Regional Planning Publications

Regional Planning focuses on plans and reports addressing regionwide issues, including community and environmental planning projects.

Publications include forward-looking plans with aims to make the Houston-Galveston region an even greater place to live, work, and succeed; a report gauging potential changes in the region's climate and associated environmental effects; a tool for considering the environment during transportation planning projects; and tips for keeping trees healthy and galleries of the importance of urban forestry in the region.

Community Planning

Long-range plans create a consensus of what the future should look like, allowing communities to develop a "roadmap" for the of actions to share growth and investment.

Goals for Tomorrow 1

Goals for Tomorrow

Published in 1998, Goals for Tomorrow as a comprehensive set of long range goals for the H-GAC region, with cross references to all H-GAC policy plans.

Vision for Tomorrow 1

Vision for Tomorrow: Regional Comprehensive Plan

Published in 2011, Vision for Tomorrow provides a guiding framework for the region based on emerging issues, opportunities, trends, and local values. The document identifies specific priorities, actions and available tools that can move the region toward its desired goals.

Our Great Region 2040 4

Our Great Region 2040 is a high-level plan with an aim to make the Houston-Galveston Region on for the world's greatest places to live, work and succeed by the year 2040. The overall plan includes a number of reports and guides, including the plan overview, a complete strategy playbook, an assessment of fair housing, and a report on the region's conditions at the inception of the plan.

Our Great Region 2040 and the publications associated with this plan will open in a new website.

Our Great Region 2040

Our Great Region 2040 is a 36-page PDF document available for download in English and Spanish. A summary of the report is also available for download in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean and Chinese.

Existing Conditions Report

The Existing Conditions Report is baseline regional data, and the County Profiles offer information for each of our region's 13 counties.

Strategy Playbook

The Strategy Playbook, contains more than 80 voluntary strategies and more detailed information, including examples from communities in this region and elsewhere.

Fair Housing Equity Assessment

The Fair Housing Equity Assessment which examines linkages between housing, socioeconomic, and demographic factors across Our Region's rural, suburban, and urban transects.

Environmental Stewardship

Environmental stewardship projects look at ways local governments can adapt to a changing environment and consider possible environmental impacts of future planning efforts.

Low Impact Development 1

Designing for Impact: A Regional Guide to Low Impact Development

Published in 2016, this guide explains LID functions, benefits, best management practices, and ways to overcome obstacles to implementation.

Parks Best Management Practices 1

Parks Best Management Practices Whitepaper (Primer)

Published in 2015, this paper provides information that can be used in the development and improvement of parks in the Houston-Galveston region. The information presented is a synthesis of best management practices employed in parks and greenspaces around the United States and can be viewed as a successful park’s toolkit, used to address park creation and improvement in the realm of planning, design, maintenance, and programming.

Eco-Logical Brochure 1

Eco-Logical Brochure

The Eco-Logical brochure provides an overview of the functionality and uses of the Eco-Logical Interactive Decision-Making Tool for Long-Range Transportation Planning. This online mapping tool lets project managers consider the impact transportation projects could have on environmental resources.

Urban Forestry 9

The regional urban forestry program strives to improve the health and diversity of the region's urban forests and increase public awareness about the environmental benefits of trees in the urban setting.

Keeping Trees Alive During Drought Conditions

Publsihed in 2011, this guide provides tips for keeping trees properly watered, including information on how much water a tree needs, techniques for watering during a drought and affordable solutions for watering.

Benefits of Trees

The Houston Area Urban Forest Council provides information about some benefits of trees and why it's important to preserve or plant trees.

More than Shade: Art Inspired by Urban Trees

A photo essay by Chuck Wemple and Mary Burlingame, 2005.

Survivors! Trees and Plants for Houston-Galveston Region

A photo essay by Chuck Wemple and Chris LaChance.

What is the Value of a Tree?

This presentation from 2008 looks at the value of trees in terms of energy savings, safety, stormwater management and air quality.

Houston Green Urban Forest Effects Model

A presentation about tools and systems that help state and local groups monitor and guide the development of green infrastructure to improve the quality of live in Houston.

Preserving Community Trees:Unexpected Challenges and Practical Solutions

Presented as part of the 2005 Regional Urban Forestry Summit.

Tree Inventories: Estimating the Value and Importance of Community Trees

Presented as part of the 2005 Regional Urban Forestry Summit.

Trees Into Gateway Communities

Presented as part of the 2005 Regional Urban Forestry Summit.