Planning Department seeks input at Big Ideas Open House

The next step in determining the long-term vision of Putnam County is set for Tuesday, Oct. 25.

That evening from 6:30-8:30 p.m., the Putnam County Building and Planning Department, along with HWC Engineering, will host a Big Ideas Open House at the Putnam County Fairgrounds Community Building, 191 U.S. 231 North, Greencastle.

The open house is part of the process of drafting a new Putnam County Comprehensive Plan, which was last performed in 2008. Additionally, the process will provide a new zoning ordinance, which has not seen a major update since 1992.

While input has been gathered through surveys as to what local residents would like to see in the future of land use, infrastructure and other community investments, the open house will help organizers to confirm the plan direction and priorities.

Through a number of stations, a draft map of future land use and preliminary goals and recommendations for key topics will be shared.

County staff and members of the consultant team will be on hand to answer questions.

With an open house format, participants will be invited to come and go at any point during the two hours.

The importance of this step in the process is that if organizers are on the wrong track, they need to know now.

“We want to get as many of the 37,000 people as possible to give us input so that we can do this correctly,” Commissioner Rick Woodall said.

The process of the updates began in June with the appointment of a steering committee comprised of elected and appointed officials, county staff, other local leaders, business owners and residents.

In August, the group conducted in-person workshops and online surveys, with preliminary recommendations sent to the steering committee in September.

The Oct. 25 event is a way of confirming the preliminary direction, County Planning Director Lisa Zeiner told the Putnam County Commissioners Monday morning.

Organizers have already learned much about what the public would like to see, including:

• Support for existing residents and businesses with continued investment in the transportation network, utility systems and recreation amenities.

• Plan for residential and employment growth in and around our established communities.

• Recognizing private property rights and allowing for rural development and new housing while ensuring this doesn’t come at the expense of the county’s existing character and won’t compromise existing transportation and utility systems.

• Preserve and protect the natural amenities and agricultural character that make Putnam County such a special place.

For anyone who can’t make it, there will be an introductory video and survey available at www.envisionputnamcounty.com.

Following the upcoming meeting, the next major step will be sharing a draft plan with the public early in 2023. There will then be a public presentation at a joint meeting of the Putnam County Plan Commission and Putnam County Commissioners.

With refinements before adoption, the final steps will be the Plan Commission, which is advisory in nature, recommending approval to the Commissioners, who will make the final decision on approval.

Zeiner said the hope is to have the process completed next spring.