Indiana State Statute requires that a Comprehensive Plan must, at a minimum, include the following three general elements:
- a statement of objectives for future development;
- statement(s) of policy for land use development; and
- statement(s) of policy for the development of public ways, public places, public lands public structures and public utilities.
It is the intent of the Steering Committee to not only meet the minimum statutory requirements, but to expand on them via in-depth analysis of the pertinent issues affecting the community.
The following issues and elements offer a framework within which the Comprehensive Plan may be developed and organized. The elements represent the primary issues that face the County and City in the next 20 years.
Community Vision
Issues and opportunities
Set of guiding principles
Demographic Trends and Projections
Land Use
- Development patterns, trends and projections
- Growth strategy
- Policies to coordinate development amongst jurisdictions (urban service areas, overlay districts, etc.)
- Macro Issues
- General land use policies
- Contemporary planning concepts (i.e., New Urbanism, Neo-traditional, Smart Growth, etc.)
- Micro Issues
- Project/site specific policies (urban, suburban, rural, city and town)
- Densities and land use concentrations
- Urban Design and form (CPTED)
- Historic Preservation
- Policies and Guidelines (to advise appointed and elected Boards and Commissions)
Transportation
- Major transportation/corridor improvement issues (i.e. sound barriers)
- Pedestrian circulation and linkages; bikeways; greenways and trails
- Transit (all modes)
- Fixed Rail lines (light, heavy, passenger, and freight)
- Airport issues
Community Facilities
- Infrastructure (Public Utilities; Public Works)
- Public Facilities
- Parks and Recreation
- Public Safety
- Schools, public and private (pre K – 12th)
- Public Investments; focusing on facilities
- Septic Systems
- Private Utilities
Housing/Neighborhoods
- Housing Strategy incorporated into Comprehensive Plan
- Urban/Suburban infill development
- Protection/revitalization of neighborhood anchor facilities
- Neighborhood Strategy/Prototypes
- Brownfield/grayfield issues
Economic Development
- Technology issues (broadband, cell towers, high tech industrial parks, economic opportunities, job training, tourism, etc.)
- Assessment of assets in support of economic development (ie. industrial sites, infrastructure, etc.)
- Downtown revitalization (all cities and towns)
- Economic Development Alliance
- Exploration of opportunities focusing on the City's three rivers
Environmental Stewardship
- Parks
- Open space
- Natural resource protection (clean air, clean water, wetlands, rivers, natural areas, trends and projections)
- Prime/productive agricultural land
- Floodplain issues/flood mitigation
- Septic and private discharge systems
Implementation
- Development Control Ordinance amendments
- Policies
- Capital Improvement Plan
Development incentives and inducements