Throughout October in Coeur d’Alene, local planners and staff will be hosting small events and displays to demonstrate how planning has impacted our city. Many people who do not work in the planning profession do not realize how much planning touches their lives.

From where you live to how you commute, planning plays a vital role in daily decision making. Planners consider what the best policy is for the whole community—senior citizens, workers, children, disabled, business owners, and elected officials. Planners consider the immediate impacts of a decision, as well as the future potential impacts of a decision.

Planning focuses on more than building location, but also considers how decisions will impact the safety of the public and the existing character of the community, how it impacts the environmental balance, and if the decision encourages social and economic diversity.

Planning is comprehensive and community-focused. Planning enables greater choices for residents for how they live, work, and play. In addition, planning preserves and establishes different types of communities, giving residents the ability to select the type of community that suits them best.

The efforts made through planning help maintain neighborhood character through historic preservation and design guidelines; provide protection from natural disasters; preserves parks and open spaces; and helps offer housing affordability.  

The city of Coeur d’Alene is arranging several special events in October to recognize National Community Planning Month. These include a “What Makes a Place Great?” photo contest, an open house hosted by the city’s planning department and a neighborhood cycling tour. Additionally, the City Council will pass a resolution recognizing National Community Planning Month at its October 7 meeting.

Look for additional details on the city’s website and Facebook page soon.