
The White River Vision Plan process is flowing along and the Phase One report is now available for review and comment. It provides an in-depth study of the river corridor’s history, industry, river access, hydrology, ecology and recreation along the 58-mile route between downtown Indianapolis and Hamilton County.
Between April and July, the core team members from Agency Landscape + Planning, RATIO Architects, DAVID RUBIN Land Collective, Applied Ecological Services, Engaging Solutions, Heritage Strategies, HR&A, Land Story and Christopher B. Burke Engineering gathered community feedback at public meetings, steering committee sessions and stakeholder discussions.
“As we work to keep the community involved in the process, this report gives the community a baseline of current conditions and the possibilities for the White River Vision Plan.” said Emily Mack, director of the Department of Metropolitan Development for the City of Indianapolis who oversees the planning process for the City.
Key findings from the report:
- Reveal History: The Task One study uncovered rich and compelling stories about the river’s history but also revealed that residents are relatively unaware of that history.
- Express Our Identity: Past and more recent development and demographic trends emphasize that the White River Vision Plan must serve all ages, work to attract younger residents, stress inclusivity and support quality of life to support economic growth.
- Experience Nature: This theme examines the natural wildlife, water quality, levees, floodplains and storm water runoff along the river.
- Get Outdoors: The White River Vision Plan will seek to promote stewardship of the river with balanced, diverse opportunities to engage with the river.
- Connect Communities: Wayfinding signage, lighting and improvements to existing roadways and trails will be included in the White River Vision Plan.
Get involved
Take the new, five-minute Interactive Mapping Survey and sign up for notifications for upcoming community meetings tentatively scheduled between January 29-31, 2019.
A final master plan expected in Spring 2019.
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