Master planning caveats

I talk about master planning, but really what I mean is having a community set priorities and go forward accordingly. This is the same point as when I say that communities should create their own neighborhood plans. So I mean this not in the sense of creating plans that "order" communities, separate uses, and lay the groundwork for urban renewal like projects.

So this kind of effort, people in a neighborhood banding together to buy properties in foreclosure in order to better control what happens with the property--see "Communities beat 'flippers' to the punch," from the Cincinnati Enquirer, is the kind of proactive effort that I am thinking about. (E.g., if a neighborhood has a plan and within that plan has identified problem properties, they have the ability to craft a response in advance of problems. Etc.)

The Commission on Architecture and the Built Environment in the UK has a good report, see Creating Successful Masterplans: A guide for clients.

Also from the California Partnership is this guide, Community Benefits Agreements: Making Development Projects Accountable.

and this resource on neighborhood planning.