Plans are important for managing public resources, establishing priorities and competitive positioning for the future. More challenging than the planning process is implementing plans. Plans that have broad consensus support from those affected by plans are likely to be implemented. Market conditions, existing public policies and politics can limit the degree to which plans are implemented.

Good General Plans look at the entire community or region and capture ideals and policies to accomplish efficient and quality growth scenarios for the future. These broad view plans are often difficult to implement due to lack of participation / interest in the planning process by large numbers of individuals and businesses that will be affected. These constituencies often use market conditions and politics to gradually undo General Plan implementation when specific projects move through the approval process.

Specific Area Plans of smaller areas of communities are more likely to be guided by constituencies affected by outcomes of the plan. The result is implementation that more closely resembles plans. Broader general plans don’t have the understandable application of smaller, comprehensive plans that are more focused on implementation. Specific Area Plans build human capital resource capacity by empowering citizens to shape the future of their neighborhoods and communities. The process of organizing, funding and planning specific areas is an opportunity to also build constituencies for broader regional planning issues. Structure the process as a grassroots, action oriented approach to connect smaller areas to the larger region. These smaller specific area plans can establish competitive position, which requires evaluating broader trends, available resources and impacts on the region. Broader issues are better understood and accepted when applied to a smaller, more familiar context.

Smart Growth in Action; Part 2, a 2003 research document from the Reason Public Policy Institute and the Solimar Research Group, provides analysis of implementing growth management plans and policies by evaluating six case studies in Ventura County California. It is instructive for communities that understand the importance of managing growth and are overwhelmed by the realities of effectively implementing change. The following is an excerpt from the conclusion of this work that recognizes some of the values of specific area planning:

“… Specific plans appear to make a significant difference in creating plans that can be implemented "as-is".

A specific plan is a document that envisions the buildout of a specific part of a community, often under a separate set of planning policies and regulations. It is a hybrid document that includes planning policies, a buildout scenario, development regulations, and often a financial agreement between the developers and the city as well. Whereas general plans are "big picture" documents that both developers and citizens may have difficulty relating to, specific plans are often "real" enough to engage all parties in a meaningful way. Residents are less likely to stand outside the specific plan process than the general plan process because the issues are focused closer to home.”

We suggest a strategy to connect broad general plans and specific area plans in competitive communities. First, utilize initial general plans to capture regional data concerning positive and negative trends. Next, structure the initial broad planning process to identify specific planning areas and to organize constituencies responsible for specific area plans and implementation. After completing specific area plans, these new action groups become advocates in formulating a more comprehensive regional plan.

Check out specific area plans for Shreveport’s Historic Music Village, The Gladstone Neighborhood Improvement Plan and The Kings Highway Corridor. The North Shreveport Regional Development Plan is a more general plan that identifies common issues for a new Community Development Corporation and recommends specific planning areas.