Comprehensive Planning in Burlington

Planning for future land development is an essential governmental function.

Community land use and development patterns are guided by public policy that forms the basis for where and how we invest in public infrastructure like streets and water/wastewater systems; guide private investment that provides new businesses, housing, institutions, and services; and protect important community resources like water and air quality, cultural and natural features.

Change happens, so we need to anticipate and plan for it! Comprehensive planning is a process that combines objective information about community resources and trends with community-articulated needs, goals, and aspirations to form a road map for how the community will grow and evolve over time. In Burlington, this road map is known as planBTV: Municipal Development Plan. planBTV is put into action through land development regulations, investments in public facilities and infrastructure, and government programs for things like affordable housing and small business development.

The Department of Planning & Zoning works in partnership with other City, regional and state agencies in developing a wide range of plans that help assess future community needs and guide future public and private investments in fulfillment of planBTV.

    To learn more about planning in Burlington,
    check out the following links

    • planBTV: Municipal Development Plan: This is our long-range community wide plan for a Sustainable Burlington. Throughout 2018, the Planning Commission and Planning Department will be updating this plan-- use this link to find out more!
    • planBTV Library: This page includes links to other planBTV plans and studies. These plans focus on an area of the City, or a special planning topic, and provide a more detailed plan for how we can realize planBTV's vision of a sustainable community within that area. 
    • Planning History & Library: This page includes a brief history of planning in Burlington and a library of plans and studies that have been created in Burlington. Here you'll find previous verions of the Municipal Development Plan as well as other plans, studies, and programs that have been initiated to fulfill the vision of planBTV

    For questions about comprehensive planning in Burlington, or any of the plans you see here, please contact Meagan Tuttle, AICP, Comprehensive Planner.