What role does the planning board typically serve in a community?

The planning board typically serves the role of developing long-term community plans. This includes assessing the needs of the community and creating strategies that address various aspects such as land use, housing development, infrastructure, and environmental sustainability. They evaluate how these plans align with the overall vision for the community's future, and their goal is to ensure balanced growth and development that reflects the aspirations of the residents.

While other roles, such as creating zoning laws, are also important to a planning board, they are more about the implementation of the plans rather than the planning itself. Additionally, the planning board does not supervise daily operations of local government; that responsibility usually falls to elected officials. The directing of business expansion can occur through the planning board indirectly via community plans, but it is not their primary function. Thus, developing long-term community plans encapsulates the core responsibilities of a planning board.