Blueprint Planning
At its heart, the California Regional Blueprint Planning Program helps regions better plan for their future - a future that effectively manages growth while improving our quality of life. Blueprint planning provides a framework for regional agencies, local governments, citizens, and State agencies to collaborate on creating a sustainable vision for California communities. Blueprint planning aims to foster more efficient land use patterns that
- foster a sustainable environment
- support improved mobility and reduced dependency on cars (especially single-occupant vehicle trips)
- accommodate an adequate supply of housing for all incomes
- reduce impacts to valuable habitat, productive farmland, and air quality
- increase resource use efficiency
- promote a prosperous economy, and
- result in safe, healthy and vibrant neighborhoods.
A key element of successful blueprint planning is inviting the public to participate in the process through “visioning” at public workshops. In the visioning stage, stakeholders and citizens often test out and vote on alternative land use scenarios created by simulation computer modeling. Alternative scenarios compiled from the workshops are then synthesized into preferred regional growth scenarios.
See below for examples of visioning through computer modeling
| Before | After |
 |
 |
| Before | After |
 |
 |
Caltrans administers the California Regional Blueprint Planning Program for regional transportation planning agencies to conduct comprehensive scenario planning that results in informed consent by regional leaders, local governments and stakeholders, and the public to a preferred growth scenario – or “blueprint” for a twenty-year (or longer) planning horizon. The California Regional Blueprint Planning Program is sponsored by the California Business, Transportation and Housing Agency, California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), California Department of Housing and Community Development and the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research.
To find out more about the Blueprint grant program click on the following link:
http://calblueprint.dot.ca.gov/
To learn more about some of the active blueprint programs throughout California, click on the links below.
Links:
Southern California Compass Blueprint
Sacramento Region Blueprint
San Joaquin Valley Blueprint
Kern Regional Blueprint
San Diego Regional Comprehensive Plan
