Comprehensive. It can be a tough name to live up to. The dictionary tells us that to be comprehensive is to be inclusive or to “include much.” One of the ways that the comprehensive planning section has attempted to include much in the update of the Comprehensive Plan is by coordinating with other planning efforts within the Division of Planning. We have worked with the sub-area planning section to eliminate conflicts between the Comprehensive Plan and the various neighborhood and corridor plans. We have been in consultation with the transportation planning section to make sure that we are aware of their plans as we make our plans. The current planning section has provided their insight throughout the planning process.

The comprehensive planning section of the city has also worked with planners in other city departments. Particularly close coordination has taken place with Indy Parks. Indy Parks staff were members of the Environment, Parks and Open Space Issue Committee and contributed to a number of the recommendations in the Community Values Component. This included the standard of providing at least 17.3 acres of park land for every 1000 residents.

The parks planners have been involved in the planning efforts for each of the township planning areas; attending the public planning meetings, making presentations and answering questions. The comprehensive planning staff has used the Indianapolis Greenways Plan and Indy Parks’ land acquisition list as starting points for our park and linear park land use designations. Other proposed parks and greenways have been discussed with the parks planners to make sure that they would be credible additions to the park system.

Indy Parks has recently completed a comprehensive plan its own. The Indianapolis-Marion County Park, Recreation and Open Space Plan establishes a framework for the sensible development of park and recreations services. This plan is updated every five years as a pre-qualification for several grant and funding opportunities. The plan was adopted by the Board of Parks and Recreation on April 8 and will shortly be considered by the Metropolitan Development Commission as a segment of the Comprehensive Plan.

Upcoming Comprehensive Land Use Planning meetings are:

Tuesday, May 18
Decatur Township Planning Area
Decatur Township High School library
5251 Kentucky Avenue

Tuesday, May 25
Franklin Township Planning Area
Wanamaker Elementary School
4151 Bazil Avenue

Tuesday, June 8
Decatur Township Planning Area
Decatur Township High School cafeteria
5251 Kentucky Avenue

Tuesday, June 15
Franklin Township Planning Area
E. B. Carver Education & Technology Center
6141 S. Franklin Road

All meetings begin at 7 p.m.

For more information or to be placed on the Indianapolis Insight mailing list, please call (317) 327-5155.