What is an Area Plan?

Area plans are intended to provide detailed information and solutions to guide the future physical and regulatory characteristics for a particular area of a city.

Generally, area plans seek to:

  • Involve the community in developing a long-term vision for that area
  • Define policies and actions that will guide how the area should be maintained or changed in the future.
  • Identify future land uses in an overall community-wide context. Is housing a need? Are park spaces adequate? These are the kinds of questions to consider.
  • Recommend future infrastructure improvements to sidewalks and the street network. Are there street connections that can be made? Is widening an option? Can the area be safer and more comfortable for people walking, taking transit, or riding a bike?
  • Provide urban design guidance. Should buildings be close to the street or should parking line the street? How wide should sidewalks be, and how many street trees?
  • Provide implementation guidance for private and public investments and strategies that should be pursued to realize the vision for the area. Raleigh has resources to make things happen, prioritizing investments is key.

More specifically, an area plan will lead to a series of recommendations that will be presented to the City Council. The recommendations of an area plan may take the form of:

  • Land use amendments
  • Zoning amendments
  • Plans for open space
  • Updates to the Street Plan Map
  • Updates to the Greenway Map
  • Transportation projects and future studies
  • Capital projects
  • Renderings and sketches depicting urban design guidelines for the area
  • Items requiring further study
Department:
Planning and Development
Service Categories:
Planning
Related Services:
2030 Comprehensive Plan

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