Cultural Vitality is one of the four pillars that form the city's planning framework, as outlined by the Council Plan. The other pillars are Economic Viability, Environmental Responsibility and Social Equity.

The four pillars ensure that council's decisions are made in a responsible way that protects the municipality's many great qualities for future residents. No longer is the economic bottom line considered the sole indicator of good governance. Social, environmental and cultural factors are acknowledged as having equal weight in determining policy.

Port Phillip was the first Australian local government organisation to formally incorporate Culturally Vitality and give it equal status alongside the other traditional triple bottom line considerations (economic, social and environmental). Port Phillip calls its model the Four Pillars - a phrase that is taken from the work of Jon Hawkes, whose "The Fourth Pillar of Sustainability: Culture's Essential Role in Public Planning" has been influential in framing the policy and planning framework.

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