After the community has received this guidebook and has decided to participate in the Community Development Planning program, the community's chief elected official should contact the RPA. This serves as official notification of the community's intention to participate. The community and the RPA will sign an agreement describing the steps each will take throughout the CD Plan process. The RPA will serve as the community"s primary guide throughout this process.

• Help you determine whether any of the CD Plan's four required elements (economic development, open space and resource protection, housing, and transportation) may be satisfied by existing studies, plans, reports, etc.
• Supply additional copies of GIS buildout maps of the community.
• Bring together neighboring towns to discuss interlocal planning.
• Help you choose a consultant.
• Help develop the Scope of Services describing the tasks that the consultant will perform, working with the community to create the CD Plan.
• Act as a planning consultant, if the community chooses to hire the RPA to prepare portions of the plan or the entire CD Plan.