Warsaw Plan Commission members discussed updating Warsaw's current comprehensive plan during Monday's meeting.
The comprehensive plan was adopted in 1997 to establish Warsaw's land use development patterns, identify future land use needs, and to reserve adequate land suited for residential, commercial and industrial development.
City Planner Jeremy Skinner said the plan has not been updated since 1997, but needs to be to accommodate the city's economic and residential growth.
Skinner said there has been $50,000 proposed for the building and planning department's 2008 budget to update the current comprehensive plan. The proposal will need to be approved by the Warsaw City Council. Commission members also agreed the plan needs to be updated.
"I have always tried to use the comprehensive plan as a guide, and it needs to be an up-to-date tool we as planners can use to work for our community," commissioner Joe Thallemer said.
Commissioner Jim Gast said, "I always thought the plan should be used as a guide for making decisions that are restrictive or versatile and the current plan can't be used properly for either."
He said the plan is not updated to meet the city's current growth patterns.
Thallemer suggested including the county in updating the plan, and Skinner and the other commissioners agreed that having input from the county would be beneficial.
The commission also discussed other issues such as how to define a big box store and the city's sign ordinance.
The commission previously reviewed handouts at its July 11 meeting from Skinner regarding how other cities defined big box stores.
"My goal is for the plan commission to come to a consensus of the definition of a big box store, and know where potential areas where the stores could be allowed and know the impact the stores will have," Skinner said.
"We will be in a better position as a city and plan commission to know the impacts of big box stores."
Commissioner Jeff Grose recommended defining a big box store by acreage.
"I don't look at a big box store as just a building, but something that creates a commercial development," Grose said.
Skinner said he instead preferred defining a big box store by the facility's square footage.
He said he will come up with square footage measurements that could define a big box store and present them to the commission during its August meeting.
The commission also discussed the city's sign ordinances.
Skinner said he has had business owners call him who have been confused on sign ordinance requirements.
He said his goal is to seek input from the plan commission so the sign ordinance is easier to read and better defined for on-premise signs.
