# Comprehensive plan

A comprehensive plan is a city or county's long-range policy for growth, with a future land use map that guides zoning decisions. Also called general plan, master plan, or land use plan.

Data as of Oct 11, 2026. Page: https://boardwalkai.com/glossary/comprehensive-plan/

## What it is

A comprehensive plan sets out where a place expects homes, jobs, roads, and parks over the coming decades. Its future land use map is policy; the zoning map is the law that carries it out.

## What it tells you

The future land use map shows where a city expects housing, industry, or retail before anyone applies. A project that doesn't fit the map usually needs a plan amendment as well as a rezoning.

## How it moves through a city or county

1. Planning staff and consultants draft the plan, usually with public meetings and surveys.
2. The planning commission holds hearings and recommends it.
3. The city council or county commission adopts it.
4. The plan is rewritten every several years and amended in between.

Some states require zoning to be consistent with the plan; in others it's advisory. California and Utah call it a general plan, as do Arizona's cities.

Rules vary by state, county, and city. These pages describe common practice, not legal advice.

## Recent future land use changes

From public filings in Florida, Texas, and Wisconsin.

| Project | Location | Developer | Type | Size | Stage | Latest meeting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2-Acre Office Development | Caddo Mills, TX | State Farm Insurance Agency | Office buildings | 2 acres | Approved | Nov 3, 2025 |
| 32-Acre Agricultural Land Use Amendment | Merton, WI | Gideon Farms LLC | Farms and ranches | 32 acres | Seeking approval | Jun 17, 2026 |
| 59.2-Acre Industrial Park with 2.98M SqFt Warehouse | Lake Alfred, FL | JSK Consulting, LLC | Warehouses and distribution | 59.2 acres | Recommended | Nov 17, 2025 |

Samples show projects filed by companies or public bodies.

## Find it on Boardwalk

Search Boardwalk for "future land use" to see plan changes tied to projects. [Start free trial](https://boardwalkai.com/auth/signup/)

## Related terms

- [Comprehensive plan amendment](https://boardwalkai.com/glossary/comprehensive-plan-amendment/): A comprehensive plan amendment changes a city or county's long-range plan, most often the future land use map for a specific property.
- [Rezoning](https://boardwalkai.com/glossary/rezoning/): A rezoning changes the zoning district on a piece of land, which changes what can be built there and how much.
- [Specific plan](https://boardwalkai.com/glossary/specific-plan/): A specific plan sets detailed rules for one area or large project, used mainly in California and other Western states.

## Common questions

### Is a comprehensive plan the same as zoning?

No, a comprehensive plan is a policy guide for the future, while zoning is the law that applies to land today. Many cities change zoning over time to match the plan.

### How often are comprehensive plans updated?

How often a comprehensive plan is updated depends on the state and the place. Many rewrite theirs about once a decade and amend it in between, often when a project asks.

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## How to cite

Source: Boardwalk, "Comprehensive plan", boardwalkai.com/glossary/comprehensive-plan/, data as of Oct 11, 2026.

How we count: https://boardwalkai.com/coverage/#how-we-count