 2015.
P&D revised the draft plan based on the public input received and then began the formal general plan adoption process. In accordance with Chapter 33 of the City’s Code of Ordinances, Planning Commission held a public hearing on Plan Houston on August 20, 2015. Following public comment, the Commission unanimously voted to recommend that City Council adopt the Plan. The next step in this process is a public hearing at City Council.
In addition to the vision, goals, and strategies in the document for consideration by City Council, Plan Houston also includes supporting information in the form of performance indicators and a planning coordination tool. This information, as well as the draft plan and other project details, may be found at the project’s web site, planhouston.org.