A city’s comprehensive plan can be defined as a long-range planning tool that is intended to be used by citizens, the City Council, City Staff and other decision-makers to guide the growth and physical development of the community for 10 to 20 years. The State of Texas has established laws about the ways incorporated communities can ensure the health, safety and welfare of their citizens. State law gives municipalities the power to regulate the use of land, but only if such regulations are based on a plan.
Specifically, the law states:
“The governing body of a municipality may adopt a comprehensive plan for the long-range development of the municipality…A municipality may define the relationship between a comprehensive plan and development regulations and may provide standards for determining the consistency required between a plan and development regulations.” -Chapter 213 of the Texas Local Government Code