Comprehensive Plan

Vision

A vision statement reflects the community’s desires for the future and is one of the most important parts of the Comprehensive Plan. The vision statement was updated through input from hundreds of community residents:

College Station, the proud home of Texas A&M University and the heart of Aggieland, will serve as an example of a vibrant, forward-thinking, knowledge-based community, that promotes the highest quality of life.

Goals

The plan narrative is divided into topic-based chapters that each contain a specific goal that builds upon the plan’s vision statement, along with narrative, maps, and strategic and ongoing actions crafted to provide direction to realize the community’s vision. College Station strives toward having:

DISTINCTIVE PLACES: Vibrant and distinct districts, attractive neighborhoods, revitalized gateways and corridors, and conserved natural areas, grounded in environmental stewardship and resiliency.

STRONG NEIGHBORHOODS: Viable and attractive neighborhoods that maintain long-term neighborhood integrity while collectively providing a wide range of housing options and other services for a diverse population.

A PROSPEROUS ECONOMY: A diversified economy with a wide variety of competitive jobs and support for entrepreneurs that provides a tax base to support the City’s ability to foster a high quality of life where economic prosperity is widespread.

ENGAGING SPACES: Highly desirable parks, greenways, arts and cultural amenities that support high-quality experiences for residents and visitors.

INTEGRATED MOBILITY: An innovative, safe, and well-connected, multi-modal mobility system serving all user types that is designed to support the surrounding land uses.

EXCEPTIONAL SERVICES: Exceptional municipal facilities and services that meet community needs, contribute to community character, exhibit environmental stewardship and resiliency, support surrounding land uses, incorporate full life-cycle costs, and are coordinated and fiscally responsible.

MANAGED GROWTH: Fiscally responsible and carefully managed development that is aligned with growth expectations and the ability to provide safe, timely, and efficient infrastructure and services.

COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS: Well-coordinated planning at all levels and effective engagement with local jurisdictions, institutions, and organizations to further realize the City’s vision and support the broad community.

Actions

The updated plan contains approximately 98 action items spread across the topic-based chapters. The actions are group by strategic actions and ongoing actions that are already underway. The applicable actions are consolidated at the end of each chapter. A table including all actions is provided in the Plan Implementation chapter toward the end of the plan. City staff report annually on progress made toward implementing the College Station Comprehensive Plan.

Planning is the process that considers the physical, social, and economic aspects of the community and examines the connections between them. Planning is how we make decisions about the future of our city. The goal of planning is to further the welfare of our community by creating equitable, healthful, efficient, economically viable and attractive places for current and future generations. It is the responsibility of local government to shape and guide growth in order to promote economic development of the community and retain quality of life. Effective planning ensures that future development will occur where, when, and how the community needs and desires.

The Comprehensive Plan contains a Future Land Use & Character Map and land use categories. Future land use and zoning often get confused, but they are separate tools and processes. Future land use serves as a guide for how areas of the City may develop in the future. In contrast, zoning regulates how a specific property can be developed and used today. The Future Land Use & Character Map is used to guide decisions about infrastructure investment and zoning changes. The Texas Local Government Code, which gives cities their police powers, requires that zoning changes be in compliance with the Comprehensive Plan.