Raleigh Comprehensive Plan

The Raleigh Comprehensive Plan is the City of Raleigh’s long-range policy plan for growth and development through the year 2030. The plan establishes a citywide vision, provides policy guidance across planning topics (such as land use, transportation, housing, and infrastructure), and includes implementation actions intended to guide City decision-making over time.^[1]

The plan was adopted by the Raleigh City Council in 2009 (effective November 1, 2009) and has been amended and updated over time, including a major update adopted in 2019.^[2]

Purpose and role in city decision-making

Comprehensive plans are commonly used by local governments to establish policy direction for long-term growth and development. In North Carolina, state law links local zoning authority to the adoption and reasonable maintenance of a comprehensive plan or land-use plan.^[3]

In practice, Raleigh’s 2030 Comprehensive Plan is frequently used as a reference point in planning and development decisions, including rezonings, corridor studies, small area plans, and capital planning.

Adoption and updates

2009 adoption

Raleigh adopted the 2030 Comprehensive Plan by City Council Resolution 2009-997 on October 7, 2009, with an effective date of November 1, 2009.^[4]

The adopted plan is available as a City-hosted PDF (Volume I).^[5]

2019 Comprehensive Plan update

The City reports that a 2030 Comprehensive Plan update was adopted in 2019 through a set of City Council resolutions.^[6]

A staff report prepared as part of the 2019 update process provides additional background on the plan’s evolution, implementation context, and alignment with other City initiatives.^[7]

Ongoing amendments and maintenance

The City’s planning staff manage ongoing amendments to the plan over time, including changes initiated by the City and by applicants through the development process. The City also publishes periodic reporting intended to track actions and implementation alignment with plan policies.^[8]

Organization and contents

The 2030 Comprehensive Plan is a large policy document intended for use by elected officials, City staff, residents, and others involved in planning and development decisions.^[9]

City materials describing the plan identify major components that include:

Vision themes (citywide values and priorities)
Citywide policies and actions across multiple planning topics
A growth framework and citywide mapping to guide future development patterns
Supporting area plans and related planning documents^[10]

The plan is commonly discussed alongside key maps and frameworks used to evaluate development proposals and long-range infrastructure needs.

Implementation and related requirements

Raleigh’s plan functions in part as a reference for consistency statements and policy justification when considering development and zoning actions. State-level guidance from the UNC School of Government describes plan consistency requirements and related best practices for local government decision-making under North Carolina planning law.^[11]

The UNC School of Government has also published explanatory guidance on the statutory requirement that local governments adopt and reasonably maintain a comprehensive plan or land-use plan as a condition of exercising zoning authority.^[12]

Raleigh’s next comprehensive plan (in development)

Raleigh has initiated the process to develop its next comprehensive plan, intended to guide growth beyond the year 2030 and provide policy guidance through the year 2050. The City refers to this effort as Reflecting Raleigh.^[13]

A City-managed engagement portal describing the project states that the planning process is expected to take approximately 2.5 years and is structured to gather input early, develop content through technical and community processes, draft the plan, and proceed through public review and adoption.^[14]

Project timeline and phases

The City’s project page for the next comprehensive plan describes early engagement activities and reports summary metrics from Phase 1 activities, including community conversations and survey responses collected during the initial outreach period.^[15]

A City staff presentation provided to City Council (work session) outlines a multi-phase process and project goals, including the intent to develop a more concise land-use guidance framework and to incorporate measurable implementation goals.^[16]

Civic Assembly and engagement approach

City materials for the Reflecting Raleigh process describe the use of a civic assembly model as part of the engagement strategy for the next plan.^[17]

The City has also published an engagement strategy document describing methods and goals for outreach and participation across phases of the process.^[18]

References

[1] ttps://raleighnc.gov/planning/services/2030-comprehensive-plan

[2] ttps://raleighnc.gov/planning/services/2030-comprehensive-plan

[3] ttps://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/PDF/BySection/Chapter_160D/GS_160D-501.pdf

[4] ttps://raleighnc.gov/planning/services/2030-comprehensive-plan

[5] ttps://cityofraleigh0drupal.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/drupal-prod/COR22/2030CompPlan.pdf

[6] ttps://raleighnc.gov/planning/services/2030-comprehensive-plan

[7] ttps://cityofraleigh0drupal.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/drupal-prod/COR22/CP-2A-19.pdf

[8] ttps://raleighnc.gov/planning-and-development/service-unit/planning

[9] ttps://user-2081353526.cld.bz/2030ComprehensivePlanUpdate

[10] ttps://go.boarddocs.com/nc/raleigh/Board.nsf/files/DENRGT6DF970/%24file/20250311WorksessionCompPlanUpdateStaffPresentation.pdf

[11] ttps://www.sog.unc.edu/sites/www.sog.unc.edu/files/6%20_ConsistencyStatements_160DGuidanceDoc%20Mar%202021.pdf

[12] ttps://canons.sog.unc.edu/2021/08/comprehensive-plans-and-land-use-plans-required-for-zoning/

[13] ttps://raleighnc.gov/planning/services/reflecting-raleigh

[14] ttps://publicinput.com/q08248

[15] ttps://raleighnc.gov/planning/services/raleighs-next-comprehensive-plan

[16] ttps://go.boarddocs.com/nc/raleigh/Board.nsf/files/DENRGT6DF970/%24file/20250311WorksessionCompPlanUpdateStaffPresentation.pdf

[17] ttps://cityofraleigh0drupal.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/drupal-prod/COR22/civic-assembly-session-1-reflecting-raleigh.pdf

[18] ttps://cityofraleigh0drupal.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/drupal-prod/COR22/engagement-strategy.pdf

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