^[1]

The purpose of the Comprehensive Plan is to establish a vision for how the community wants to grow and develop over a twenty-year horizon.  The Plan is a guide for all residents and in the City as to the growth and anticipated use of property in the future.  It is a policy document that is a precursor to the City’s Zoning Ordinance.  The Zoning Ordinance and Map are the regulations that legally enact and implement the vision set forth in the Comprehensive Plan. 

Functions of a Comprehensive Plan:

• Establishes a community vision,
• Anticipates the future needs of the community,
• Presents the strategy for growing in a responsible and
       sustainable manner.

Champaign Tomorrow Comprehensive Plan ^[2](Adopted by City Council March 1, 2011)

1.  Introduction Chapter
2.  Vision Chapters
3.  Future Land Use Chapter
4.  Future Land Use Chapter - Maps
5.  Future Land Use Chapter – City Map ^[3]

Key Themes of Champaign Tomorrow:

1.)  Build a “Complete Community,”

• A ‘Complete Community’ is one that accommodates the needs to all residents and users in a way that simplifies their everyday lives.  There are three focus areas, Complete Neighborhoods, Complete Public Infrastructure and Complete Streets.  See page 15 of the Introduction Champter for more information. 

2.)  Finish what we have already started.

• Prior to completing the Comprehensive Plan, existing conditions analysis was completed.  Two studies, the Fiscal Impact Analysis and Growth Area Analysis showed that to grow in a fiscally sustainable way, the City should focus growth within the existing service area.  These studies also showed that there are over 5,500 acres of land available within our existing service area, which could support more than 15-20 years of development at historic rates.
• Growth Area Analysis ^[4]
•  Fiscal Impact Analysis 
         Phase I Cost of Land Uses   ^[5]
         Phase II Development Scenarios ^[6]
         Phase III Revenue Strategies ^[7]
• Existing Conditions Reports   ^[8]

History of Planning in Champaign:

Champaign has a long history of City Planning, going back to the City’s first plan in 1926.  The City has had a total of seven Comprehensive Plans, including the current plan.  See page 5 of the Introduction Chapter for more information.  The historic 1926 and 1950 Comprehensive Plans can be found below:

• 1926 Plan ^[9]
• 1950 Comprehensive Plan ^[10]

This document summarized the content of Champaign’s first six Comprehensive Plans prepared in 1926, 1980, 1992, and 2002.  It was prepared during the preparation for the City’s seventh Comprehensive Plan, Champaign Tomorrow, adopted in 2011. 

• History of Comprehensive Plan ^[11]