This Planning Tools section describes a variety of land-use planning tools and techniques available to help local governments with planning to become a complete community.
This section is organized based on the five elements of a complete community:
- Complete Streets,
- Efficient Land Use,
- Healthy and Livable,
- Inclusive and Active, and
- Sustainable and Resilient.
What makes a Community “Complete”?
“The objective is to use less land and reduce the separation of land uses in order to achieve a variety of values including open space protection, community vitality, affordable housing, air quality, transit use, and more walkable places.”
—Pivo, Gary, “Creating Compact and Complete Communities: Seven Propositions for Success,” Practicing Planner, AICP, Summer 2005, cited in “2010 Delaware Strategies for State Policies and Spending,” Delaware Office of State Planning Coordination. Retrieved 12/13/11 from stateplanning.delaware.gov/strategies/directing.shtml.
The following five elements are considered.
- Achieves principles of connectivity—within town and surrounding area
- Integrates multiple transportation options
- Reduces separation between home, school, and work
- Fosters walkable, bikable, and transit-friendly communities
- Reduces automobile dependency
- Provides a mix of complimentary land uses
- Supports compact building design
- Strengthens and revitalizes downtown commercial areas and “Main Streets”
- Maximizes opportunities for physical activity, recreation, and healthy lifestyles
- Creates aging-friendly environments and better prospects to “age in community”
- Reinforces initiatives that support public safety
- Fosters sense of and pride in community
- Creates social networks
- Strengthens citizen participation
- Promotes community involvement and social activities
- Distinct community character
- Preserves community heritage
- Respects local culture
- Use of existing infrastructure and redevelopment
- Promotes job growth business diversity—existing and new
- Cultivates responsible environmental management