Although the Goals
and Objectives listed below are based on the recommendations first
made in the 1976 Comprehensive Master Plan, they have been updated
to address current issues and future concerns. They have been created
for this Master Plan and will guide the preparation of more detailed
neighborhood plans in the near future. Establishing a framework
of Goals and Objectives for the master Plan focuses attention on
issues and priorities for entire community. Without such goals,
it is easy to get "side-tracked" into very specific but random
actions that occur when plans are vague and unfocused. Clearly
stated Goals and Objectives will not only guide the planning process
but also effectively communicate the City's values and priorities
to the residents of Highland Park.
Goals, Objectives, Policies and Actions each represent a different
level of detail in this proposed Master Plan. Goals are the most
general statements which identify issues and state desirable results.
Objectives are more Specific refinements of the Goals. Policies
provide guidance to implementing the Master Plan so the Goals and
Objectives can be achieved. Actions are specific efforts that are
recommended to achieve the Goals and Objectives. Following are
more descriptive definitions
of these terms:
| Goals |
A Goal is a destination, an end
result, or an ultimate accomplishment towards which effort
is directed so the final purpose which the community seeks
to attain can be achieved. A Goal is the most general level
of recommendations and sets the broad framework for more specific
Objectives and Policies. Goals usually have a long-range outlook
and are relatively permanent since they may remain the same
regardless of the success of proposed Actions. This is shown
by the fact that many of the goals established in the 1976
Comprehensive Master Plan are still
valid today. |
| Policies |
Using a highway travel analogy,
a Policy is one of the "rules of the road" to follow in reaching
the goals (destinations) and Objectives (mileposts). Policies
are guides which, if followed by decision makers, will help
achieve the Objective Policies are more detailed than Objectives
and often take the form of rules or ordinances that should
guide the City Council, property owners, and others. |
| Objectives |
An Objective is one of the mileposts
which measures progress along the route by which the goal (destination)
is reached. Objectives are intermediate or short-term targets
which must be attained in order to reach the ultimate Goal.
They are more specific than Goals and are more susceptible
to modification due to changing political, economic, and organizational
forces in the community. One of the challenges facing the Steering
Committee is the transformation of broad and often vague Goals
into
operational Objectives. |
| Actions |
Again using a highway travel analogy,
Actions are the various means of transportation along the route.
If Goals are destinations, Objectives are mileposts, and Policies
are the rules of the road, then Actions are the choices we
make make in traveling by car, truck, bus, bicycle, etc. toward
the Goals. Actions are specific programs, projects, ordinance
amendments, infrastructure improvements or similar activities
or similar activities that may be undertaken by the City, Park
District, School
Districts, or others. |
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