Retailers locate in a commercial area where they can better serve their customers. Manufacturers situate their plants where they can obtain the best overall advantages for transportation, raw materials and labor force. The governmental pattern, a quiltwork of conflicting and overlapping jurisdictions, establishes the framework for providing public services and facilities and land development regulations such as zoning, subdivision regulations and building codes. This structure, highly complex, includes cities, counties, special districts, and state and federal agencies. Such a pattern usually does not coincide with the realities of the economic and social community.
Planning applies to situations that last over a period of time.
Although the long-range view continues to be important, two factors have encouraged a shorter time period as well. The majority of projects or programs take place in a shorter time, say within a decade. This is called middle-range planning. The community renewal programs and neighborhood plans of recent years are aimed at completion within 10 to 12 years. Short-range planning focuses on the scheduling of service or capital improvement programs.