Redevelopment Commission Hears FORWARD Presentation
March 11, 2022 at 3:24 a.m.
Redevelopment Commission Hears FORWARD Presentation
By Jackie Gorski-
Kosciusko County, the Kosciusko County Community Foundation, K21 Health Foundation and local communities joined forces to complete a one-of-a-kind update to the county’s current 1996 comprehensive plan, according to FORWARD Kosciusko’s website. Residents, community leaders and community organizations were asked to come together to discuss local challenges, identify unique community features and determine how Kosciusko County and the local communities can grow, evolve and improve.
Clark said they’ve spent the last year learning about the county and area communities and have gotten ideas of development from local people. A comprehensive plan really needs to come from the people and there have been a lot of one-on-one interviews, public workshops and conversations with area people, she said.
The comprehensive plan is really multiple plans in one, Clark said. There will be the county comprehensive plan that will be used by the Area Plan Commission predominately, which will be an assessment and recommendations for the unincorporated parts of the county. Each local community will each get their own comprehensive plan. It’s going to be a good tool for those communities because there will be grant opportunities since federal agencies look for comprehensive plans. The three communities that are different are Syracuse, Warsaw and Winona Lake as they have independent comprehensive plans. Taylor Siefker Williams Design Group is giving those three communities some suggestions to update their comprehensive plans.
All the recommendations started from identifying where collectively everyone wants to be, Clark said. Everyone generally was aspiring to become and embody this welcoming area that was full of thriving residents and successful businesses and organizations.
“And they wanted to make sure that you’re not acting independently, but you’re coming together to improve the lives of the residents and improve the conditions of businesses, the industries, the destinations” and as the area is moving forward, it stays an engaging environment to be successful for everybody, no matter what that success looks like, Clark said.
The plan relies on five topical themes, which include: creating safe environments full of possibility of wellness and prosperity; taking a look at the county’s developed areas by making sure the county is balanced in how it looks at growth and preservation; and making sure the infrastructure and transportation is planned properly to make sure it provides what people and businesses in the area need, she said. And the plan added some elements for the county’s destinations and natural accents to amplify them as much as possible.
There are recommendations in the plan for land usage. The land use plan was generated through input from people from committees groups and individuals. There’s recommendations for land use across the country. Clark said the recommendations on land usage are split up into 12 different categories to allow for a broad array of uses including agriculture and parks, recreation and open space.
The idea of preserving and complementing existing natural areas like lakes was an area that was important to take into account with the FORWARD Kosciusko plan. Second to that was preserving agricultural lands. In a lot of areas, agricultural land and growth and development don’t go together. The agricultural lands in the county are “incredibly productive” and part of the culture and identity for the county. Agriculture is also a functioning industry. The plan tries to work on the agricultural work and mutually strengthen it so it grows as well.
Commission member Doug Hanes said it was his first exposure to the FORWARD Kosciusko comprehensive plan, so he was excited about it.
Commission member Dan Thystrup said North Webster is working on a trail from North Webster to Syracuse.
“I’d really almost say that our dream after that’s done is follow the river as much as possible all the way to Warsaw,” he said.
Clark said one of the key steps for the plan was connectivity, which includes a plan for new trails, greenways and blueways to connect recreation areas and county destinations.
By the end of the week, the draft for the comprehensive plan will be ready for review.
People can view more information about the FORWARD Kosciusko comprehensive plan at www.forwardkosciusko.com.
Clark said the adoption phase of the comprehensive plan in planned to start in April by giving a presentation to the Area Plan Commission and a formal and final review of the plan.
People can give feedback about the comprehensive plan before it moves into adoption by emailing [email protected] or using the form on the website. Public comments about the plan will be taken until March 31. Hopefully, by May, the Area Plan Commission can make their approval for recommendation. The plan will then go to the Kosciusko County Commissioners. The plans will be brought the area communities by June or July, Clark said.
In other business, the Commission:
• Heard an update from Alan Tio, CEO of Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation, about KEDCO’s initiatives.
• Community Coordinator Amy Roe introduced herself to the Commission.
• Approved a motion to retain local attorney and former Commission member Adam Turner as the Commission attorney with a $2,000 retainer. Commission President Joni Truex said she did her due diligence and talked with other area attorneys.
• Approved an engagement letter and scope of services agreement from Baker Tilly.
• Swore in Commission member Mike Metzger.
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Kosciusko County, the Kosciusko County Community Foundation, K21 Health Foundation and local communities joined forces to complete a one-of-a-kind update to the county’s current 1996 comprehensive plan, according to FORWARD Kosciusko’s website. Residents, community leaders and community organizations were asked to come together to discuss local challenges, identify unique community features and determine how Kosciusko County and the local communities can grow, evolve and improve.
Clark said they’ve spent the last year learning about the county and area communities and have gotten ideas of development from local people. A comprehensive plan really needs to come from the people and there have been a lot of one-on-one interviews, public workshops and conversations with area people, she said.
The comprehensive plan is really multiple plans in one, Clark said. There will be the county comprehensive plan that will be used by the Area Plan Commission predominately, which will be an assessment and recommendations for the unincorporated parts of the county. Each local community will each get their own comprehensive plan. It’s going to be a good tool for those communities because there will be grant opportunities since federal agencies look for comprehensive plans. The three communities that are different are Syracuse, Warsaw and Winona Lake as they have independent comprehensive plans. Taylor Siefker Williams Design Group is giving those three communities some suggestions to update their comprehensive plans.
All the recommendations started from identifying where collectively everyone wants to be, Clark said. Everyone generally was aspiring to become and embody this welcoming area that was full of thriving residents and successful businesses and organizations.
“And they wanted to make sure that you’re not acting independently, but you’re coming together to improve the lives of the residents and improve the conditions of businesses, the industries, the destinations” and as the area is moving forward, it stays an engaging environment to be successful for everybody, no matter what that success looks like, Clark said.
The plan relies on five topical themes, which include: creating safe environments full of possibility of wellness and prosperity; taking a look at the county’s developed areas by making sure the county is balanced in how it looks at growth and preservation; and making sure the infrastructure and transportation is planned properly to make sure it provides what people and businesses in the area need, she said. And the plan added some elements for the county’s destinations and natural accents to amplify them as much as possible.
There are recommendations in the plan for land usage. The land use plan was generated through input from people from committees groups and individuals. There’s recommendations for land use across the country. Clark said the recommendations on land usage are split up into 12 different categories to allow for a broad array of uses including agriculture and parks, recreation and open space.
The idea of preserving and complementing existing natural areas like lakes was an area that was important to take into account with the FORWARD Kosciusko plan. Second to that was preserving agricultural lands. In a lot of areas, agricultural land and growth and development don’t go together. The agricultural lands in the county are “incredibly productive” and part of the culture and identity for the county. Agriculture is also a functioning industry. The plan tries to work on the agricultural work and mutually strengthen it so it grows as well.
Commission member Doug Hanes said it was his first exposure to the FORWARD Kosciusko comprehensive plan, so he was excited about it.
Commission member Dan Thystrup said North Webster is working on a trail from North Webster to Syracuse.
“I’d really almost say that our dream after that’s done is follow the river as much as possible all the way to Warsaw,” he said.
Clark said one of the key steps for the plan was connectivity, which includes a plan for new trails, greenways and blueways to connect recreation areas and county destinations.
By the end of the week, the draft for the comprehensive plan will be ready for review.
People can view more information about the FORWARD Kosciusko comprehensive plan at www.forwardkosciusko.com.
Clark said the adoption phase of the comprehensive plan in planned to start in April by giving a presentation to the Area Plan Commission and a formal and final review of the plan.
People can give feedback about the comprehensive plan before it moves into adoption by emailing [email protected] or using the form on the website. Public comments about the plan will be taken until March 31. Hopefully, by May, the Area Plan Commission can make their approval for recommendation. The plan will then go to the Kosciusko County Commissioners. The plans will be brought the area communities by June or July, Clark said.
In other business, the Commission:
• Heard an update from Alan Tio, CEO of Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation, about KEDCO’s initiatives.
• Community Coordinator Amy Roe introduced herself to the Commission.
• Approved a motion to retain local attorney and former Commission member Adam Turner as the Commission attorney with a $2,000 retainer. Commission President Joni Truex said she did her due diligence and talked with other area attorneys.
• Approved an engagement letter and scope of services agreement from Baker Tilly.
• Swore in Commission member Mike Metzger.
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