Comprehensive Plan Elements

Summary of Plan Elements

What makes this type of plan "comprehensive" is that it doesn't focus on just one element of a community; rather, it evaluates all the components of a city and how they work together. Potential plan elements can include future land use, transportation, neighborhood and community livability, parks master plan updates, and economic development.

Economic Development

Balch Spring's vision as it relates to economic development is to enhance the quality of life for its residents by providing an attractive and desirable place to live, work, play and grow. This chapter will provide an overview of economic development in Balch Springs and provide recommendations for economic development policy and implementation.

Future Land Use

The land use component brings together the other elements of the Plan and articulates how they come together to make up the entire built environment of Balch Springs. It guides decisions about the type and location of development. The future land use component will evaluate the current development regulations and identify types of future development and how the development occurs so that it is consistent with out community's vision and identity.

Neighborhood & Community Livability

Livability refers to the characteristics, aesthetics, design and social aspects that make a city unique and which help to establish a sense of community. The neighborhood and community livability component describes in more detail strategies for creating quality neighborhoods, creating a sense of place, vibrant retail areas analysis of existing housing supply and creating housing improvement strategies.

Parks Master Plan Update

The updated park master plan is intended to serve as a guide for the next 5 to 10 years (to 2025), to meet both current and future park, recreation and open space needs. In addition to protecting natural resources and cultural and recreational resources, Balch Springs' proposed recreational resource strategies will help improve its quality of life and provide a sense of appeal for the City.

Transportation

Transportation is about mobility and accessibility. That is, how do we get around in Balch Springs (mobility), and what are the available transportation options in Balch Springs (accessibility). The transportation element addresses the needs of all forms of transportation - motorists, bicyclists, pedestrians, and mass transportation in the future. It is all about giving us options to get to where we want to go.