Master Plans

Chapter: The Master Plan, an Impermanent Constitution from Law and Contemporary Problems 1955, an article written by Charles M. Harr.

The Master Plan is defined in Harr's article as a document with general descriptions of a city's future which is accompanied and supported by zoning accordance maps, plans and charts covering aspects of the city including its streets, public buildings, utilities and open space under zoning accordance.

The master plan concept doesn't necessarily have a universal meaning, nor is there any one way of formulating or administering it. But that does not mean that any less attention should be paid to the master plan. On the contrary, according to Haar, the master plan has 6 common uses for the formulation of plans:

1. It is a source of information - on the variables in a specific urban/regional area
2. It is a program for correction - allowing planners to distinguish areas that need their attention
3. It provides an estimate of the future - for instance it shows population growth trends
4. It’s an indicator of goals - by showing the desires and needs of an area
5. It provides technique for coordination - such as framing similar objectives for planners
6. It’s a device which stimulates public involvement - by encouraging locals involvement in planning for the public interest.

The presenters of this week’s chapter asked an interesting question during class. They asked “how relevant do you think a master plan is to a city and its growth"? And, the general consensus was that a master plan is essentially everything to a planner. It is the foundation upon which all planners can frame their priorities. And, as one of my classmates remarked, "There will probably never be a better method".

The master plan is an important asset to planners. It provides a broad strategy and makes light of the areas of an urban or regional environment that needs an allocation of resources towards its development and/or care.