Q1. What is a Comprehensive Plan?
A. A Comprehensive Plan tells a community what it looks like today and what direction it has decided it wants to go for the future; it includes assessments of existing resources and issues, projections of future conditions and needs, and consideration of collective goals and desires is a policy guide and provides a framework for the physical development of the municipality. While the emphasis is on buildings and infrastructure, it reinforces the important social and economic values of the community. The Comprehensive plan is a method of translating the community's values into specific actions covers a time frame of about 10-20 years; it is assumed that shorter-term reviews will keep it current with the changing needs of the community is closely integrated with other municipal planning documents and initiatives. For example in South Hadley, the Open Space & Recreation Plan, will be considered as part of this planning process. The Comprehensive Plan is NOT a zoning by-law, a subdivision regulation, a budget, a capital improvement program or other regulatory document. It is meant to be the basis for the preparation of these elements.

Note: Comprehensive Plan is a term that can be used interchangeably with Master Plan. There is no legal or other difference between the two.

Q2. How can South Hadley make use of its Comprehensive Plan?
A. The purpose of the Comprehensive Plan is to enable municipal officials to better manage change and to inform residents and businesses about the community's characteristics, trends, and policies. The plan will guide and regulate future residential, commercial and industrial growth in the South Hadley community.

Q3. What does a Comprehensive Plan contain?
A. The plan contains the following sections, according to the requirements set out by Massachusetts General Laws for a comprehensive (master) plan.

• The first section calls for a goals and policies statement. It requires each community to clarify values, create goals and identify patterns of development that will be consistent with these goals
• Community Design and Land Use
• Housing
• Economic Development
• Open Space and Recreation
• Natural Resources
• Cultural and Historic Resources
• Circulation
• Services and Facilities
• The final section, Implementation, defines schedules and notes funding sources for the specific actions necessary to achieve the objectives of each element above.

Q4. What does the South Hadley comprehensive planning process look like?
A. The comprehensive planning process contains four tasks.

• Task 1 includes public participation and outreach through public forums, the media and the website. Meetings with stakeholder groups will also be conducted.
• Task 2 consists of data collection and analysis and is the planning phase that determines the content of the plan for all elements.
• Task 3 is when the draft plan is produced for public review and comment, and includes implementation actions.
• Task 4 is the time for final review, documentation, and adoption of the plan by the Comprehensive Plan Committee.

Q5. How will people in the community participate and learn what is going on during the comprehensive planning process?
A. All planning meetings are open to the public. Specific meetings will be advertised to solicit and encourage community participation. A variety of means will be used to keep people informed, for example, newspaper, cable TV, newsletters, and town web site. If you ever want to know what is happening, contact the Planning Board Office at Town Hall, or visit the Comprehensive Plan website.