Phase 1 of the Comp Plan Update begins when the City receives a letter from the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) which officially starts the process.  The process is structured by state laws. 

The purpose is to ensure that the City's Comp Plan and land use regulations remain in compliance with the adopted statewide planning goals and that adequate and coordinated provision is being made for needed housing, economic development, transportation, public facilities and services and urbanization.

Phase 1 has two steps:

During NOVEMBER, 2007:
Public Hearing on Evaluation was November 19 at the Community Auditorium.
(1)  EVALUATE the Comp Plan and Land Use regulations to establish the need for and scope of an update.  The City must analyze the plan and regulations according to the following questions:

• Has there been a substantial change in the conditions, findings or assumptions upon which the Comp Plan or land use regulations were based?
  
  
• Are the decisions based on the Comp Plan and land use regulations consistent with state goals relating to economic development, needed housing, transportation, public facilities & services, and urbanization?
  
  
• Does the Comp Plan & land use regulations address recent issues of regional or statewide signficance, intergovernmental coordination or updated state agency plans or programs affecting land use?
  
  
• Is the Comp Plan and land use regulations helping to achieve the statewide planning goals relating to economic development, needed housing, transportation, public facilties & services and urbanization?

From December, 2007, through March, 2008: 
 (2) Develop WORK PROGRAM - a work program is a detailed list of tasks necessary to revise or amend the Comp Plan and land use regulations.  The work program must also indicate the dates when the tasks will be submitted to the state for their review.