The Ulster County Planning Department is responsible for managing the County’s Comprehensive Plan Document. The department has and continues to accomplish this task through the adoption of individual Housing, Transportation, and Open Space Plans.  The Ulster County Community Design Manual is not an element of the comprehensive plan, contains some of the policies of the Ulster County Planning Board and is, more importantly, an open-source tool for communities that focuses on place types and the integration of overarching policies at the land use/area and site design level.

Per General Municipal Law and the Ulster County Compact, the Ulster County Planning Board (UCPB) and its staff is the responsible for reviewing municipal county plans, law amendments, site plans and special permits, and area and use variances as it relates to having a countywide impact. The UCPB offers constructive criticism and technical advice to help communities achieve their long term planning goals as its response to these referred actions. The Department offers a Land Use Referral Guide and maintains a local land use library to aid communities in the referral process .