Abstract
California cities and counties are required to prepare general plans, which serve as long-range planning documents for future growth. General plans do not necessarily focus on a specific investment project or regulatory action that shapes development patterns directly but rather play an important role in informing stakeholders (e.g., landowners, developers, planners, elected officials) and supporting their decision making. The state provides guidelines and requirements for general plans. However, the content and structure of general plans vary markedly across cities. Some cities simply list goals and policies, while other cities provide detailed information using various forms of written and visual presentation. An increasing number of studies have examined to what extent plans are implemented and under what circumstances they are implemented successfully. However, little is known about the informational content of general plans and how the structural characteristics of general plans can either facilitate or hinder the use of the plan itself.
