The City of Mexia is creating a new Comprehensive Plan for the city. A Comprehensive Plan will create a long-term vision for Mexia that reflects the priorities of its residents, businesses, and leadership. This plan will provide direction to city officials and staff, residents, and businesses on achieving that vision through actionable recommendations that are grounded in research and stakeholder input.
The American Planning Association states that “The Comprehensive Plan” has the legal authority to act as the vehicle for guiding community development, the scope to cover the necessary functions and facilities, and the history of practice to inspire public acceptance of its policies. Planning can provide the necessary analysis, the requisite communitywide reflection and education, and the momentum required to respond to these monumental challenges (Godschalk and Anderson 2012, 7).” Essentially, the Comprehensive Plan looks at many aspects of a community, including population growth, housing, land use, economic development, and more, to understand the current state of the community, and to establish a vision for the future and the goals, strategies, and actions required to get there over the next ten to twenty years.
A comprehensive plan can provide many benefits to a community. This plan will include a long-range vision for Mexia that defines where the community would like to be in the next ten years. The comprehensive plan will guide Mexia’s growth and development, and provide direction to the city council, city staff, and community leadership in making impactful community decisions in the future regarding infrastructure, land use, population and housing, economic development, and more. To align with the Texas General Land Office’s Resilient Communities Program (GLO RCP) program, which has provided funding for this project, the comprehensive plan must be forward-looking and identify and mitigate local hazard risks.
A comprehensive plan can provide a foundation for future opportunities. For example, a recent comprehensive plan and land use maps can help a community better understand where to build and develop infrastructure, housing, and businesses in the future. It can also lay the foundation for future grant opportunities by providing the community with a current understanding of opportunities and actions to pursue them.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
MEETINGS AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
BASE STUDIES
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DEVELOPMENT
IMPLEMENTATION PLANNING
FINAL PLAN & DELIVERABLES
This planning process has been tailored to meet the needs of Mexia. The comprehensive planning process is expected to take 13 months, beginning in August of 2025 and concluding in September 2026. The comprehensive planning process will include the following phases and activities:
This comprehensive planning process is funded by the Texas General Land Office’s (GLO’s) Resilient Communities Program, which provides funding for municipalities in eligible areas to conduct planning activities, such as comprehensive plans, zoning ordinances, and floodplain ordinances, that identify local hazard risks and create strategies to mitigate them.