San Diego 2020 General Plan for San Diego, California Term Paper - 1

San Diego 2020 General Plan for San Diego, California - Term Paper Example Essentially, urban planning enables leaders to implement the collective vision of a city by utilizing the scarce resources available to the city, to foster economic and social development through collaborative engagements with interested stakeholders. In addition, through conscious planning, risks can be mitigated earlier to ensure connectivity between short-term activities and the long-term vision of the city. A good example of a general plan that is a roadmap for future long-term success is the San Diego 2020 Plan. The San Diego General Plan, also termed as the 2020 General Plan of San Diego, has been subject to a number of modifications over the years. A number of changes have been made over the years and continue to be made in order to match the evolving needs of the occupants of the City of San Diego and its environment. Great focus has been placed on the sustainability measures so that the policies adopted by the local governments can be aligned with the universal climate variations. The aim of the general/master plan is to highlight the city’s diverse and unique landscape which comprises river valleys, hills, mountains, dessert, estuaries, beaches, mesas, and canyons. It has been stated that the city’s unique landscape coupled with its transportation network, are the main factors that define San Diego as a city and the communities that live in the city. The landscape, the transportation networks, and the communities in the city form the framework that links the entire city together. The biggest challenge in developing an extensive functional framework has and continues to be the landscape of the city. Therefore, the San Diego General Plan aims to establish policies that enforce the utilization of the land, provide and maintain city services.  Ã‚