Parke County Comprehensive Plan continues moving forward

The future of Parke County will be on the line Thursday night as the county's comprehensive plan is on the docket at tonight's Plan Commission meeting. 

Residents of Parke County will have an opportunity to attend a public presentation today at 4 p.m. at the Parke County 4-H Extension Office before the Plan Commission votes at 5 p.m. 

One local official said the comprehensive plan is a road map for what the future and development in Parke County will look for the next two decades and beyond. 

According to Beth Martin, administrator of the Parke County Planning, Zoning and Building Commission, the process to complete the county's first comprehensive plan in two decades has gone well.

"We gotten quite a bit of public feedback, which has been helpful for us. We went into a deep dive on what people cherish most about this county, and that is our county culture. People like the rural, country character and the agricultural property. That is the way that our stakeholders would like for us to stay. It was interesting to me that people wanted that combined with a little increase in population and growing commercially and industrially in the agriculture business. It was interesting to me that they want the culture to stay the same, and it was important to have that input," Martin told The Parke County Post. 

In addition, Martin said another key takeaway was the amount of people who commute outside the county for work, as well as the fact the county's median age is higher than the state average. 

"There is an interest in trying to keep our youth in the county, living here and commuting out of the county for their work. That is fine, but we want to also bring people outside the county here for work as well. That is where the business sector is huge. We want to draw the youth here to live and work," Martin said. 

Childcare or lack of is an issue across the Hoosier State, and Parke County is no stranger, according to Martin. 

"Childcare is very important. Services like a YMCA and things like that, as well as a focus on recreational improvements, trails and parks, along with a concentration to make sure there is public awareness to promote not only the covered bridge festival, but two state parks in the county that people can commute to. Another thing that was interesting was a focus on people staying here longer than one day," Martin said. 

Martin said childcare was mentioned numerous times, but a lack of awareness of what is currently available has hurt.

"We need to make sure we have a campaign telling residents what we have available. Signage was mentioned around the county to let people know we have available spots around the county that are not being used," Martin said. 

The comprehensive plan will also help update the county's zoning ordinance, which was enacted in 1976, Martin said. 

"It desperately needs updated. It is very important to the county leaders and the Plan Commission that we update the zoning ordinance in order to be accommodating to people who wish to grow and develop commercially, but also do it in a planned way with some structure to it. It is important that structure is there, and this will be the basis for that," Martin said. 

Roads were also mentioned as a primary need and concern, and Martin said roads will be maintained in a "proper and appropriate manner." 

"The county has a very limited budget in regards to road building, so we have to make sure that is very planned and deliberate in terms of how we are going to build and maintain roads as we have. That was very important. We can only do so much with what we have, and costs continue to rise, but the planning in place and our highway department working hard, we can care for the most traveled roads. Everyone involved will have to plan out what corridors will be most maintained, and they are doing an exceptional job," Martin said. 

Martin said if anyone wants to have a say in the future of Parke County, it is important to attend the public presentation at 4 p.m. 

"I have been thrilled with the response and the comments we have received," she said.