Carol Johnson, Southern Indiana Business Report
JASPER – Comprehensive plans are the road map for any organization planning for its future.
For cities, counties and towns, they capture the vision of what a community wants to be.
The city of Jasper just announced the kick-off of an update to its current plan that will be the city’s guide to future growth, development and well being.
Josh Gunselman, director of community development and planning for the city, said the current initiative is a 12-month update of the city’s current plan, which was adopted in 2019.
The reason for updating the plan is simple – the city has completed or is working through over 85% of the comprehensive plan’s objectives. Some of the completed projects include the Thyen-Clark Cultural Center and the city’s new pool, the Jasper Aquatic Center, which opened this summer and shattered previous city pool attendance records. Downtown revitalization was identified in Jasper’s last two comprehensive plans. The city pursued that by creating a dynamic Main Street organization – Heart of Jasper – and completing a new streetscape for the downtown as well as upgrading infrastructure.
“We’re seeing the dividends of that,” Gunselman said.
Gunselman said the city’s leadership is ardent about using comprehensive planning as a guide to development.
Over time, communities change in size and population. Trends, policies and community needs evolve with those changes and the community leadership has to evolve too.
Gunselman said he expects housing to emerge as one of the primary issues. The city is currently working with a contractor to develop land within the city in a more beneficial way.
“How can we make building in town easier, quicker and cheaper for developers?” Gunselman said.
The Vine Street area near downtown is one area the plan may identify for potential housing and commercial development.
Community input, public forums
Jasper is engaging the public to ensure the plan reflects the community’s goals. The city is encouraging residents to take a survey that is available in English and Spanish. Click here for the English version. Click here for the Spanish version. The survey takes about 20 minutes to complete. The survey is open through Oct. 31.
Public visioning sessions will take place Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 at the Thyen-Clark Cultural Center atrium.
WGI, the Washington DC firm the city is using to draft the plan, will report the survey results at a meeting of the Jasper Planning Commission Dec. 3. On Dec. 6, the public can attend a review of the survey results at the Jasper Parklands.
Shaping future decisions
Jasper’s plan will help shape decisions about land use, infrastructure, housing, transportation, parks and recreation, environmental assets, and more, ensuring that Jasper develops in a way that aligns with the values and needs of residents.
Topics addressed in Jasper’s plan include demographics, market conditions, land use, utilities & infrastructure, community facilities, transportation, neighborhoods, economic development, quality of life, environmental assets and public spaces.