law
master plan
A master plan, also called a comprehensive plan, is a long-range document a community adopts to guide future growth and development. It addresses land use, transportation, housing, utilities, open space, and public facilities. The master plan is a policy framework, and zoning ordinances and subdivision regulations are the legal tools used to put it into effect. Whether zoning must match the plan varies by state.
- Exam tip
- Remember the order: the master plan comes first as the blueprint, and zoning ordinances implement it.
- Example
- A growing township's master plan calls for a new commercial corridor along Route 9, so the town later rezones those parcels from residential to commercial.
Related terms & state variants
Sources
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Last verified: 2026-10-23