Comprehensive Plan -- Critical Areas

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Comprehensive Plan -- Critical Areas
by Keith Holdsworth
[Principal Planner, Comprehensive Plan, City of Indianapolis

As the land use mapping meetings progress in the Pike and Wayne Township planning areas, participants in Pike are now involved in determining critical areas. Participants in Wayne Township will be shortly. But what does this bit of planning jargon mean?

Critical Areas exhibit an unusual character, important location, or significant infrastructure need that warrants a high degree of scrutiny and more detailed explanation than that generally shown on the Land Use Maps.

An example from Pike Township is an intersection where it has been determined that it is critical to have a small retail center to serve the needs of the surrounding area, but at the same time it is critical that this commercial area not encroach upon the existing residential areas around it.

The written portion of each Critical Area designation will include the location, the reasons why it is critical and then a list of recommendations to guide development of the area in a manner consistent with its critical qualities.

Critical Areas are to be used sparingly so that they may retain their “specialness” that is one of their chief benefits.

In the current Comprehensive Plan the Critical Area maps and text are in a separate document from the Land Use Map. For the new Comprehensive Plan, staff intends to depict the critical areas on the Land Use Map and to include the Critical Area text somewhere on the same sheet. This way the Critical Areas won’t be “out of sight, out of mind.”

The land use mapping process for the Pike and Wayne Township planning areas continues. Upcoming meetings will be held at the following times and locations:

September 9^th— 7:00 p.m.
Wayne Township Planning Area
(includes portions of western Center Township)
Wayne Township Fire Department Administration Bldg.
700 N. High School Road

September 11^th— 5:30 p.m.
Wayne Township Planning Area
(includes portions of western Center Township)
Supplemental meeting for northwestern Center Township
UNWA, Inc. Offices
1100 W. 30^th Street

September 16^th— 7:00 p.m.
Pike Township Planning Area
Pike Township Government Center
5665 Lafayette Road

September 30^th— 7:00 p.m.
Wayne Township Planning Area
Garden City Elementary School
4901 Rockville Road

October 7^th— (tentative)
Joint meeting for Pike and Wayne Township Planning Areas
Meeting to discuss areas of mutual concern along the townships' common boundary. Location to be announced.

All residents who live, work, or own property in Marion County are welcome and encouraged to provide their input at these meetings.

www.indygov.org/indianapolisinsight