Small Area Plans

City Explained, Inc. is responsible for all aspects of the process to develop locally-initiated small area plans, including public participation, charrette management, scenario planning, plan development and implementation.  Our most recent experience includes:


  • ​Town of Matthews Scenario Planning Tools & Scenario Planning Study, NC
  • Go Triangle Durham to Orange Light Rail Transit Value Capture Analysis, Durham & Chapel Hill, NC
  • ​​Cameron Village Small Area Plan, Raleigh, NC
  • ​Loudoun County Land Use Scenario Planning Study, VA

Corridor Studies

City Explained, Inc. is responsible for the land use and urban design components of corridor studies and their influence on livable transportation and travel behavior.  These projects often are facilitated through on-site charrettes where scenario planning software is used to help develop design alternatives and show their attributes.


  • ​​Route 1 Corridor Master Plan, Howard County, MD
  • ​Oakdale Corridor Study, Charlotte, NC
  • Complete 540, Southeast Expressway Extension Study, Greater Raleigh, NC
  • Old Monroe Road / East John Street Design Alternatives Charrette, Indian Trail – Stallings – Matthews, NC
  • ​NC 24 Corridor Study, Jacksonville, NC

Infrastructure Investment Strategies

City Explained, Inc. is responsible for all phases of an infrastructure investment strategy, including revenue potential, cost of providing facilities and services, and return-on-investment.  These projects often use scenario planning techniques to test alternative futures and measure their potential impacts on government finances - "Making Cents" of the local Future Land Use Map.  Our most recent experience includes:


  • ​​​Berkeley County Scenario Planning & Likely Impacts Analysis, SC
  • Town of Lexington Cost of Government Services Study, SC
  • Town of Scarborough Infrastructure Return-on-Investment Study, ME
  • Charlotte Comprehensive Neighborhood Improvement Program, South Park Neighborhoods, NC
  • ​Growth Alternatives Infrastructure Analysis, Cedar Rapids, IA
  • ​Charlotte Comprehensive Neighborhood Improvement Program, West Trade - Rozzelles Ferry Neighborhood, NC

Regional Growth Studies

City Explained, Inc. leads several large-scale, regional scenario planning studies each year that encourage the consideration of multiple futures based on various development patterns and intensities.  We measure the impacts of competing growth scenarios and evaluate their trade-offs, emphasizing how they impact the environment, shape current and future infrastructure, influence the cost of government, support/limit economic development initiatives, etc.  Our most recent experience includes:


  • Metrolina CommunityViz Model v. 2.0 Initiative, NC
  • Northeast Area Study, Wake County, NC
  • Pasco County Scenario Planning Initiative, FL
  • Pinellas County Scenario Planning Initiative, FL
  • Lake Charles MPO Transportation Plan, Scenario Planning Support, LA
  • CAMPO Regional Scenario Planning Initiative, Jefferson City, MO
  • Southwest Area Study, Scenario Planning Support, Raleigh, NC
  • Piedmont Triad Region CommunityViz Model Guidebook, NC
  • Shaping Our Future Scenario Planning & Growth Alternatives Analysis, SC
  • ​Metrolina Region CommunityViz Model & Growth Allocation Tools, Charlotte, NC
  • ​Triangle Region Scenario Planning Initiative, Raleigh-Durham, NC
  • ​George Washington Region Scenario Planning Study, VA
  • ​CONNECT Our Future Regional Scenario Planning Initiative, NC/SC
  • ​Piedmont Together, Piedmont Triad Region, NC
  • ​Your Vision, Our Future, George Washington Region Scenario Planning Study, VA
  • ​Imagine 2040: Triangle Region Scenario Planning Initiative, NC
  • ​Our Future, Our Region, BCDCOG Regional Blueprint, Charleston, SC​

Comprehensive Plans

City Explained, Inc. is responsible for all aspects in the planning process to develop a locally-adopted comprehensive plan, including public participation, plan development, local adoption hearings, and coordination with county, regional and state agencies.  Our most recent experience includes:


  • Athens Comprehensive Master Plan, AL
  • Legacy Leesburg Town Plan, VA
  • City of Spartanburg Comprehensive Plan, SC
  • Town of Holly Springs Comprehensive Plan, NC
  • Cedar Hill Next Comprehensive Plan, TX
  • Franklin County Next Comprehensive Development Plan, NC
  • Manchester Comprehensive Master Plan, NH
  • HoCo by Design General Plan Update, MD
  • City of Charlotte Future 2040 Comprehensive Plan, NC
  • City of Chesterfield Comprehensive Plan, MO
  • Town of Bedford Comprehensive Plan, NH
  • Elevate Las Cruces Comprehensive Plan, NM
  • Village of Pinehurst Comprehensive Plan, NC
  • Town of Elon Comprehensive Plan, NC
  • City of Memphis Comprehensive Plan 3.0, Scenario Planning Support, TN
  • Broken Arrow Comprehensive Plan Update, OK
  • Knightdale Next Comprehensive Plan, NC
  • Hawaii County Growth Plan Update, HI
  • Scarborough Comprehensive Plan Update, ME
  • Snowmass Comprehensive Master Plan Update, CO
  • West Fargo Comprehensive Master Plan Update, ND
  • ​Fuquay-Varina 2035 Community Land Use Plan, NC
  • ​Garner Forward Comprehensive Plan Update, NC
  • ​York County Comprehensive Plan, Priority Investment Element, SC
  • ​City of Lewiston Comprehensive Plan Update, ME
  • ​Peters Township Comprehensive Plan Update, PA
  • ​Londonderry Comprehensive Master Plan, NC
  • Brunswick County Comprehensive Plan, NC