Home>Economic Development>Comprehensive Plan Update>Full Text of the Comprehensive Plan>Policy Plan: Intro

JUNE 2005
POLICY PLAN: INTRODUCTION

The intent of the Policy Plan is to outline what the community desires to be accomplished relative to the physical environment. Secondly, the Policy Plan is intended to set forth guidelines as to how these desires are to be achieved. This chapter identifies general goals and supporting policies, based on the public input received during the planning process. These elements comprise a review and decision-making process and the basis upon which plans, programs and actions can be formulated and initiated as well as evaluated.

These goals and policies are the basic and fundamental plan for the development of North Liberty. In this regard, their purpose is to provide a decision-making framework to guide all public and private actions and development within the City.

The Policy Plan should not, however, be interpreted as an implementation programming of actions and responses. The Policy Plan is a guide that directs action on the part of the public and private sectors of the community when responding to needs, problems and opportunities. The function of work and issue programming is addressed later by the Development Framework, plus on an ongoing basis through legislative and administrative policies and programs (i.e. zoning code or subdivision ordinance).

In utilizing this element of the plan, it must be cautioned that the policies are to be considered and utilized collectively. While in some instances a single policy may define and outline a course of action or decision, it is more commonly the case that several policies apply to a given situation. Reactions to individual policies should therefore be tempered pending consideration of all applicable statements.

It should be noted that the Policy Plan is intended to be adaptable and flexible, and to be used as the basis for planning and decision-making in unanticipated situations that emerge. The Policy Plan should be updated and amended by modifying the policy statements to reflect new directions the City wants to take or by adding new statements that deal with new, unanticipated issues.

The terms utilized in this section are defined as follows:

Goals: Goals are generalized end products that will ultimately result in achieving the quality of life desired. Goals are often described using the terms “maintain”, “encourage”, “ensure”, “develop”, and “establish”.

Policies: Policies are the definite courses of action that lead toward goal achievement. Additionally, policies are guides for helping to make present and future decisions consistent with stated goals. Policies are described by using the phrase “shall be”. This gives policy statements a definitive meaning rather than one that is implied.

Back to Table of Contents                     Next Policy Plan topic