POSEY COUNTY FOR UNINCORPORATED POSEY COUNTY, POSEYVILLE, AND CYNTHIANA Final Comprehensive Plan Bernardin Lochmueller & Associates, Inc. Posey County Comprehensive Plan for unincorporated Posey County, Poseyville and Cynthiana Final Prepared for: Posey County Coliseum Building 126 East Third Street, Mount Vernon, Indiana 47620 Phone: (812) 838-1311 Prepared by: Bernardin, Lochmueller and Associates, Inc. Engineering, Planning, Surveying, Environmental Studies, Water/Wastewater 6200 Vogel Road, Evansville, Indiana 47715 Phone: (812) 479-6200 Draft Final Plan published: October 31, 2008 Posey County Area Plan Commission public hearing and plan adoption: November 13, 2008 Posey County Board of Commissioners plan adoption: November 18, 2008 Poseyville Town Council plan adoption: Cynthiana Town Council plan adoption: 11/13/2008 City of Mount Vernon Comprehensive Plan OUTLINE & Posey County Comprehensive Plan (Unincorporated Posey County, Poseyville & Cynthiana) A. Purpose of Public Hearing B. Planning Process Public Hearing C. Comprehensive Plan Benefits Posey CtCounty Area Plan Comm iiission Hovey House D. Comprehensive Plan Contents Fourth at Walnut Mount Vernon, Indiana 47620 E. Community Profile F. Future Vision November 13, 2008 at 6:00 PM G. Recommendations H. Next Steps A. Purpose of Public Hearing B. Planning Process 1. Receive public comment on two draft comprehensive plans: 1. Four meetings with Mount Vernon and Posey County Steering • Mount Vernon Committees over past 7 months • Posey County –> unincorporated Posey County and incorporated Poseyville and • Identify issues and leaders to be interviewed , and prepare survey (5/07 & 13/2008) Cynthiana • Develop future vision (7/15/2008) 2. Public hearing fulfills two purposes: • Develop future alternatives (9/20/2008) • Meets State statutory requirements for adoption of a new comprehensive plan • Develop recommendations (10/15/2008) • Fulfills Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs grant requirements for the separate grants funding each plan 2. Steering Committees met jointly to address common issues 3. New Mount Vernon Plan replaces last plan in 1963 3. Separate community surveys for Mount Vernon and Posey • Incorporates Riverfront Revitalization Plan of 2007 County to identify issues • Incorporates Downtown Redevelopment Plan of 2006 4. Separate community leader interviews for Mount Vernon and • Reflects Western Bypass Feasibility Study of 1998 Posey County to identify issues 4. New Posey County Plan replaces last plan in 1975 with 5. Two rounds of public information meetings for Mount Vernon updates in 1978, 1980, 1984 and 1998 and Posey County • Reflects 2008 New Harmony Comprehensive Plan fringe area recommendations • Review background information and the future vision (7/30 & 31/2008) 5. Two plan documents due to two separate planning grants • Review future land use/transportation alternatives (9/17 & 18/2008 • Two plans are integrated recommendations for fringe area of Mount Vernon identical in both plans C. Comprehensive Plan Benefits D. Comprehensive Plan Contents 1. Achieves community self‐determination 1. State Statutes provide a general framework The specific contents are 2. Protects property investments unique to community. 2. Establishes guidelines (not law) for future development. 3. Preserves property tax base 3. Provides guidelines for the development of roads, sewers, waterlines, 4. Helps keep tax rates down drainage, parks and other community facilities. 5. Promotes attractive and healthy living environments 4. Provides guidelines for the protection of historic and natural resources. 6. Guides future community development 5. Based on conditions in the future Year 2030. 6. Geographically Coordinated Mount Vernon and Posey County Plans 7. Helps use tax dollars in the most cost‐efficient manner for . Mount Vernon Plan covers the incorporated area and a two‐mile fringe where the the maintenance of existing and construction of new public city has and is extending public infrastructure. Posey County Plan covers the incorporated areas of Poseyville and Cynthiana and infrastructure unincorporated Posey County including the two‐mile fringe of Mount Vernon 8. Provides a fair and equitable development process with a . Excludes New Harmony which has its own Comprehensive Plan and Plan Commission view towards efficient and cost‐effective delivery of public . Excludes Griffin which does not participate in planning services 7. Provides guidance for application of land use controls zoning and subdivision control regulations 9. Facilitates grants to address community needs 8. May be amended any time, but should be reviewed every five years and updated every ten years. 1 11/13/2008 Extensive Historic Heritage Throughout Posey County Vernon E. Community Profile 1. Community setting historic, natural environment, & socio‐economic characteristics 2. Assessment of existing conditions land use, transportation, utilities, and community facilities 3. Community issues identification plan steering committee, community survey and community leader interviews Figure 3 National Register of Historic Places Mount Vernon Housing Conditions Survey Extensive Historic Heritage Throughout Mount Vernon Figure 4 Mount Vernon Historic Sites and Districts Figure 5: Housing Rating Poseyville Housing Conditions Survey Cynthiana Housing Conditions Survey Figure 4: Housing Rating Figure 5: Housing Rating 2 11/13/2008 Petroleum Resources Posey County Housing Rating Figure 6: Housing Rating Figure 10 Petroleum Resources Floodplains and Wetlands Slow Population Growth Figure 11 Floodplains and Wetlands Household Income Predominance of Agricultural Lands Figure 28: Posey County Existing Land Use 3 11/13/2008 Growth Toward I-64 to accommodate Future Land Use Needs Poseyville Downtown Land Use Figure 29: Poseyville Figure 31: Downtown Existing Land Use Poseyville Land Use Cynthiana Downtown Figure 30 Cynthiana Existing Land Use Land Use Figure 32: Downtown Cynthiana Land Use Insufficient Vacant Land inside Mount Vernon City Limits for Growth Need for Western Bypass Need to Extend Lamont Road into Maritime Center Figure 24: Roadway Functional Figure 22: Two-Mile Fringe Existing Land Use Classification 4 11/13/2008 Mount Vernon’s Parks and Schools Posey County’s Schools and Exceptional Recreation Areas Figure 36: Parks, Recreation Areas and Schools Figure 28: Parks and Recreation Areas Top Ten Community Issues F. Future Vision (based on Community Issues, Steering Committee input Mount Vernon Posey County and public open houses) 1. Encourage and increase retail 1. Encourage new quality industry and personal services 2. Promote rivers and highways as 1. Vision Statement 2. Expand city water filtration and asset to draw new development 2. Land Use Development Policy Statement distribution system 3. Promote economic development 3. Improve sidewalks 4. Incentives to attract industries 3. Community Infrastructure Policy Statement 4. Better address vacant buildings 5. Incentives to grow existing 5. Promote economic development businesses 4. Goals and Objectives for Future Development 6. Encourage new quality industry 6. Better promote tourism • Economic development, tourism, housing, business, 7. Upgrade and expand sewer 7. Improve existing roads and environment, transportation, utilities, recreation, community system bridges 5. Guidelines land use, infrastructure, environment 8. Improve stormwater drainage 8. Build on existing attractions 9. Address heavy truck flow 9. Need more destination points to and government 10. Increase downtown events attract tourism • Used in conjunction with future land use map to determine land 10. Encourage growth in northern use change consistency with comprehensive plan Posey County, Poseyville and • Basis for determining consistency with comprehensive plan Cynthiana when inconsistent with future land use map FUTURE LAND USE DEVELOPMENT G. Recommendations Accepts existing urban land uses and zoning in Mount Vernon 1. Future Land Use Development Plan 2. Transportation/Thoroughfare Plan 3. Utilities Plan 4. Community Facilities and Services Plan 5. Open Space and Recreation Plan 6. Environment Plan 7. Implementation Program Figure 35 Mount Vernon Future Land Use 5 11/13/2008 Addresses possible development along bypass Poseyville shows industrial and commercial growth in I- 64 Interchange area Residential growth northwest of North Elementary School Figures 32 & 35 Poseyville Future Land Use Figure 36 Mount Vernon Two-Mile Fringe Future Land Use Cynthiana shows single family growth on community edges Posey County future land use plan reflects New Harmony Comprehensive Plan fringe area growth recommendations Shows industrial growth near A.B. Brown Power Plant/West Franklin Shows residential growth along SR 66 southeast of Blairsville Figures 31 & 34 Posey Figures 33 & 36 Cynthiana Future Land Use County Future Land Use G. Recommendations (continued) G. Recommendations (continued) 2. Transportation/Thoroughfare Plan • Completion of Western SR 69 Bypass • Extension/Reconstruction of Lamont Road from SR 62 to Bluff Road to improve 4. Community Facilities and Services Plan Maritime Center access • Explore options for new City Hall, Police Department and Fire Department • Reconstruction and extension of Seibert Road from Industrial Drive to the SR 69 buildings in Mount Vernon Bypass • Reconstruct Grant Street from Lower New Harmony Road to Main Street in 5. Open Space and Recreation Plan Mount Vernon • Consider a new neighborhood park on the